Softneck vs Hardneck Garlic

Table of Contents:

What Is Hardneck Garlic?
What Is Softneck Garlic?
Where Does Hardneck Grow?
Where Does Softneck Grow?
Hardneck or Softneck Garlic
Common Hardneck Garlic Varieties
Common Softneck Garlic Varieties

garlic hardneck german red 14 bulbs in cardboard box — *German Red hardneck garlic is strong and spicy, and fares well through cold winters.*

What Is Hardneck Garlic?

Hardneck garlic is the type which is typically grown in cool Northern climates, and is also the variety you're most-likely to see on grocery store shelves.

garlic plants growing in raised bed regenerative garden — A forest of hardneck garlic is a great addition to any garden, as long as your climate supports it.

What Is Softneck Garlic?

Softneck is the garlic variety typically grown in warmer climates.

It is the variety which tolerates more heat, and can grow without a period of winter freezes to vernalize it.

Where Does Hardneck Grow?

garlic cloves with roots and soil just dug up from garden — Fresh hardneck dug up in the summer. This garlic has been growing since the previous autumn.

Generally speaking, hardneck garlic grows in cooler climates.

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It requires a period of low temperatures (below ~40-50 F, ~4.4-10 C) to vernalize in order for it to produce best. While duration estimates vary, 6-10+ weeks is a good guideline.

If your climate can provide 6-10+ weeks of soil temperatures below 50F (10C), you can likely grow harneck without needing to vernalize in a refrigerator.

garlic plants growing in organic hugelkultur raised bed garden — *Hardneck growing in raised beds up North*

In the Northern hemisphere, hardneck becomes more common the further North you go.

In the Southern hemisphere, hardneck becomes the type to grow in the South.

garlic organic hanging from ceiling curing for storage — *Hardneck garlic hanging to cure for storage*

Where Does Softneck Grow?

Softneck varieties of garlic grow in the South (in the Northern hemisphere), or in the tropics where there are not hard freezes.

This type of garlic does not require vernalization, which means cold days in the winter are not required for softneck garlic to grow. That's great news for climates where it never gets cold!

If your climate cannot provide 6-10+ weeks of temperatures below 50F (10C) naturally, you'll probably want to consider softneck.

Note that if you want to vernalize in a refrigerator, you may be able to grow hardneck varieties even in warm climates. You'll have to plan ahead for this, however.

In the Northern hemisphere, softneck is typically grown in the South

In the Southern hemisphere, softneck crops up as you go North.

Softneck is also the variety typically grown in the tropics and equatorial regions where there will be no opportunity for garlic to vernalize naturally.

Hardneck or Softneck Garlic

garlic plants growing in raised bed pine needle mulch chop and drop — Hardneck like this grows better in cooler climates, and has the benefit of growing delicious garlic scapes. On the other hand, it doesn't store for nearly as long as softneck.

Choosing between hardneck or softneck garlic means understanding your climate, as well as the needs of both garlic types.

If you get hard freezes in winter, choose hardneck garlic.

If you get frosts but no hard freezes, try either variety.

If you get no frosts at all in winter, go with softneck garlic.

After you determine which type is likely to grow best in your climate, check out the lists below of some popular varieties of both hardneck and softneck!