Garlic Cloves ‘Solent Wight’
Softneck variety
- Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit
- Perfectly suited to the variable UK climate
- Large bulbs with fat, robust cloves
Solent Wight Garlic bulbs are superb and just perfect for home-growing in the UK. A softneck garlic, producing large, top quality bulbs Solent Wight has been bred on the Isle of Wight and so is used to the variable weather conditions
If you plant the individual cloves in late winter, mature bulbs will be ready to lift and use from July of that year. At planting time you should be able to separate the two bulbs into cloves (around 12-15 in total) for around 12-15 bulbs in summer.
This variety produces garlic that has an exceptional bouquet, full of depth and flavour. Kept cool and dry, the bulbs will store for months.
Softneck and Hardneck Varieties
Garlic varieties can be classified into 2 distinct types, namely ‘Hardneck’ and ‘Softneck’.
The key distinction between hardneck and softneck varieties lies in their hardiness level. Hardneck types are very hardy, whereas softneck types are slightly less so. Interestingly, this translates to better storage capabilities for softneck varieties. The hardiness of hardneck types can be attributed to their closer relation to wild varieties.
Softneck varieties are often milder in flavour and easier to braid into bunches for storing.
Hardneck garlics boast a richer flavour and thrive in cold temperatures. They also produce a long flowering stem, called a ‘Scape’, which should be removed early to prevent energy from being diverted towards producing smaller bulbs. The scapes are easily identifiable by their curling form.
Both types thrive in the UK, but consider seeking out the Hardneck variety if you reside in the far North.
