The online store will open on August 22.
*******Max order of 5 pounds.*******
- small: 14 – 20 bulbs per pound
- medium: 10 – 14 bulbs per pound
- large: 6 – 10 bulbs per pound
- packaged garlic is a mix of sizes
- individual bulbs are approximately 2″ – 2.50″ in diameter
- Please contact if you would like to order 5 pounds.
* What you need to know before planting your garlic *
Table garlic is also known as eating garlic and it can also be planted. You should be familiar with common diseases and do your own inspection for quality before planting . I cannot guarantee they are absolutely disease free. It is best to plant any new garlic stock you acquire by isolating it away from your current collection of garlic in a seperate plot for a few years.
The availability of each garlic for planting changes from year to year. We select bulbs that have a nice shape, plump, have an average size of cloves (not necessarily the largest bulb) and show no visible signs of disease. We have had our garlic tested for nematodes in 2018, and the results came back negative. Please read more about pests by following these links:. Fusarium , Bulb and Stem Nematode (OMAFRA), Skin Blotch, Leek Moth.
We only grow Hardneck Types at RCF
Rocambole
These are by far the most popular of the garlic due to the varying flavours. Gardeners and chefs alike appreciate the subtle differences in heat and sweetness. The plants are shorter than their rival, the porcelains, reaching just 24 inches. The bulbs have streaked or blotchy purple markings quite distinctive of the rocamboles. The cloves are more brown and are 6 to 9 per bulb with some of them being doubles and triples.
1. Italian: Garlicky with nice lingering after taste. Great rubbed on toasted bread and used in garlic butters hommous pestos. Add garlic at the end of cooking to preserve the flavour.
2.Railway Creek Rocambole:A very nice mild garlic with a sweet after taste. Excellent for salad dressings.
3. KoreanMild flavour when cooked. Very nice large garlic.
4. Russian:Stronger than Railway Creek or Italian. Hold a nice robust but sweet flavour . 7 to 9 cloves per bulb. Garlicky when eaten raw, usually used in cooking and holds it flavour.
5. Hungarian:very hot with a lingering strong flavour. Good for cooking.
6. Polish: very similar to Hungarian with its own unique taste and size. Great for longer cooking times such as stews and soups etc. It holds it own flavour.
7. Puslinch:Robust flavour and great for stews and soups ect when longer cooking time is required, the flavour will stay. Comes from Puslinch Ontario. Seeds of Diversity Canada. also known as Ontario garlic or Giant Ontario Garlic.
8. Killarney: Classic bold, rich and sweet flavour.
9. Ukrainian: A very sharp and hot rocambole with 7 to 9 cloves. Defenetly not for the faint of heart when eaten raw!
Porcelain
These white garlic are very hardy in our cold Canadian climate. They are a tall variety, reaching about 42 inches and when the scapes are left on, they can stretch up-to 7 feet high. They have very thick stems and are not suitable for braiding, but more for tying into bundles. They will store for nine months or more. Another positive feature is that the cloves are large and so less peeling is required. The best way to peel these is by smashing them on a cutting board with the flat of a knife. Most porcelains have a robust flavour and strong heat due to high levels of sulfur. For the commercial grower, these types are expensive to grow since they have 4 to 6 cloves per bulb.
1. Mennonite: strong robust Flavour that last a while, large bulbs, with 4 to 7 cloves, great for everything. Railway Creek’s own favorite porcelain.
2. Siberian: A good flavour with medium to strong taste. Bulbs are easy to peel. An all round good garlic raw or cooked.
3. German: Mild heat with robust flavour and large cloves. Use as an all round garlic, raw or cooked.
4. Kazachstan: This one holds a nice medium heat and pleasant taste. A gardener in Ont brought it Canada with him when he immigrated.
5. Romanian: Medium heat, expected large bulbs.
6. Armenian: This is a nice porcelain that is mild enough for raw eating, particularily in salsa! Smooth hit with a nice warm flavour that slowly develops in your mouth. Easy to grow.
7. Sweet Candy: A light sweet tasting garlic. Best used with delicate flavoured ingredients.
8. Newfoundland: Not available. No description yet.
9. Georgian Fire: New stock in 2021.This excellent typical robust Porcelain originated in the Republic of Georgia. Not available for 2022.
10. Susan Delafield: not available
3. Purple Stripe
A very purple bulb with 8 to 10 cloves that have a redder coloration. the wrappers on these Purple Stripes are loose and thin making it an easy garlic to peel. They will store very well over the winter. All purple stripes are very pretty garlic to look at!
Very purple bulbs with 8 to 10 cloves that have a redder coloration. The wrappers on these are loose and thin making the easy to peel. They store well into the winter. These are new to RCF and still looking forward to growing larger bulbs.
1. Chesnok Red: A Nice sweet warm rich flavour with a lingering after taste. 8-10 cloves.
2. Persian Star: New in 2021. Rich strong flavour and easy to peel bulbs.
3. Yugoslavian: Beautiful large bulbs with purple stripes and red clove covering. The flavour is nice and mild for raw eating.
4. Tibetan: New in 2021 . Warm rich taste with a medium heat. Smooth texture, can be eaten raw if you want a bit of a bite to your dish.
5. Dugenski: New in 2022. Strong pungent flavour and long storage.
4.Marbled Purple Stripe
1. Purple Russian: New in 2020. A marbled Purple Strips. Excellent roasted, with an erthy flavour and hot.
2. Kostyn Red: New in 2021. A pleasing garlic flavour with some heat.
Glazed Purple Stripe:
This is a sub-variety of the Purple Stripe. It was named because of the bright purple streaks on both bulb wrappers & clove skins. These are the most attractive looking garlic with vivid coloured wrappers and tall slender crescent shaped cloves. They are also very flavourful.
1. Purple Glazer: A nice sweet and warm flavoured garlic. It is excellent eaten raw and cooked. The outer layers are white and as the layers are peeled away, the inner layers are purple.
5.Creole
1. Rose de L’Autrec: The pink garlic has been popular in Lautrec since the Middle Ages. Stories are told of a wandering merchant who was unable to pay for his meal at a local tavern; he settled his bill with a mysterious pink garlic. The surprised tavern owner decided to plant it and the pink garlic has been common to the area ever since. Not available in 2023
To receive notification of when garlic is ready to be purchased please go to the contact page and sign up!
For a good read you can do on your own to sort out the varieties and subvarieties, are: ‘Growing Good Garlic’ by Ron England and “The Complete Book of Garlic, A Guide for gardeners, growers and the serious cook” by Ted Jordan Meredith.
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