Standard Purple Stripe garlic type Standard Purple Stripe Group Late Season| Med Storing | 8-12 cloves The Godfather: The easy peeling garlic from which all other garlic groups originate ... best of all this wild one's the sweetest Standard Purple Stripe garlic grows best in cold climates with cold winters. It is considered the most closely related to the original wild garlic, from which all other garlic originated, before being classified into the ten garlic groups now recognised. This garlic group produces several tan coloured cloves and typically has a purple hue on it s bulb wrapper. It grows best in a cool to cold winter climate . Standard Purple Stripe is a strongly-bolting hardneck type meaning it sends up a flower scape with a solid stem which is not braidable. This garlic is considered to have a great all round taste that is rich, spicy, strong - a fusion of different flavours. Characteristics Clove & Bulb Appearance The bulb is normally a round shape, generally it i s white with purple hues on its wra pper (skin) which contains between 8-12 cloves. The cloves 'hug' the pseudostem . The bulbs have a single layer of cloves. Generally all cloves of a standard-sized bulb are of a size suitable for planting. The cloves are smaller than many hardneck garlics and have a long cresce nt shape, angular edges and a long tail/tip. The clove skin is a dull tan colour with a purple blush. The cloves are easy peeling. The easy peeling nature of this garlic makes them ideal in the kitchen, while they have a medium storage life of around 7-9 months after harvest. Bulbils Standard purple stripe is a hardneck garlic which sends out a scape (flower stalk) particularly in colder climates. They typically produce a large amount (80-140) of small cream to pink coloured bulbils . L eaves & Scapes Standard Purple Stripe garlic has a wide, floppy tipped green-yellow leaf . Scapes normally form as a 3/4 loop with a wide green-yell ow umbel . The juvenile garlic leaf is unusual in that it splays sideways laying flat to the soil. Some growers label their early growing form as being a bit 'alien' like.

Garlic glossary GARLIC GLOSSARY While we have tried to keep our website and garlic growing guide simple to use, however our glossary might help with some explanations Annual - A plant which completes its lifecycle in one year Alliin - An amino acid present in fresh garlic which when disturbed allinase converts into allicin Allicin - The sulphur containing amino acid which once disturbed converts to cystine creating the garlic smell and taste Alliinase - A catalyst enzyme which causes the chemical change of allicin to allicin Artichoke - One of the ten global garlic groups, and one of two softneck garlics Asiatic - One of the ten global garlic groups, and one of three semi-bolting garlics Basal Plate - The part of the plant which the roots grow out of which is actually the garlic's true stem containing root buds Beak - The top of the scape or flower stalk where is narrows down to end point. The beak can be long or short depending on the garlic group Biennial - A plant which requires two years to complete its lifecycle, garlic technically is a biennial but we harvest it as an annual Bolt - The arrival of the garlic's flower stalk which extends upwards from the leaves. Softneck garlic do not generally bolt, semi-bolting in cool/cold winters usually bolt, while strongly bolting garlic groups always bolt Bract - A modified leaf such as a garlic spathe Bud - The leafy shoot as it begins to grow. There are also root buds which are in the basal plate Bulb - The swollen and round shaped unground stem which generally contain a layer or several layers of cloves Bulb Formation - A period late in the season where the plant transfers it's energy from leaf to bulb growth and when the bulb begins to swell Bulb Wrapper - The thin papery outer layer of the bulb skin Bulbil - The small secondary bulbs normally located in the umbel or stem of the plant Bulblets - Small bulbs or clove like structures that grow beside the parent bulb Clone - In reference to garlic it is a genetic replica of the plant. Bulbs, cloves and bulbils are clones, while true seed is not Clove - One of several divisions inside a bulb that is made up of many individual lobes. Most gardeners plant the clove into the soil Clove Layers - In hardneck garlic typcially cloves are stacked radially around a bulb, while a softneck has 2-3 clove layers where cloves get smaller in the innermost layers Clove Skin - The hard yet thin outer layer of the clove (it is actually a separate leaf unconnected with the clove Cracking - Also known as 'popping', is when garlic cloves are separated from the bulb on the day or the following before planting the clove Cre ole - One of the ten global garlic groups, and one of three semi-bolting garlics Cultivar - A c ultivated variety. Technically the different garlic groups are cultivars not varieties Curing - The process of hanging and