HARDNECK varieties of garlic are the more dramatic with fewer but much larger cloves. They have less of an outer bulb wrapper which makes them more sensitive and reduces their shelf life. As they grow they produce a stalk that coils from the top called a “scape” or garlic flower. Scapes can be harvested and used in cooking on their own before the garlic itself is actually harvested. They are very pungent and a little goes a long way.

There are three main types of hardnecks: Rocamboles, Porcelain, and Purple Stripe.

Rocamboles produce large tan or browny colored cloves, easily peeled skins, with a deeper more full-bodied flavor than softnecks. We are the original developers of the now famous Carmen’s Redneck Wild, our only Rocambole. It is wonderful in all the specs.

Porcelains have a satinly white wrapper with sometimes as few as four large cloves and are often mistaken for Elephant Garlic. Of the porcelain type, we have Romanian Red, Music, and German White.

Purple Stripes are further broken down into two groups: Glazed and Marbled and can be distinguished because of their bright purple markings. In the purple stripe catagory we have Chesnok Red, a standard, which is our overall best seller.