Hur man planterar hardneck
Vi här i norr odlar mestadels hardneck vitlök, för de är härdigare och ger bättre skörd i kallt klimat. Och det betyder att folk vanligen sparar vitlöken i skålar eller nätpåsar med avklippt stjälk, och bara kan drömma om vackra flätor hängande på köksväggen som på en pittoresk Italiensk bondgård. Colleen Vanderlinden is an organic gardening expert. If you're thinking of planting garlic, you'll have a choice between two types : hardneck and softneck.
Each has its strengths and some have other culinary uses. For example, only hardneck garlic produces the edible flower stem called a garlic scape—a delicacy that can be pickled or added to a range of foods for a mild peppery flavor. Read on to learn more about the different types, how to grow garlic , and determine the right kind for you. The "neck" in the names refers to the stalk that grows upward from the garlic bulb.
Hardnecks have a stalk that stems from the center of the bulb and turns rigid at maturity. Softnecks stalks have leaves rather than a central stalk.
What Is the Difference Between Hardneck and Softneck Garlic?
Softneck leaves remain soft and flexible at maturity. Hardnecks typically have thicker, more brittle skin, unlike softneck garlic that tends to be papery and more challenging to peel. If you prefer to grow the garlic you find in the grocery store, you want softneck garlic. They are commonly sold in stores because of their long shelf life and relatively mild flavor for most recipes. In general, hardnecks have more complex flavors than softneck varieties, with subtle flavors that reflect where they were grown.
The strength and character of the flavors differ based on the variety.
Purple Stripes are mild; Porcelains are musky; Rocamboles are hot and spicy. Hardneck garlic is cold-hardy, able to tolerate overwintering in harsh climates down to zone 0. If you live in an area where cool-season lawns bluegrass, perennial rye, fine fescue are the norm, a hardneck garlic is a better choice. Softneck garlic grows typically best in climates with hot summers and mild winters, places where warm-season Zoysia and Bermuda lawns thrive from zone 8 to If you're in a transitional zone between both, try planting both kinds.
Hardneck garlic varieties Allium sativum var. Hardneck varieties are the best option for Northern gardeners. They tend to form fewer cloves per bulb than softneck varieties, but they are most often a bit larger.
How to Grow ‘Polish Hardneck’ Garlic
Hardneck garlic grows better in colder climates because it requires prolonged exposure to cold weather of at least 40 days at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or less. This process is called vernalization. Within the hardneck family, there are over varieties, including:. These all fall into three main types of hardneck garlic: Purple Stripe, Rocambole, and Porcelain. Rocambole is tan or brownish, with 12 cloves per bulb. Porcelain is satiny white hence the name and about four cloves per bulb.
Purple stripes are self explanatory. The Purple Stripe and Rocambole types are the hardiest. They are best for gardeners who live in the northeastern U. Gardeners who live in milder climates should have good luck with Porcelain varieties. Hardneck garlic has a shorter shelf life than softnecks, only lasting 3 to 5 months in storage after harvesting. Hardneck varieties are the only types of garlic that produce garlic scapes —an edible, central stalk often used for making pesto and other delicious foods.
Softneck garlic varieties Allium sativum var. They grow better in environments with warmer winters because they do not require cold exposure to make bulbs while hardnecks do. They also mature more quickly than hardneck varieties. They don't form scapes and generally contain several small cloves per bulb. Softneck types include:. Softneck varieties tend to store better than hardnecks because of their dense heads and tightly wrapped cloves.
This tight wrapping helps the cloves preserve their moisture while also preventing disease from getting in. They can stay fresh and firm for up to 9 months when cured and stored correctly. So, if you are looking for long-term storage, this type is the one to choose.