For the home gardener, garlic is a beloved and easily cultivated root crop that delivers natural, healthy benefits and outstanding flavors and fragrances for cooking.
However, for such a simple, straightforward plant, knowing how to select the best varieties for your region, and with the flavors you want, can be confusing.
That’s because there are hundreds of varieties available! And the system used for naming cultivars is a bit, um, whimsical, shall we say.
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Basically, anyone who grows bulbs for resale can name their product whatever they like.
This means there are hundreds of varieties with the same features, like taste and intensity, but different names. And many varieties with different features as well, but the same names.
So, how do you know which is which?
When it comes to choosing the type of garlic you want to grow, it’s helpful to understand the basic features and habits of the 10 varietal groups, or families.
Because between these families, there are considerable differences, such as bulb and clove sizes. Some have a longer storage life, while others are easier to peel. And some do best in cold winter climates, while other varieties prefer mild winters.
Flavors range from rich and spicy to sweetly nutty. And the heat intensity varies from mild to eye-watering, wasabi-like levels!
So before you purchase this year’s seedstock, join us for a look at the 10 garlic families to know about for the garden.
Here’s what’s covered:
What’s in a Name?There are several hundred garlic cultivars, and the names tend to be all over the place.
This is because growers can develop
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