Certified Organic Softneck Garlic Varieties
Softneck garlic is the reliable, easy-going workhorse that most people picture when they think of garlic. These varieties don’t send up scapes, so all their energy goes into producing big, solid bulbs with lots of cloves. They’re excellent for braiding, some are very long-storing, and generally do best in milder or warmer climates—though many perform well across a wide range. At Whistling Duck Farm we’ve been growing softnecks for decades – they’re our most reliable garlics, producing large bulbs every season. These are the two types:
- Artichokes – These are vigorous, productive plants that give you large bulbs packed with big, easy-to-peel cloves. Great flavor that works raw or cooked, and they store well. Inchelium Red is especially popular for its rich, mild-to-medium taste and impressive size.
- Silverskins – Known for their beautiful shiny white wrappers and strong, flexible necks that make them perfect for braiding. They’re late-maturing and are the longest-storing garlic we grow, often keeping fresh well into the following spring. Our Cascade Fire strain is our own selection, from our years farming in the Cascades “in the shadow of Mt. Mazama”, the volcano that created Crater Lake, leaving mineral-rich pumice in our fields so long ago.
For consistent yields, beautiful braids for market or gifts, and garlic that lasts through the winter and beyond, add some softnecks to your planting.