drying out garlic after harvesting for several weeks prepare the bulb for longterm storage Cysteine - The amino acid that is responsible for the pungency of garlic smell and taste. Normally it is stable and odourless, however once disturbed it gives off the garlic fragrance Day-Length Sensitivity - All garlic is sensitive to the changing day lengths and when moving garlic across latitudes can affect the growth before the plant recovers from climatisation Dieback - The process of the leaves yellowing to a brown shade normally at near the onset of a bulb maturing before harvest . Dieback can also be caused from disease, pests, nutrient deficiency or weather Double Cloves/Shoots - A clove which has more than one vegetative buds which when planted forms double or multiple shoots Pseudostem/False Stem - The plant's stalk. The true stem is actually the basal plate Climate Zones - Grouping of similar regional weather pattern. In NZ there are three main climate zones for garlic being mild, cool and cold winter areas. There are thousands of local micro-climates Clove Skin - The hard yet thin outer layer of the clove (it is actually a separate leaf unconnected with the clove Cold Climate/Winter - In reference to NZ garlic this is an area in the mid to lower North Island and South Island which is at higher elevations receives greater than a cool winter normally consisting of severe frosts for prolonged periods Cool Climate/Winter - In reference to NZ garlic this is an area in the mid to lower North Island and South Island which is at lower elevations receives neither a mild or cold winter F1 - The term for hybrids or cultivars of plants obtained by modern breeding methods False Stem - Also known as the psedostem of the stalk of the garlic plant as botanically the feature is actually elongated leaf bases wrapped around tightly Flowerhead - Also called the umbel or topset consisting of bulbils and flowers Garlic - One of 800 Allium species, but only one of seven that are cultivated. The word originates from Anglo-Saxon, 'Gar' meaning spear and 'leac' being leek Garlic Groups - A c ultivated variety. Technically the different garlic groups are cultivars not varieties Garlic Rust - A fungal disease which forms round white then orange rusty spots on a plant. Glazed Purple Stripe - One of the ten global garlic groups, and one of three strongly-bolting garlics Grade - The size category of the bulb. Grading is normally undertaken commercially, however gardeners should grade to pick the largest cloves from largest bulbs planting the following year Green Garlic - Freshly harvested garlic that has not been dryed/cured Hardneck - Also known as a red garlic or topset, is a garlic that produces a scape and umbel Leaf Blade - The thin flat part of the leaf Leaf Sheath - The base of the leaf which wraps around the stalk or false stem Leaf Tip - The end of each leaf Marbled Purple Stripe - One of the ten global garlic groups, and one of three strongly-bolting garlics Maturity - The period to which the plant has finished growing and the bulb is ready for harvesting being at full size without deterioration Mild Climate/Winter - In reference to NZ garlic this is an area in the northern part of the North Island which receives more warmer winters Neck - The top of the bulb and the base of the stalk Neck Bulbils - Bulbils which form along the stalk or garlic's false stem sometimes found in artichoke garlic types Nitrogen - Is a naturally occurring chemical element, and is one of the most important nutrients for a garlic's plant leaf growth. Natural sources of nitrogen for your garlic bed include blood and bone, coffee grounds, nitrogen fixing cover crops (peas, beans or other legumes), fish emulsion, grass clippings, leaves, and animal manure Non-bolting - One of the two soft neck garlic groups (silverskin and artichoke ) that generally does not send up a scape Ophio Garlic - A Latin term meaning 'serpent', an old term used for the eight semi or strongly bolting garlic that typically sends up a scape flower stalk Psedostem - The false stem of the stalk of the garlic plant as botanically the feature is actually elongated leaf bases wrapped around tightly Popping - Also known as 'cracking', is when garlic cloves are separated from the bulb on the day or the following before planting the clove Potassium - Is a naturally occurring chemical element, and is one of the most important nutrients for a garlic's bulb growth. Natural sources of potassium are wood ash, banana peels and compost made from food scraps and seaweed Porcelain - One of the ten global garlic groups, and one of three strongly-bolting garlics Quarantine - A bed which is used for the planting of new cloves which is isolated from other garlic where bulbs have potential to import disease or pest risk. Quarantine normally lasts 1-2 years Rocambole - One of the ten global garlic groups, and one of three strongly-bolting garlics Roots - The organs of the plant which are