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Old July 29, 2010   #1
DeanRIowa
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Default Favorite Softneck Garlic

I was wondering what are everyones favorite softneck garlic?

I need to order a couple more types. I was told both Silver Rose and Nootka Rose are good. I am looking for some that will grow well in zones 4b/5a and store for a long time.

thanks,

Dean
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Old July 29, 2010   #2
tjg911
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what do you want from them, storage?

nootaka rose is a silverskin variety and they store a long time, 9-12 months. however, silverskins have tons of
tiny cloves and are a royal pita to peel. i used to grow nootaka rose and stopped for this reason. i have only grown nr, french pink which only stored 6 months or so, i've planted grocery store silverskin.

this summer i grew chamiskuri which is an artichoke variety, larger cloves and less of them. chamiskuri is a huge disappointment in that the taste is so mild it's like 1 on a scale of 1 to 10. all my hardnecks are pretty hot 7-9 and real easy to peel but they don't store as long. rocamboles are good for maybe 6 months, porcelains 7-9 but 9 is pushing it.

i'm not growing any softnecks next year. i had little choice when i bought chamiskuri last august as everything was sold out. i think an artichoke is a better softneck as the cloves are bigger with just 10-14 with the outer cloves being the largest vs 25+ in silverskin. i suspect some artichokes have a strong garlic flavor, chamiskuri does not.
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Old July 30, 2010   #3
DeanRIowa
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Quote:
what do you want from them, storage?
What I want are recommendation for softneck varieties that will last the extra couple of months after hardnecks, to last the family until I can harvest the new years garlic. Basically I do not want to run out of homegrown garlic, because the few heads I have eaten fresh are great.

This year I grew with great results and I am currently curing are the following:

Softneck
Red Toch
Thermadrone

Hardneck
Chrysalis Purple
Georgian Crystal
Georgian Fire
German Hardy
Leningrad

Just looking for other ideas.

thanks,
Dean
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Old August 1, 2010   #4
tjg911
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i figured that was your reasoning as mine would be.

iirc silverskins last the longest, artichokes have larger and less cloves. i really have not grown many softnecks and i'd pull the bulbs apart for planting cloves reducing their storage.

my suggestion is email bloo (travis@bloosquallsgarlicfarm.com) or karen and mike (karenandmike@wegrowgarlic.com) for suggestions both are very knowledgeable and helpful.

tom
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Old August 1, 2010   #5
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the only other soft neck that i have grown besides inchelium red, and kettle river giant is idaho silver. it stored great, but for me, growing it in the U.P. the bulbs never sized up very well. had some zing to it. i got it from filaree farm.


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Old November 1, 2010   #6
DeanRIowa
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I ended up going with Nootaka Rose and DX-127, I think next year I will try kettle river giant.

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