The garlic patch is planted. My intuition served me well this year in terms of timing. In recent years, I've planted garlic on or near Thanksgiving. This year, I planted on October 6th, which was a cool, windy, dry day. It took me most of the day, but the soil was dry and fluffy, which makes for easier planting. Thank goodness I planted when I did. It rained for the next two days (only a sprinkle was forecast), then the temperature dropped, it snowed (10 cm), and the overnight temperatures remained below zero for for 5 days. Even when the temperatures 'warmed' slightly and it stopped raining, the ground remained cool and the garden soil had become heavy and soggy (I discovered this when I opted to plant garlic bulbils on October 16th).
As it obvious in the picture, garden clean-up is ongoing. I prefer to have things wrapped up and put away long before now, but there is a limit to what I am able to do myself these days.
Planted in the south garden are the following varieties (cloves) from front to back:
Left side
Persian Star – 2 rows
Red Russian – 3 rows
Music – 2 rows
Fish Lake – 2 rows
Northern Quebec – 2 rows
Majestic – 2 rows
Right side
Burnstown Wild – 1 row
Newfoundland Heritage – 2 rows
Red Rocamboles – 1 row
Kiev – 2 rows
Baba Franchuk’s – 1 row
Pyong Vang – 1 row
Mother of Pearl – 2 rows
Red Russian – 4 rows
Compared to the 2024 and 2025 garlic patches, this year's seems smaller. A large portion of this garden is in shade, which limits where the garlic patch can be placed and it's size. As it is, the back few rows will be in partial shade unless we prune back the trees along the east side of the garden. A task for the Spring.
I am still unsure whether I mixed up Mother of Pearl and Pyong Vang the first year I planted them. I'lll reassess/examine/research further the varieties next year when it’s harvested and see if that can be resolved once and for all.
On October 16th, bulbils were planted in plastic pots along the back of the garlic patch. The varieties are Persian Star, Newfoundland, Red Rocambole, Pyong Vang, and Mother of Pearl. These will almost certainly be in shade in this location and will have to be relocated to a sunnier spot in another garden next Spring.
Descriptions of this year's varieties:
Red Russian – Hardneck - Marbled Purple Stripe (a kind I plant annually). Probably the most common variety people in this region grow. Excellent storage. Very dependable. Large bulbs, averaging 5-7 cloves per bulb. Can tolerate wet and very cold winters. Hot flavour with a bit of sweetness.
Persian Star – Hardneck – Purple Stripe – Cold-hardy variety and a Canadian heritage variety. Light coloured bulb wrappers with purple-streaked clove skins. Late harvest. The bulbs can get quite large. 8-10 cloves per bulbs, can have 6-8 months storage. Rich and spicy but not too hot.
Pyong Yang Korean – Asiatic Hardneck – Glazed Purple Stripe. Rare, hot, early to harvest. Easy to peel, moderate storage (~6 months). This variety should be harvested when 1-2 leaves have turned brown (unlike most varieties).
Mother of Pearl (rare) – SOFTNECK – Silverskin – long storage, dense heads, no scape develops. Dark pink blush on papers. Of the Silverskins, this is the earliest variety to mature.
Northern Quebec – Hardneck – Porcelain. White wrappers. Good storage. Averages 4 cloves per bulb. Does well in most climates and tolerates very cold winters. Mid-season harvest. Hot (and some say slightly smoky) flavour.
Baba Franchuk’s – Hardneck – Rocambole – Originated in Manitoba. Bulb wrappers have strong purple striping, cloves wrappers are reddish brown. Great flavour. The bulbs can grow very large. Averages 8-10 cloves per bulb. Stores about 6 months.
Kiev – Hardneck – Rocambole - Brown, gold, and amber wrappers. Strong flavour, large bulbs with up to 10 cloves (seems to average around 7).
Red Rocambole – Hardneck (Rocambole) – don’t know which variety of red rocambole…or if the name of the variety is “Red Rocambole”. These bulbs can get huge.
Newfoundland Heritage – Hardneck (Rocambole) - A rare cultivar from eastern Canada, which has been cultivated for nearly 400 years in Newfoundland. The cultivar was collected by Peter Sobol. Does well in cold climates. Outer wrapper white marbled with mauve. Cloves coloured cinnamon to dark rose and are easy to peel. Rich flavour without burning. Stores ~ 4 months.
Burnstown Wild – Hardneck (Rocambole? Purple Stripe?) Wild/Perennial? I was gifted rounds of this variety from someone who wasn’t sure what class of garlic it was. NOTE: Oct. 2026 – I found the papers came off these as easily as any rocambole I have grown. The two I harvested this summer were as large as rocambole varieties I have grown.
Jesuit House (rare) – Undetermined, but seems to be a hardneck, probable Porcelain. "Jesuit House garlic - a rare perennial clumping garlic from Sillery, Quebec - multiplies via seeds and nubbins on the bulb.” There is a write-up about it’s history in a previous Seeds of Diversity newsletter.
Fish Lake (Fish Lake 3?) – Hardneck (Porcelain) - The premier and best known variety from the legendary garlic breeder Ted Maczka. This variety is stronger and larger than most porcelains. Robust grower. The white bulbs have 5 to 6 cloves and the clove wrappers are purplish pink. Good storage.
Music – Hardneck (Porcelain) – One of the most common varieties grown in Canada. Produces a medium pungency garlic that stores well. Music has an average of 4-6 cloves per bulb. Adapts well to a wide range of environments and growing conditions. Originally imported from Italy. Performs well in cold climates. Outer wrappers tend to be white. Cloves are hot when eaten raw, sweet when baked. One of the milder porcelains.
Majestic – Hardneck (Porcelain) - Smooth, pronounced garlic flavour followed by distinctive heat, then mellowing to a pleasant aftertaste. One of the milder/sweeter porcelains when cooked. Large bulbs can reach 3” wide. Much loved for its resistance to disease, to cold weather, and to drought. Hardy with good yields. Originally selected in Eastern Canada. Grows well in cold climates. Plants are tall (thus the name, “Majestic”.) Large bulbs with fat cloves (averages 4-7 cloves). Outer wrappers range from white to slightly purple. Cloves are tan to pink. Hot (spicy, intense) when eaten raw, sweet when baked, mild when cooked. Mid-season harvest. Good storage (7-8 months)