underground and form out of basal plate Rotation - Refers to crop rotation for annual crops to reduce the risk of disease and replenish nutrients. Garlic should be not planted in the same bed location ideally for at least three years Rounds - The term for when a clove produces a single bulb with no individual cloves. This normally occurs for most first generation bulbils, early harvested bulbs or poorly performing bulbs Rust - Garlic Rust (Puccina porri ) is a persistent pathogenic fungi affecting plants during the bulbing period Sativum - A Latin term meaning 'cultivated', an old term often referring to softneck garlics Seed - Technically the seed of garlic is 'true seed' formed in the flowerhead. All other plantable stock (bulbs, cloves and bulbils) are actually clones and not seed. It is common-place to hear bulbs being called seed garlic or garlic seed Scape - Also known as a flower stalk it rises out of the bulb on hardneck garlics to produce the flowerhead. Scapes can be picked early to increase bulb size and can be used for culinary dishes Semi-bolting - One of the three hardneck garlic groups (turban , creole and asiatic ) that generally send up a scape unless in a warmer winter zone Silverskin - One of the ten global garlic groups, and one of two softneck garlics Softneck - Also known as 'white garlic' i s a garlic that does not produces a scape and umbel (silverskin and artichoke ) and are easier to plait for storing Spathe - The covering and enclosing the flower cluster and bulbils which extends to the beak Species - Garlic is just one species (sativum of the allium genus). The ten garlic groups are cultivars of the species Split Bulb/Skin - When a bulb has been harvested too late and the cloves are pushing away from the centre of the bulb breaking open the bulb wrapper Strain - The lowest division of plant classification, in reference to garlic is is the small variations of cultivars/garlic groups that can be used to label a particular garlic. Often commercial growers will brand a garlic which has certain characteristics as a result of the areas mirco-climate, soils or local factors which influence a garlic group. The creole group or cultivar has a popular strain called Ajo Roja Standard Pur ple Stripe - One of the ten global garlic groups, and one of three strongly-bolting garlics Strongly-bolting - One of the five hardneck garlic groups (porcelain, rocambole and the three purple stripe groups) that sends up a scape Topset - Also known as a hardneck, is a garlic that produces a scape and umbel True Seed - Technically the tiny black seed formed in the flowerhead. All other plantable stock (bulbs, cloves and bulbils) are actually clones and not seed. It is common-place to hear bulbs being called seed garlic or garlic seed True Stem - The flat base of the bulb being the basal plate, not above the bulb which are leaves or the false stem Turban - One of the ten global garlic groups, and one of three semi-bolting garlics Umbel -The flowerhead at the top of the scape which includes the bulbils, flowers, spathe and beak Vegetative Reproduction - Any plant grown asexually and reproduced vegetatively such as garlic bulbs, cloves and bulbils. Garlic 'true seed' comes from the flowerhead from sexual reproduction Vernalisation - Either natural or artificial cooling for several weeks in order to initiate garlic's bulb development Wild Garlic - Naturally uncultivated garlic

Garlic flowchart to work out the best garlic climate zone for different varieties and characteristics GARLIC PICKER Unsure of which garlic type you wish to grow? Our flowchart will help based on your climate zone and other favorable characteristics of your pick. Identification Flowchart The flowchart below is a useful guide to quickly pick a garlic group. Most garlics grow in all NZ's regions, but some are more suited and grow better for certain climate zones. Choose the most desirable characteristics you are after and the char t will help you along the way. What is your winter climate zone? Mild Climate Mild Winter Climate What characteristics are sought? Early Harvesting These garlics are ready to harvest in early November in mild winter climates Long Storing These garlics can keep for 12+ months if stored in a cool and dry place out of sunlight Plentiful Cloves These garlics generally have 8+ cloves per bulb giving a good number for replanting & eating Great Tasting These garlics are known for their great taste for a range of cooking methods Plait/Braiding Plants These softneck garlic stalks, (particularly silverskins) are able to be plaited for storage Cool Climate Cool Winter Climate What characteristics are sought? Long Storing These garlics can keep for 12+ months if stored in a cool and dry place out of sunlight Plentiful Cloves These garlics generally have 8+ cloves per bulb giving a good number for replanting & eating Great Tasting These garlics are known for their great taste for a range of cooking methods Easy Peeling These garlics have thick or papery skins making them easier to peel Plait/Braiding Plants These softneck garlic stalks, (particularly silverskins) are able to be plaited for storage Cold Climate Cold Winter Climate What characteristics are sought? Medium Storing These garlics can keep for 6+ months if stored in a cool and dry place out of sunlight Plentiful Cloves These garlics generally have 8+ cloves per bulb giving a good number for replanting & eating Great Tasting These garlics are known for their great taste for a range of cooking methods Easy Peeling These garlics have thick or papery skins making them easier to peel Harsh Winter Survival These garlics love super cold winters and are known to survive harsh winter extremes

