The Six Types of Garlic We’re Growing at Idlewind Acres
Six varieties, our kitchen plans, and a closer look at this year’s garlic.
Shop this department ↓My paternal lineage is 100% Italian, and my darling Grandmother (who is 99 years old!) was the quintessential Italian Grandma. So I am no stranger to using copious amounts of garlic in every dish! I found garlic intimidating to grow, so I only planted it for the first time in Fall 2025 for a Summer 2026 harvest. It actually might be the easiest vegetable I've ever grown!
For our first planting, I tried to choose from a wide variety of garlic. My plan was to replant my favorites and add a few new varieties. That is still the plan, but I didn't order new varieties in time. One of the best things about planting garlic is that you do not need to do big orders every year! (Although many people do, thinking it avoids disease problems.) Instead, you can keep the biggest, best bulbs for replanting. That is what I did, which is why we are using the same six varieties two years in a row.
There are two broad categories that garlic falls into: hardneck or softneck. Then there are subcategories, such as Porcelain, Rocambole, Purple Stripe, Artichoke, and Silverskin. Check out our Guide to Garlic Types for the details of each variation.
Lorz Italian
Lorz Italian is a softneck garlic with many smaller-sized cloves. It has a strong, robust flavor raw but sweetens when cooked.
Lorz Italian did not grow well for us here in Zone 5, although it is supposed to be cold-hardy. Of course, we had an absolutely brutal winter, and it got down to 20 below. I only was able to harvest four bulbs, and I kept two for replanting. I also harvested too soon, and I think the bulbs would have been more substantial if I had waited another couple of weeks.
Overall, the garlic was fine for cooking. Because the cloves are smaller, I use them in dishes that are suited to whole cloves.
Chesnok Red
I can't wait until the 2027 harvest so I can update this picture—it doesn't do Chesnok Red credit. When freshly harvested, the peel is a beautiful purplish-red.
Chesnok Red is a hardneck, Purple Stripe variety. This is one of my top two favorite varieties from the 2026 harvest! The bulbs are huge, as are the cloves. They peel super easily and have great flavor.
I find this to be a very versatile garlic. It is mild enough to use fresh in vinaigrettes and salsas. But it can also maintain its flavor when heated, so it is great roasted or tossed into soups and sauces. Try a roasted garlic spread!
Music
Music is a hardneck, Porcelain garlic. The bulbs are large, with 4–6 giant cloves. As is typical with hardneck varieties, the cloves are super easy to peel. I also find it very easy to grow. It handled an unusually cold winter and our typical hot, humid summers with ease.
Music is known for being robust. I find that it loses its flavor with high heat. But I love using it raw, sautéed (especially a quick 3 minutes over medium-low heat before adding whisked eggs for scrambling!), and thrown in at the very end of soups and sauces.
Music is one of the most popular garlic varieties. But it was actually my least favorite of the varieties I grew. Garlic flavor is significantly influenced by growing conditions, particularly the sulfur content of the soil. I am going to play around with the sulfur content of my soil next year to see if it makes a difference.
Polish White
Polish White is a softneck, Artichoke type. The bulbs are large and contain between 8 and 15 medium-sized cloves.
Polish White has a mild flavor that gets a bit more robust after several months of storage. The mild flavor is great for fresh uses like marinades and salsas.
Silver White
Silver White is a softneck, Silverskin type garlic. Each bulb contains numerous cloves. Silver White is among the longest-storing garlic varieties and can keep for 9–12 months when properly cured and stored.
The flavor is robust and stands up to heat, which mellows and sweetens it. That makes it great for baking, roasting and sautéing.
Polish Hardneck
Last but certainly not least is Polish Hardneck. This hardneck, Porcelain-type is the other garlic tied for my top two this year. I love it! The bulbs are huge and uniform. There are 4–6 huge cloves per bulb.
It does not store long, but it is versatile enough to use up before it dries out! It has a deep flavor, and if you like heat, it is excellent raw. It holds its flavor when heated, so it is great for roasting. It is my favorite for making my Roasted Garlic appetizer because the large, flavorful cloves are easy to remove.
