Growing garlic in your own garden lets you play with flavors you cannot find in stores. We carry more organic seed garlic than any other garden company, at the best prices, so plunge in and get garlicky.

Introduction to Hardneck vs Softneck Garlic

Overview of Garlic Varieties

The difference between hardneck and softneck garlic lies in their structure, flavor, and growing requirements. Hardneck garlic varieties, such as Siberian garlic and German Extra Hardy, are known for their robust flavor and central stalk, producing garlic scapes.

These types are ideal for cold temperatures and cooler climates, making them suitable for northern gardeners and fall garlic planting. Hardneck garlic typically yields fewer but larger cloves with a strong flavor and papery skin, perfect for recipes that benefit from a mild spicy zing or raw heat, like stir fries.

In contrast, softneck garlic, which includes many grocery store varieties, generally has a sweeter flavor profile and a longer shelf life, making it better suited for warmer climates. Softneck types, such as Romanian Red and Persian Star, produce garlic bulbs with more cloves and a mild flavor, often found in farmers markets and ideal for early summer harvesting. This variety is versatile for cooked applications and typically grown in raised beds.

Garlic enthusiasts should consider these characteristics when choosing the right garlic variety for their garden, whether seeking hardneck garlic seed for large bulbs or softneck garlic for a pleasant flavor in their culinary endeavors.

Importance of Understanding the Differences

Understanding the differences between hardneck and softneck garlic is crucial for garlic enthusiasts aiming to grow garlic successfully in various climates. Hardneck garlic, such as Siberian garlic and German Extra Hardy, is known for its robust flavor, large cloves, and garlic scapes.

It thrives in cold temperatures and cooler climates, making it ideal for northern gardeners and fall garlic planting. These varieties, including porcelain type garlic, produce large bulbs and are well-suited for organic gardening.

On the other hand, softneck garlic, with its mild, sweet flavor and longer shelf life, is better suited for warmer climates. This type, including varieties like Romanian Red and Persian Star, generally has more cloves with a pleasant flavor profile and papery skin. Softneck garlic is typically grown for its versatility in cooked applications and is ideal for early summer harvesting.

Recognizing these differences helps in selecting the right garlic variety for specific conditions, ensuring a bountiful harvest of garlic bulbs with tightly wrapped cloves or large cloves. This knowledge aids in optimizing garlic stores, whether for stir fries, home cooking, or farmers markets, by choosing the appropriate garlic plants and understanding their growing season and soil types.

How to Grow Garlic

Learn the nuts and bolts of growing and harvesting garlic in our video How to Grow Garlic and our downloadable Garlic Growing Guide.

The question is, which varieties of garlic seed do you want to plant? Softneck or hardneck or both?

Garlic has a Neck?

By the time you see garlic in the store it has been trimmed, but there is still a papery tuft that stands above the bulb. That's the covering of the "neck" of the garlic. Garlic also comes with different colored skins around the cloves. The cloves themselves are always a creamy white.

Classification of Garlic

General Classification of Garlic

Garlic can be broadly classified into two main groups: hardneck and softneck garlic. Hardneck garlic, known for its robust flavor and cold hardiness, thrives in cold climates and is often favored for its complex flavors and larger cloves, while softneck garlic, which includes varieties like grocery store garlic, tends to have a milder flavor and a longer shelf life, making it suitable for warmer climates.

Unlike softneck garlic, hardneck varieties produce garlic scapes—flowering stocks that emerge from the central stalk. Within these groups, hardneck garlic varieties are distinguished by their fewer, tightly wrapped cloves and more intense flavor, whereas softneck varieties have many smaller, softer neck cloves and are commonly used in garlic braids.

Softneck Garlic

This is the type of garlic you'll find in most grocery stores. The bulb has a mild flavor. A great virtue of the softneck garlic (Allium sativum ssp. sativum) is that it stores very well.

Since the necks are (literally) soft, you can cut them nice and long for braiding. A braid of garlic makes a winning kitchen gift for friends and family!

Which to choose? California Early White has no hot bite in its flavor, grows rapidly and is ready to harvest early. If making garlic braids is your top priority, plant California Late White. You'll get a stronger flavor with this garlic, and it does better in warm climates than the Early variety.

