German White Garlic Info – How To Grow German White Garlic

German White Garlic
german white
(Image credit: Nicholas Knouf)

What is German White garlic? According to German White garlic information, this is a large, strong-flavored hardneck type garlic. German White garlic is a Porcelain type with satin white bulbs. For information about how to grow German White garlic, read on.

German White Garlic Info

Many gardeners growing German White garlic declare it their favorite. Its claim to fame is the size of its cloves. The big bulbs have only four to six cloves, which makes them easier to peel.

Exactly what is German White garlic? It’s an extremely popular type of hardneck garlic with ivory bulbs. The clove wrappers, however, are pink. This garlic is known by several other names. These include German Extra-Hardy, Northern White and German Stiffneck.

These huge garlic bulbs have a rich, deep flavor with lasting heat. Are they spicy? They are, but not too much, just enough. This garlic softens and sweetens when it is cooked and is excellent in pesto, roasts and sauces.

If you are considering growing German White garlic, you’ll be happy to hear that it stores well for a hardneck. You can leave it in cold storage and it will stay good until March or April.

How to Grow German White Garlic

Growing German white garlic is not very difficult. For a 25-foot (7.6 m.) row, you’ll need a pound of garlic. Crack the bulbs into cloves and plant them 6 inches (15 cm.) apart, ideally in September or October.

Plant the garlic, pointed end up, in full sun in a sandy or loamy soil that offers excellent drainage. Each one should be about 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm.) deep, measuring from the top of the clove. Place mulch on top.

Water the garlic only when the soil is dry. Too much water means that the garlic will rot. Fertilize in the spring with a high nitrogen fertilizer, and keep weeds down.

When the garlic stalks start to form little stems called scapes, prune them off when they curl. This makes sure the energy goes into building large bulbs, rather than producing flowers. Good news, though – garlic scapes are edible too.

Teo Spengler
Writer

Teo Spengler has been gardening for 30 years. She is a docent at the San Francisco Botanical Garden. Her passion is trees, 250 of which she has planted on her land in France.