Garlic Growing Guide - Planning GARLIC GROWING GUIDE The ten steps of growing garlic Planning It is important to determine your climate zone before choosing the type of garlic you wish to grow, and thereby knowing when to plant and when harvest. Climate Clim ate Climat e has one of the g reatest influence s on growing garlic. While all ten global garlic groups can be grown in N Z , some grow better in different parts of the countr y than others . In general, garlic grows best in regions with cool to cold winters and hot summers. NZ is in the mid-latitudes (between the tropics and polar), and has a temperate climate with rainfall spread across the entire year. We have mild to warm summers and cool to cold winters compared to other countries. Wild garlic originates from the cold mountains of central Asia. The 10 garlic group s originate from this wild garlic and the chilling of winter is a natural p art of the garlic growing cycle . Sprout and c love formation is quick when cool temperatures are 5-10°C for 1-2 months , otherwise, bulbs and cloves may not properly develop and you will harvest more leek-like garlic with stumpy rounds and no cloves. As a result garlic needs a cold winter period to vernalis e to initiate growth - which in warmer climates garlic bulbs can be tricked by putting them in the fridge at the pre-planting stage . The young cloves can survive -10 °C and new shoots can survive -6°C without cellular damage. It would be rare for a bulb to be affected by cold NZ conditions unless the soil freezes very quickly and deeply. Garlic remains in dormancy with juvenile shoots only having up to four leaves until the temperatures rises above 12 °C and they begin to grow secondary leaves. As a result t here are few places in NZ where people reside in which garlic cannot thrive. Also the colder the climate the hotter the ga rlic tends to taste and bulbs tend to be larger. Climate Zone Map NZ Garlic Climatic Zones MILD WINTER COOL WINTER COLD WINTER Those that live in the more northern coastal parts of our country with mild winters need not be disappointed. There are ways to artificially vernalise garlic in preparation for planting. Also consider planting garlic types like turbans , creole and asisatic garlic groups which grow well in areas with mild winters. Our temperate climate can be divided into three main garlic growing zones of winters that are 'mild', 'cool' and 'cold ' . Unlike most plants, garlic might not be as successful if collected from a local source. It is a fact that acclimatization for garlic is best when garlic bulbs come from a colder climate to a warmer one, and from a higher altitude 300+ to a lower one. The opposite will result in the garlic taking years to acclimatize. Porcelain or rocambole prefer very cold winters . Before choosing a type of garlic consider your garlic- growing climate zone or where best to source garlic from within the country . Types Garlic Diversity Garlic is not just garlic. Between the different garlic groups there is a massive range in planting/harvesting times, storage and flavours. There are ten global garlic grou ps and each have a particular climate zone pr eference. Consider picking a few groups or try all of them so see what works in your zone and your unique home micro-climate. Try our garlic group picker to help decide which garlic to grow. The ten garlic groups are: Mild Climate Garlics MILD CLIMATE GARLICS These five garlics are the best performing for mild winter zones Creole Mid Season | Long Sto ring | 5-10 cloves The Flamb oy ant: this small one is hot, dresses in vibrant rosy clove skins, and is a real c rowd-pleaser Turba n Early Season | Short St oring |6-12 cloves The Earlybird: Likes to arrive early at the garden part y and prefers to be eaten first Asiatic Early Season | Med Storing |5-10 cloves The Oriential: this one enjoys the warm humid clim ate of the north Silverskin Late Season | Long Storing | 10-30 cloves The Keeper: A long storer that loves being braided, produces plentiful cloves, and is easy on the taste buds Artichoke Mid-season | Med Storing |10-20 cloves The Reliable: The best all-rounder, loving most climate zones, is happy in a braid and has a clean taste Cool Climate Garlics