Hardneck Garlic

Hardneck garlic (Allium sativum ssp. ophioscorodon) are closer to wild garlic, with complex flavors. They thrive in cold climates. These are the garlics that some compare to wines with subtle differences that reflect the regional soil and weather patterns.

One simple benefit to the cook is the way some of their skins slip off smoothly. Hardnecks do not store as long as softnecks; cure them, eat them within 6-10 months, and get to know their distinctive flavors.

Spanish Roja's flavor in particular is rich and classic. It does have a shorter shelf life, of 3-4 months, so go ahead and enjoy this best seller early.

What about Elephant Garlic?

This big guy is technically in the leek family, but you'd never know by the look or the taste. Kids love harvesting this giant of the garlic patch, and elephant garlic keeps well too, with a mild flavor.

Botanical Differences: Hardneck vs Softneck Garlic

Bulb Structure

The botanical structure of garlic bulbs reveals key differences between hardneck and softneck garlic. Hardneck garlic, such as Siberian garlic and German Extra Hardy, thrives in cold temperatures and cooler climates. This variety typically has fewer, larger cloves arranged around a central stalk and features a flowering stalk known as a garlic scape.

The garlic scapes are a distinctive characteristic of hardneck varieties, contributing to their robust flavor and making them a popular choice for stir fries and other cooked applications. Hardneck garlic bulbs are often sought after for their strong flavor, and they are ideally planted in raised beds or soil types that are slightly damp during the fall garlic planting season.

In contrast, softneck garlic, which is commonly found in grocery stores and includes varieties like Romanian Red, has many smaller, softer cloves layered around a more flexible neck. This results in a mild garlic flavor and longer shelf life. Unlike hardneck varieties, softneck garlic does not produce garlic scapes and is better suited for warmer climates. It is often used for garlic braids and has a pleasant flavor with papery skin.

Softneck garlic varieties are typically grown in cooler climates or dark places during early spring or late fall, and are favored by garlic enthusiasts and home cooks for their versatile ingredient qualities and ability to produce more cloves per bulb.

Clove Arrangement

The clove arrangement in garlic bulbs varies significantly between hardneck and softneck garlic. Hardneck garlic typically features fewer garlic cloves, which are larger and arranged in a more organized manner around a central stalk, often with a flowering stock called a garlic scape. This structure contributes to the more robust flavor and cold hardiness of hardneck garlic cultivars.

In contrast, softneck garlic, commonly found in grocery stores, has many smaller cloves densely packed around a soft neck, leading to a milder garlic flavor and longer shelf life. The difference between hardneck and softneck garlic in clove arrangement reflects their adaptation to different climates and growing conditions.

Scape Development

One notable botanical difference between hardneck and softneck garlic is the development of scapes. Hardneck garlic produces a flowering stock called a garlic scape, which emerges from the center of the bulb and features a distinctive scape structure. This flowering stock can be used in cooking for its pungent flavor and indicates the plant's reproductive process, often seen in varieties like purple stripe and other hardneck groupings.

In contrast, softneck garlic, commonly used in grocery stores, lacks these scapes and does not produce a flowering stock. This absence contributes to the softneck's ability to store longer and its adaptation to warmer climates, as it helps keep the papery covering intact and prevents the bulb from drying out, unlike wild garlics which often have different scape characteristics.

Growing Conditions

Optimal Growing Environments

When considering growing conditions for garlic, understanding the differences between hardneck vs softneck garlic is crucial. Hardneck garlic, such as purple stripe and other hardneck varieties, thrives in cold climates and is cold hardy, making it ideal for regions with cold winters.

These garlic plants develop scapes and have a more robust flavor but generally have fewer garlic cloves per bulb. In contrast, softneck garlic, which is commonly found in grocery stores, prefers milder climates and can grow successfully in mild winters, providing a longer shelf life and yielding many cloves with a milder flavor.

For those looking to plant hardneck garlic, it is essential to consider the cold temperatures and soil conditions that favor these types of garlic bulbs.

Climate Suitability

When it comes to climate suitability, the difference between hardneck vs softneck garlic is significant. Hard neck garlic, such as the robust purple stripe varieties, is cold hardy and thrives in areas with cold winters and cold exposure.

These garlics develop scapes and are ideal for planting garlic in regions with harsh winter conditions. On the other hand, soft neck garlic prefers milder climates and mild winters, making it well-suited for areas with less extreme weather, where it can produce many cloves with a longer shelf life.

