Garlic Varieties: Which One Should You Grow?

With 12 varieties available this year, we know it can be hard to choose. This guide is here to help you find the best garlic for your needs, whether that’s bold flavour, long storage or earlier cropping.

All the varieties listed below will do well in our climate, so your decision comes down to taste, kitchen use, and how long you want them to store.

Hardneck vs. Softneck: What’s the Difference?

While both types will grow well here, they have distinct differences:

Hardneck	Softneck
Generally hardier.	Prefer milder climates as they are generally not as hardy.
More complex flavour.	Milder, more traditional flavour
Storage time up to 6 months from harvest.	Store very well. Ideal for commercial growers. Will last 9-12 months if stored well.
More evenly sized cloves in the bulb. Easy to peel.	They have many cloves in each head. Some are large and others are smaller. Tighter skins.
Develop a long flowering stem called a scape. Cut off late Spring so the energy goes to the bulb.	Don’t develop scapes, stems stay soft and flexible making them ideal for garlic braids.

Softneck Varieties

Germidour: Fast-growing with a mild, rich flavour. Purple skin. Planting: September – February.

Messidor: Strong-tasting, high-yielding variety. White bulbs. Planting: September – January.

Messidrome: Well-known culinary variety with large white bulbs. Planting: September – January.

Therador: Strong flavour with excellent hardiness and long storage. White bulbs with purple banding. Planting: September – January.

Thermidrome: Medium pungency that holds well after cooking. Stores well. White bulbs. Planting: September – January.

Vallelado: Very tolerant of wet conditions. Fat, juicy cloves with white skins and pink markings. Planting: September – March.

Rustisem: Semi-early softneck with high resistance to harsh climates. White color flamed with purple. Planting: September – December.

Cledor: Improved old French variety with excellent taste and good storage. White with pink markings. Planting: November – March.

Flavor: Italian variety producing good-sized bulbs with pinkish cloves. Planting: November – February.

Hardneck Varieties

Primor: Early maturing garlic. Ideal for green garlic but not suitable for long storage. Purple-skinned. Planting: September – January.

Morado: Excellent flavour and high in allicin. Attractive purple skin with white markings. Planting: September – January.

Precosem: Very early harvest (April–June). Great for green garlic. White bulbs with purple markings. Planting: September – December.

How to Choose

Want bold, complex flavour? Choose a hardneck variety e.g. Morado.
Looking for garlic that stores well? Choose softneck types e.g. Germidour or Therador.
Need an early harvest? Go for Precosem or Primor.
Prefer easy peeling? Hardneck varieties are best.
Like to plait your garlic? Stick with softneck types.

Still not sure? Try a mix — plant a few bulbs of each type and see which one you prefer in the kitchen and in the ground.