COOL CLIMATE GARLICS These five garlics are the best performing for cool winter zones Silverskin Late Season | Long Storing | 10-30 cloves The Keeper: A long storer that loves being braided, produces plentiful cloves, and is easy on the taste buds Artichoke Mid-season | Med Storing |10-20 cloves The Reliable: The best all-rounder, loving most climate zones, is happy in a braid and has a clean taste Standard Purple Stripe Late-season | Med Storing |8-12 cloves The Godfather: The easy-peeling garlic from which all other garlics originate ... best of all: this wild one's the sweetest Marbled Purple Stripe Late-season | Med Storing |4-9 cloves The Baker: An easy-peeler is know for its tastiness when roasted Glazed Purple Stripe Late-season | Med Storing |6-12 cloves The Dazzler - Has an easy-peeling glossy sheen of silver and gold ... it's a real head-turner Cold Climate Garlics COLD CLIMATE GARLICS These five garlics are the best performing for cold winter zones Standard Purple Stripe Late-season | Medium Storing |8-12 cloves The Godfather: The easy-peeling garlic from which all other garlics originate ... best of all: this wild one's the sweetest Marbled Purple Stripe Late-season | Med Storing |4-9 cloves The Baker: An easy-peeler is know for its tastiness when roasted Glazed Purple Stripe Late-season | Med Storing |6-12 cloves The Dazzler - Has an easy-peeling glossy sheen of silver and gold ... it's a real head-turner Porcelain Late-season | Med Storing | 2-6 cloves The Beauty: Large teardrop form, produces a few massive cloves, is at the top of its field Rocambole Late-season | Short Storing |7-14 cloves The Chef: Culinary perfection and renowned as the tastiest with a sweet nutty flavour Seasonal Plan Seasonal Plan Before preparing for, planting or harvesting garlic it is good to have an idea of the various timings needed to grow garlic. Based on your climate and the garlic groups you are planning to grow there will be different timeframes to plan around. Planting garlic in NZ generally occurs from late autumn to winter (March to June) while harvesting takes place in late spring and into summer (November to February). The old saying 'plant on the shortest day and harvest on the longest' is only a rough guide which doesnt account for the type of garlic nor the latitude at which it is planted. Our calendar gives a practical method of determining when to plant each type of garlic and other key tasks .

Gourmet Garlics online shop for buying garlic bulbs, bulbils for planting Shop Due to a crop failure we will not be selling garlic this year (2024). Please consider subscribing for future crops, and use NZ's best garlic growing guide . Gourmet Sampler Our unique to NZ, full bulb range every global garlic group (10 types) each group's distinctive character a gift for garlic-loving gardeners try each for your micro-climate SOLD OUT $75 + freight Mild Climate Pack Half of the garlic groups: all mild winter group (5 types) distinctive character & flavours best for mild winter areas SOLD OUT $40 + freight Cool Climate Pack Half of the garlic groups: all cool winter bulbs (5 types) distinctive character & flavours best for cool winter areas SOLD OUT $40 + freight Cold Climate Pack Half of the garlic groups: all cold winter bulbs (5 types) distinctive character & flavours best for cold winter areas SOLD OUT $40 + freight Marbled Purple Pack Single Type: 5 x Marbled Purple Stripe garlic for cool/cold climates - see map mixed grades SOLD OUT $30 + freight Bulbil Packs Bulbil Packs (one type/pack) Choose a type of garlic bulbils you would like. The bulbil count varies depending on the garlic variety's typical yield (picture as guide ). Order one pack or order several. You choose and let us know what type when ordering. NZ's only supplier of garlic bulbils. economic garlic growing prospect increase stock health & bulb vigour bulbils take different times to grow SOLD OUT $20/pack + freight Sorry, we do not sell individual cloves. Cloves once cracked from the bulb, should be planted on the day or the following day. Once separated from the bulb, hibernation ceases and the clove roots begin to swell in readiness to expand into damp soil. If they are not planted, clove moisture loss will accelerate to the detriment of clove vigour once planted. Subscribe

Garlic identification chart GARLIC GROUP ID Unless garlic is genetically tested it is difficult to look at one aspect of a garlic's characteristic and identify which group it might belong to. However, it is possible to determine a garlic type by several characteristics of its growth and bulb habit over a period of time. Identification Flowchart The flowchart below is a useful guide to quickly identify a garlic group. It might take a year or two to grow a bulb and note the various differences in leaf pattern, clove features and bulbil characteristics. Identification Table The table below is a more thorough method of trying to identify a plant's garlic group.