Soil Requirements

When comparing hardneck vs softneck garlic, the soil requirements vary to match their growing conditions. Hardneck garlic, including varieties like purple stripe, prefers well-drained soil enriched with organic matter, as it is often grown in cold climates with cold exposure.

In contrast, soft neck garlic thrives in milder climates and requires soil that retains moisture while still allowing for good drainage, promoting the growth of softneck cloves with a longer shelf life. Both types benefit from soil that is free of excess waterlogging, which can lead to issues with bulb development and overall plant health.

Cultivation Practices

Planting Techniques

When planting garlic, the techniques differ between hardneck vs softneck garlic due to their varying needs. For hardneck garlic, including varieties like purple stripe, planting in well-drained soil with good cold exposure is essential, as it thrives in cold winters and forms garlic scapes.

In contrast, soft neck garlic, which prefers milder winters and often has a longer shelf life, should be planted in soil that retains moisture but also drains well, to support the growth of softneck cloves with fewer cloves per bulb. Proper planting techniques for both types involve ensuring the papery covering of individual cloves remains intact and spacing them appropriately to encourage robust bulb development.

Maintenance and Care

Caring for garlic involves specific practices tailored to hardneck vs softneck garlic. Hardneck garlic, such as purple stripe varieties, benefits from regular cold exposure and careful monitoring of garlic scapes, which should be removed to promote robust bulb growth and more intense flavors.

In contrast, soft neck garlic, which tends to have a milder flavor and longer shelf life, requires consistent moisture and protection from extreme cold to ensure healthy softneck cloves. Regular weeding and mulching are essential for both types to maintain soil health and prevent competition for nutrients, ensuring a successful garlic harvest.

Harvesting Methods

Harvesting softneck garlic involves gently lifting the bulbs when the lower leaves begin to brown, ensuring the papery covering remains intact for optimal shelf life. In contrast, harvesting hardneck garlic, such as the robust purple stripe varieties, requires careful handling to preserve the delicate scapes and prevent damage to the fewer, larger cloves.

Both types should be cured in a shaded, well-ventilated area to enhance their flavor and storage longevity. While soft neck garlic is better suited for milder climates and longer storage, hardneck garlic thrives in cold winters and offers a more pungent flavor.

Still can't Decide?

That's why we created our Garlic Combo Pack, to let you try a little of this and a little of that, at a bargain price! It's a gastronomical delight featuring organic California Early White softneck seed garlic, Inchelium red, organic Russian Red and organic Purple Italian hardneck seed garlics, a conventional Elephant seed garlic, and even some organic French Red Shallots for delicate flavors. So many flavor profiles!

Storing Garlic

Garlic keeps best at 60-65°F with moderate humidity. Store it in a dry location, a paper bag or mesh tubing works great. If you need help keeping tabs on the temperature and humidity in your storage area, try our Digital Indoor/Outdoor Thermometer.

Conclusion

Choosing between hardneck and softneck garlic depends on your growing conditions and flavor preferences. Hardneck garlic, with its robust flavor and unique garlic scapes, excels in cold climates, offering fewer but larger cloves. Conversely, softneck garlic, often found in grocery stores, thrives in milder climates and provides a longer shelf life with many smaller cloves.

Understanding these differences helps you select the right garlic varieties for your garden, ensuring a successful harvest and a diverse range of flavors for your culinary adventures. For those looking to explore both types, our Garlic Combo Pack offers a perfect opportunity to experience the best of both worlds. You can find our garlic seeds for sale here.

FAQs: What's the Difference Between Softneck & Hardneck Garlic?

• What are the two garlic groupings?

  • The two primary garlic groupings are softneck and hardneck garlic. Each has unique characteristics and growing requirements. Softneck garlic is commonly found in supermarkets due to its longer shelf life, while hardneck garlic is often preferred by gourmet chefs for its characteristic flavor.

• How do hardneck and softneck garlic differ in flavor?

  • Hardneck garlic typically has a more robust flavor, making it popular among those who prefer a stronger taste in their dishes. In contrast, softneck garlic tends to have a milder, less pungent flavor, making it a more versatile ingredient for everyday cooking.

• What is the structural difference between hardneck and softneck garlic?

