We have been growing garlic since 1991, and have the great advantage of a climate that allows us to grow most varieties well. Our garlic seed comes from stock we’ve developed over the years on our farm, with some varieties a result of over 25 years of selection for the best quality bulbs.  We only grow and sell garlic seed from varieties that perform well for us. Over the 28 years we’ve farmed, on three different sites, we’ve seen a wide range of growing conditions; from clay soils to silty; from cold and dry to too-wet-to-cultivate in the late winter; from cool, wet springs where nothing wants to grow and hot spring-summers when we’re irrigating in late March. These varieties have been productive and reliable enough for us as farmers to grow, and resilient enough to handle less-than-perfect conditions. Additionally we have chosen varieties which keep well for their type to ensure the longest possible sales and culinary window for farmers and gardeners.

Garlic requires a cold spell, but not a frost cycle, plus a change in day-length, in its growing cycle to make a bulb. Apart from that requirement, there’s a type of garlic for just about every climate. As a basic rule, Softnecks prefer warmer conditions and Hardnecks prefer colder conditions. Many regions of the country can grow both, but if you have more extreme conditions, select those varieties best suited to your site. Additionally, softnecks tend to store better, especially Silverskins and Creoles, while Turbans generally have the shortest storage window.

We’ve found that the most important factors in producing great garlic, after variety selection and seed quality, is good fertilization, both at plant-out and in the late winter as growth resumes, and good early weed control, up to about early May. Garlics are shallow-rooted so cannot handle excessive hoeing if weeds get out of control, and they don’t compete well. Mulching or diligent weeding out of young weeds is a must. In hot dry springs, adequate watering in May and June prior to harvest dry-down will maintain plant health and keep pests from invading and slowing down growth. We also highly recommend a good, comprehensive soil test, beyond simply N-P-K, even for home gardeners. Organic amendments can be expensive and it’s a huge benefit to know what your soil actually needs. Fertilize correctly and you’ll be amazed at the difference in plant health, vigor and flavor! If you need a copy of our organic certification you can access it here. Check out our Garlic FAQs page for more growing information.

CERTIFIED ORGANIC SEED GARLIC

January, 2023

Our garlic sales are complete for the 2022 season! We will be taking pre-orders beginning in early June for our 2023 harvest.

Silverskins and Artichokes: 

$14.00 for 8 oz., $23.00 per lb.

Bulk pricing, when available: 15 – 25 lbs.  – $21.00 per lb.     26+ lbs.  – $19.00 per lb.

Marbled, Turbans, Asiatics, and Creoles 

$16.00 for 8 oz., $27.00 per lb.

Bulk pricing, when available: 15 – 25 lbs.  – $25.00 per lb.     25+ lbs.  $23 per lb.

Gardener’s Variety Pack:

6 @ 8 oz. (3 lbs.) – $85.00

Homesteader’s Variety Pack:

6 @ 1 lb. – $140.00

For orders over 20 lbs. total weight, we will ship by UPS or Fed Ex and will need to calculate shipping based on your address.

To order at bulk pricing, or to order quantities over 20 lbs. total, or to pay by check:

please email us your order at “orders @ WhistlingDuckFarm . com”  with your mailing address and we’ll get back with you with a total due and mailing address to send a check, or an invoice via Paypal.

PLEASE NOTE THAT WE CANNOT SHIP TO HAWAII OR OUTSIDE OF THE USA

but first... some delicious SHALLOTS!

Set-grown Shallots

We have a limited supply of these culinary treats. European set-grown shallots are referred to as "true  shallots" are only grown from sets, not seed. They have a unique, mild sweet flavor that is much sought-after. Plant at the same time as garlic, on about an 8"- 10" spacing in the row, and they will form a clump of shallots from each individual set.

Dutch Yellow

GARLIC VARIETY PACKS

...a diversity of garlic

Plant all of our main types of garlic and enjoy a range of flavors all season, from early summer harvest to storage into spring.

 

Gardener's Pack

Homesteader's Pack

SOFTNECK VARIETIES

ARTICHOKES

Artichoke varieties are reliable, vigorous, long keeping and easy to grow. Their bulbs are large and their cloves tend to be big and easy to peel. Plus, they store nearly as well as silverskins. If there’s only room for one garlic in your garden or on your farm, this is the one to grow.

Inchelium Red – Whistling Duck Strain

Lorz Italian

SILVERSKINS

Silverskins have shiny, clean white wrappers and thin strong necks, which makes beautiful braids.  They harvest fairly late and keep the longest of all the varieties, providing fresh garlic well into spring, until you can harvest the first fresh garlic from the new season. Since silverskins are fast-growing, they perform better than most for late Winter/early Spring planting. We've planted into March and had nice-sized bulbs.

Silverskin – Whistling Duck Strain

Silver Rose

HARDNECK VARIETIES

TURBANS

Chinese Pink Turban

White Turban

Basque Turban

Red German Turban

Red Spanish Turban

Bangkok Turban

MARBLED PURPLE STRIPES

Marbled Purple Stripes are beautiful garlics, with purple on both bulb and clove wrappers. They typically have 8-12 cloves per bulb, which are elongated, crescent-shaped and fairly easy-peel. Storage is good, but not as long as Creoles and Silverskins. Their flavor is considered excellent, especially when roasted. Marbled Purple stripes also produce nice 3/4-curled scapes, for spring treats while waiting for the garlic to size up.  

Chesnok Red

Kishlyk

Whistling Duck Marbled

Khabar Marbled

ASIATICS

Asiatic types are a diverse group of early maturing hard necks, usually producing a u-shaped scape and an extra-long beak, up to 18” long in some varieties. This type tends to be hot when raw, sometimes amazingly so. They typically have 6-10 cloves per bulb, with thick white bulb wrappers. We've been expanding our varieties of this type, and they're rapidly becoming our favorites, due to their interesting diversity and great flavor. The varieties we have in this type tend to emerge late in the fall, after all our others, allowing for flaming the bed for fall weeds before shoots come up. They mature mid-season.

Asian Tempest

Pyongyang

CREOLES

Creoles are native to the Mediterranean, but do well in much of the US. They tend to be mid-late maturing and store well, almost as well as Silverskins, making them great for first market sales in the Spring. They have been less commonly planted in the U.S. and are a real taste treat, with a bonus of being completely beautiful to look at. The clove wrapper colors are brilliantly saturated reds and magentas.

Creole Red

Donostia Red

Aglio Rosso, aka. Rosso Di Sulmona