New Zealand's greatest range of garlic bulbs types for gardeners. Buy NZ garlic seed bulbs and bulbils at our online shop having all the global garlic groups of: 1) Turbans 2) Creole 3) Asiatic 4) Silverskin 5) Artichoke 6) Porcelain 7) Rocambole 8) Standard Purple Stripe 9) Marbled Purple Stripe 10) Glazed Purple Stripe Spray free and cared for by hand, let us help you to choose a garlic type, then visit our shop and use NZ's best garlic growing guide Our Range Gourmet Sampler For those what want to try every global garlic type Mild Climate Pack Garlic that prefers a warmer winter Cool Climate Pack Garlic that prefers a cool winter Cold Climate Pack Garlic that prefers a cold winter Bulbil Packs Curious to try growing garlic's secondary cloves? SHOP Try our ... Garlic Growing Guide

What is garlic seed and what is not garlic true seed GARLIC SEED There is alot of confusion on what constitutes garlic seed. In gardening circles most would consider garlic seed as the bulbs you buy from stores, yet real or 'true' garlic seed is far more rare. If you are after garlic bulbs consider visiting our online store . True garlic seed is neither the bulb, the cloves or bulbils - as these are a clone of the plant and should be considered as 'seed garlic' rather than 'garlic seed'. Most growers purchase or grow their own bulbs and divide the cloves just prior to planting. Few grow from bulbils and in rare cases garlic gurus try to grow for true seed. True garlic seed comes in the form of tiny little black seeds barely larger than sand grains. Our growing garlic seed page has more information on what true seed is and how to grow it. The diagram below best illustrates (roughly to scale between the different images) of the difference in size between garlic bulbs, cloves, bulbils and true garlic seed.

Marbled Purple Stripe garlic type Marbled Purple Stripe Group Late Season| Med ium Storing | 4 -9 cloves The Baker: This easy - peeler is known for its tastiness when roasted Marbled Purple Stripe garlic grows best in cold climates with cold winters. It is known for it s consistently large cloves. This garlic group produces several tan and purple coloured cloves on a purple marbled hue cream bulb wrapper. It grows best in a cool to cold winter climate . The garlic is a strongly-bolting hardneck type meaning it sends up a flower scape with a solid stem which is not braidable. This garlic is considered great for roasting with its sweet, hot flavour. It is more sulphurous than Standard Purple Stripe garlic. Characteristics Clove & Bulb Appearance The bulb of this garlic type normally has a round , squat shape and is generally a cream colour with a purple dappled or marbled wrapper (skin) appearance. The bulbs have a single layer of 4-9 cloves. Generally, all cloves of a standard-sized bulb are of a size suitable for planting. The clove size is normally large and has a wedge like appearance . The clove skin is a dull tan colour with purple blush and is easy peeling. The ir easy-peeling nature makes them ideal in the kitchen and have a hot and sweet taste . They have a medium storage life of around 6-7 months after harvest. Bulbils T his hardneck garlic sends out a scape (flower stalk) particularly in colder climates. They typically produce a moderate amount (20-60) of medium purple to dark purple co loured bulbils . If trying to experiment to grow true garlic seed (not a clone as from cloves or bulbils) then m arbled purple stripe is the garlic most likely to succeed in producing the elusive tiny black seeds. Leaves & Scapes Marbled Purple Stripe garlic has a wide floppy pale green leaf . Scapes normally forms as a 3/4 loop with a wide green-blue umbel with a short purple blush which appears on the base of the immature spathe.