  • Hardneck garlic has a central flowering stalk called a scape, which produces large bulbs with fewer, larger cloves. In contrast, softneck garlic lacks this scape, resulting in bulbs with more numerous and smaller garlic cloves. The absence of a central stalk in softneck garlic allows for denser heads of garlic.

• Which garlic type is better for cold climates?

  • Hardneck garlic varieties are more cold-hardy and thrive in regions with cold winters. They perform well in mid-season garlic harvests, especially in areas where cold exposure is consistent. Softneck varieties are better suited for mild winters and warmer climates, making them a popular choice in many parts of the world.

• What is the shelf life difference between hardneck and softneck garlic?

  • Softneck garlic generally has a longer shelf life compared to hardneck garlic, often lasting up to a year when stored properly in a cool, dark place. This longer shelf life is due to its tighter bulb wrappers, which protect the cloves better than the looser outer skin of hardneck garlic.

• Why do hardneck garlic varieties have fewer cloves?

  • Hardneck garlic varieties typically have fewer but larger cloves because of their scape structure and the space taken up by the flowering stalk. The cloves in hardneck garlic are usually arranged in a single layer around the central scape, leading to larger, more uniform cloves.

• What are the planting considerations for hardneck garlic?

  • When planting hardneck garlic, it is essential to consider cold exposure, as these varieties require a period of cold to develop properly. Planting in early fall allows the garlic to establish roots before winter. Hardneck garlic also forms scapes in late spring, which should be removed to encourage the plant to divert energy into bulb formation.

• Is elephant garlic a true garlic?

  • No, elephant garlic is not a true garlic; it is more closely related to leeks. It belongs to the species Allium tricoccum and has a much milder flavor compared to traditional garlic, with big bulbs that are often used in recipes calling for a less intense garlic taste.

• What is the significance of understanding these differences for garlic growers?

  • Understanding the difference between hardneck and softneck garlic helps growers choose the right varieties for their climate and desired garlic characteristics. By selecting the appropriate type, growers can ensure a successful planting and harvesting season, producing great garlic that meets their culinary or storage needs.

• Can you find both types of garlic in grocery stores?

  • Yes, both types of garlic can be found in grocery stores, but most garlic commonly available is softneck due to its longer shelf life and easier storage. However, specialty stores and farmers' markets often carry hardneck garlic, prized for its characteristic flavor and larger cloves.

• What are the signs that garlic is ready for harvest?

  • Garlic is typically ready for harvest when the lower leaves of the plant turn yellow and begin to dry out. This usually happens in mid to late summer, depending on the planting time and garlic variety. Checking the outer wrappers of the bulbs to ensure they are intact and tight is also a good indicator of readiness.

• How does the outer skin affect garlic storage?

  • The outer skin or outer wrappers of garlic cloves play a crucial role in extending their shelf life by protecting the cloves from moisture and air. Softneck garlic, with its multiple protective layers, tends to store longer. Hardneck garlic, while having looser wrappers, can still store for several months if kept in a cool, dry, and dark place.

• Are there any wild garlic varieties?

  • Yes, there are wild garlic varieties, such as ramps (Allium tricoccum), which grow naturally in certain regions. These wild types are often foraged in early spring and have a distinct, pungent flavor, making them a sought-after ingredient in gourmet cooking. Ramps and other wild garlic types are popular for their early availability and strong garlic-like taste.

• Is growing garlic at home fairly easy?

  • Yes, growing garlic at home is fairly easy, making it a popular choice among home gardeners. Garlic requires well-drained soil, adequate sunlight, and proper spacing. Planting in the right season and ensuring appropriate care can result in a bountiful harvest of sweet and flavorful garlic bulbs.

More on Garlic

Welcome to the world of seed garlic!  Plant some garlic this year, keep track of what you like, and experiment with new varieties in the years ahead.

Once you start growing garlic at home you'll be spoiled by having your own cured garlic to cook with, in such a range of flavors.

Our favorite Garlic Book - It's hard to keep Growing Great Garlic on the shelves here. Ron Engeland's popular book is the ultimate guide for the organic garlic grower; in addition to practical advice, you'll learn more about garlic in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

Our Resource Center - For more information on garlic visit our Resource Center to watch our videos, read more articles and tips, try our delicious recipes.