[Beetroot Queen]

As above really my garlic says soft neck, so do you get hard neck and what is the difference also what variety are people growing and why

[Beetroot Queen]

Ps i went for germidour, thermidrome and cristo. Why because that was the whole variety the gc had  i couldnt decide.  Never was great at decision making

[Mattgregory27]

This will be my first year growing garlic so I have gone for a Garlic lovers collection from Dobies of
Solent Wight
Arno
Sultop
Bella Italiano
and elephant garlic
will give them all a try and see what works

[JayG]

Hard necks almost always produce the garlic version of a flower head (the scape) which forms a stiff stem down the centre of the bulb and between the cloves, hence the name. If eaten when still young and tender, the scapes are a handy salad or stir fry ingredient before the bulbs are ready.

Soft necks usually don't produce scapes, although the odd one can do if stressed by adverse growing conditions.

It's said that hard necks don't store as well as soft, but I've only just finished eating my hard necks from last year (can't tell you the variety because they were originally from a s*p*r*a*k*t a few years ago, which is not a recommended practice!)    

[Kleftiwallah]

Soft necked garlic tend to grow fewer but larger cloves and as those fiddly little beggers near the centre of a hard necked garlic head are a pain to peel, we go for the soft necks.

Cheers,   Tony.

[RJR_38]

This too is my first  year and I have gone for early purple wight and Provence Wight - no idea if they are hard or soft though! Have to say I will not be using Marshall's again though - my winter plug plants from there were almost dead on arrival (although I did get a partial refund by a credit voucher). One of the garlic they sent this week hadn't cloved at all so I got a whole bulb instead of individual cloves I can plant. I stuck the whole thing out, no idea if it will grow but it particularly impressed I have to say! I will be using my credit voucher and calling it quits

[mumofstig]

give them a ring - they'll send you some more garlic 

I grow Early Purple White, cos it's out of the ground before the onion white rot takes hold 

[AnneB]

I have tried a few varieties in the last 3 years.   Like Mum I have had success with Early Purple Wight.  I also liked Albigensian Wight and Provence Wight wasn't bad for me this year.

This year although better for every other crop was more disappointing for my garlic.   They seemed to go direct from not forming cloves to past their best and starting to rot in about 10 days!  I didn't do well with Lautrec Wight or Solent Wight.  Last year I was disappointed with Music.

This year I am trying Christo and Sultop that I got from Simpson's Seeds.  They did have an offer on with a £1 off if you ordered 2 packs, but this seems to have ended.  The bulbs look very good quality.  I am giving Music another go, but the bulbs Really Garlicky sent me are very small, although they sent 4 instead of the 2 I paid for.

I will see how these varieties do, then I think I will pick the best three to go with after that.  On the other hand I could be tempted ....

[Beetroot Queen]

Lovely thanks all, will keep you posted i actually need to get brave


Garlic is not scary........
Garlic is not scary........
I am such a baby when it comes to new things 

[Kate and her Ducks]

I LOVE garlic and tend to get a bit carried away. I have a couple I grow most years (solent wight and Provençal) and then try a few new varieties. This year I am also growing Lautrec (hard neck and have grown well for me before), carcassonne and vallaledo. I have used far more than their allocated spot in the plot but do like my garlic a lot!

[Sparkyrog]

I have put my garlic in now and will be interested to see how it does ! always disappointed before this is my first attempt at overwintered 

[Beetroot Queen]

Sparky i am sure your growing one of the varieties i am, we can compare

[Sparkyrog]

Sparky i am sure your growing one of the varieties i am, we can compare

I think your right BQ it will be interesting as mine have gone in an old chicken run 

[Beetroot Queen]

Sparky i am sure your growing one of the varieties i am, we can compare

I think your right BQ it will be interesting as mine have gone in an old chicken run 

Mine aint hehe does that count as a head start for you  i dont expect much from mine especially if badgers like them, they'll be gone by tomorrow, he better not or i'll send him the bill.

[Kristen]

(although I did get a partial refund by a credit voucher)

Not sure about Marshalls, specifically, but I have come across those sorts of "customer service vouchers" from other companies which had quite a short "use by" date, which would catch a number of people out - so not really "customer service" after all ...

Might be something to check just-in-case