Garlic Cloves 'Rhapsody Wight'

Prepare your soil: Onions, Shallots, and Garlic prefer an open, sunny site and light, free-draining soil. If you have heavy soil, dig in a generous amount of grit and organic matter into the planting area to aid drainage. Avoid planting them in very heavy or freshly manured soil. Onions are sensitive to acidity, so if you have acidic soil add some Garden Lime to the area well before planting or use our Concentrated Slow-Release Onion, Garlic & Shallot Feed Granules when planting.

Planting: Both Autumn and Spring varieties can be planted straight out into your pre-prepared soil. Loosen soil and dig in some of our Concentrated Slow-Release Feed Granules to add essential nutrients for optimal growth.

Onion & Shallot Sets: Plant Onion and Shallot sets (pointed end upwards) with the tips of the sets showing at the soil surface. 

Onions: These should be spaced 5-10cm (2-4in) apart with 25-30cm (10in to 1ft) between rows. 

Shallots: Should be spaced 15-20cm (6-8in) with 30-45cm (1ft to 18in) between rows. 

Garlic: The Bulbs should be separated into individual cloves and planted pointed end up, so that the tip of each clove is 2cm (1/2in) below the soil surface. Leave 15cm (6in) between individual cloves and 30cm (12in) between the rows. We also recommend covering garlic bulbs in Horticultural Fleece to protect emerging shoots from hungry birds!

What to expect when they arrive: Our sets and cloves are suitable for planting out immediately. However, if you’re unable to do so right away, we recommend keeping them in a cool, dark place until you are ready. Sets are sold by weight, so counts may vary slightly to those stated on our website.

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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.