Garlic Growing Guide - Harvesting garlic GARLIC GROWING GUIDE The ten steps of growing garlic Harvesting Harvesting garlic is all about timing. Harvest too early and the bulbs will not be fully developed and will lack flavour, harvest too late and the bulb wrappers will lack layers and the garlic will not keep. It is a tricky task to pick the right time, but a little knowledge makes this task much simpler . When to Harvest When to Harvest Climate and Garlic Type Garlic is generally harvested in NZ between November and February. W hen to harvest garlic depends on the type of garlic, the climate zone , sunlight hours, and any local micr o-climate conditions. Seasonal variations can made a huge difference - one particular garlic group can vary up to three weeks between years depending on the weather conditions prior to harvest. The first step in knowing when to harvest is to determine your climate zone and the type of garlic you are going to grow by following our charts below. NZ Garlic Climatic Zones MILD WINTER COOL WINTER COLD WINTER As a general rule, there is an order in which garlic groups are ready to be harvested. The turban garlic group is normally the first to be harvested followed closely by the asiatic type. Then artichoke then creole and purple garlics. Next is the remaining hardneck garlics of porcelain , rocambole and the purple stripe groups. Finally it is the turn of the silverskins . There is about 2-3 week harvesting gap between the early, mid and late harvesting garlics irrespective of the climate zone. Some hardneck garlics are ready when the scape finishes coiling and begins to straighten up. To further refine when garlic is ready to be harvested is the second step of counting the remaining green leaves left on the plant as the leaves brown off. The stem of plants are elongated in colder conditions and the leaves are a little narrower. The false stem is a good indicator of bulb size. As a general rule by measuring the first leaf near the ground if a stalk is 10mm it should have a 40-60mm bulb, 20mm stalk should have a 60-80m bulb and a 30mm stem should have a 80-100mm bulb. Remaining Green Leaves One of the best ways to determine when a garlic bulb is mature is by counting the number of green leaves remaining on the plant. Once the maximum number of leaves is obtained (10-12 depending on the climate zone), the plant puts its energy into bulbing for between 8-10 weeks. As the bulb grows the lower leaves die off. The last week before harvest the cloves tend to get their colour. Each leaf represents one outer skin on the bulb, if garlic is left too late in the soil there might not be any leaves to protect the cloves during curing and storing. Thus do not wait until all the leaves are browned off. It takes about a week for each leaf to brown off so it is easy to determine the likely harvest week. There are two indicators for counting leaves; one for softneck and the other for hardneck garlic. Softneck garlic (silverskin & artichoke ) is harvested when 6-7 green leaves (we go with 6 fully green leaves) remain on the plant. This will ensure that the bulbs have three bulb skin layers to protect the cloves from drying out during storage. Hardneck garlic is harvested when 4-5 green leaves (we go with 4 fully green leaves) remain on the plant. This will ensure the bulbs have at least three bulb skin layers after cleaning the bulbs to protect the cloves from drying out during storage. There is a good reason behind the difference in harvesting based on green leaves between softneck and hardneck garlic. Softneck garlic have three internal leaves that wrap around the internal bulb between cloves, while hardnecks has one internal leaf for this purpose. These internal leaves also become the final top leaves but do not wrap around the outside of the bulb. Thus it is necessary to have more green leaves on the softneck at harvest in order to get the same amount of wrappers protecting the outside the bulb in curing and storage. Pre-harvest Bulb Inspection It can be difficult to see the number of green leaves remaining if your plants have severe rust. Thus if you are unsure as to whether a bulb is ready for harvest it is possible to gently inspect the bulb. Dig beside bulbs without affecting the roots of a few representative plants. Taking care not to touch the bulb or significantly affect the roots and using only your gloved hand gently remove the topsoil near the bulb. Bulbs should be plump but still should have a few bulb wrappers surrounding the bulb. The diagram above illustrates the different stages of bulb development. If the bulb wrapper (skin) is perished and the cloves are starting to appear the harvest is too late. How to Harvest How to Harvest Harvest during fine weather. A g rower can d elay the harvest if needed, but not to the point which will affect the protective bulb wrapper around the cloves. Wet plants and soils encourage mould and decay and it is more challenging to practically remove and clean the crop before curing. If harvesting in mild-winter areas where the clove was planted shallow and is in light soils then the bulb should pull out easily without digging. In heavy soil or if the cloves were planted deeper for colder-winter areas then it is necessary to insert a garden fork or trowel. Use the tool to dig down into the soil under the bulb to loosen and carefully lift up the bulb taking care not to mark it. Do not put too much pressure on the false stem (pseudostem ) , particularly with the softneck and semi-bolting garlics like turbans , asiatics and creoles , as the bulb may separate from the neck . Once out of the soil hold the bulb in one hand and use your other hand to gently rub the roots to dislodge as much soil as possible. Do not use water as this is likely to encourage disease and drying will take longer. During this process look for defects, disease and any unusual development in the neck, bulb or roots. Whatever approach you take, ensure you take care of the bulb and prevent bruising by not banging or damaging them before transporting them to be dried . Likewise, keep the bulbs out of direct sunlight as it can damage the bulb wrapper. Remarkably, sun damage can occcur after less than an hour's exposure ito direct sunlight.