{"product_id":"donostia-red-cloved-seed-garlic","title":"Donostia Red CLOVED Hardneck for Seed Planting","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDonostia Red is one of the rarest garlic varieties available in North America\u003c\/strong\u003e — a gourmet Creole hardneck from the Basque region of Spain with bold, spicy flavor, stunning magenta-streaked cloves, and a cold tolerance that makes it the hardneck answer for southern and mild-climate growers. Multiple major seed operations cap or sell out of Donostia every season. We have 150 lbs available for 2026.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy Donostia Is Hard to Find\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCreole garlic as a type is far less common in North American seed stock than Porcelain or Rocambole varieties. Donostia specifically is rare enough that even the largest U.S. garlic operations limit how much any single customer can order. It sells out early, and farms that don't grow their own rarely have it at all.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e2026 Harvest Results\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis was Donostia's first season on our farm. We planted some of the smallest cloves available — seed stock that by conventional standards would not be worth the bed space. The bulbs we harvested had doubled in size compared to what we procured the prior fall. Tight wrappers across the board. Every clove produced.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDonostia took hardneck grand champion in our 2026 harvest. For a first-year planting started from inferior seed stock, the return on investment was unlike anything we have seen from a new variety. It joins Music as a farm favorite going into next season.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Hardneck for Growers Who Were Told They Couldn't Grow Hardneck\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost hardneck garlic needs a sustained cold period to vernalize. In zones 6 through 9, winters are too mild for most hardneck varieties. Donostia Red Creole is different. Creole garlic evolved in warm climates and tolerates mild winters far better than Porcelain, Rocambole, or Purple Stripe types. It performs well in zones 5 to 9, with particular strength in zones 6 to 9.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFlavor and Kitchen Use\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSharp, assertive heat when raw that mellows into rich, full-bodied flavor with cooking. The deep purple-red skin and wine-red streaking on the cloves make it one of the most visually striking varieties available. Prized by gourmet cooks for its combination of looks, heat, and long storage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eStorage\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStores 9 to 10 months under proper conditions in a cool, dry space with good air circulation. Among the longest-storing hardneck varieties available.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eGrowing\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlant in fall, 2 to 3 inches deep, 6 inches apart. Mulch well after planting. Remove the scape in late spring when it completes its first full curl. Harvest mid to late July when the lower 3 to 4 leaves have dried. New to growing garlic? See our \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/clove-by-clove\/how-to-grow-garlic-a-complete-guide-from-planting-to-harvest\"\u003ecomplete growing guide\u003c\/a\u003e for step-by-step planting instructions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhen Your Order Arrives\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRemove the garlic from the shipping box as soon as it arrives. Store in a dry, open-air location with good airflow. Do not leave it sealed in the box.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you are in a warm-winter region (zones 8 and warmer), refrigerate your seed garlic for 6 to 8 weeks at 35 to 40 degrees F before planting. See our \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/clove-by-clove\/how-to-refrigerate-seed-garlic-before-planting-and-why-vernalization-matters-in-warm-climates\"\u003evernalization guide\u003c\/a\u003e for full instructions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePackage Sizes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDonostia Red runs about 56 cloves (roughly 7 bulbs) per pound. Approximate counts by size:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e1\/4 lb: ~14 cloves (equivalent ~1.7 bulbs)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e1\/2 lb: ~28 cloves (equivalent ~3.5 bulbs)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e1 lb: ~56 cloves (equivalent ~7 bulbs)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e2 lb: ~112 cloves (equivalent ~14 bulbs)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e5 lb: ~280 cloves (equivalent ~35 bulbs)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eHow We Grow\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur farm is an ODA inspected and licensed nursery, inspected annually during the spring growth season. We use OMRI-listed organic inputs and practice crop rotation every season. No synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. Grown in Coburg, Oregon's Willamette Valley.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlso available as part of the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/bold-flavors-duo-music-donostia-red-seed-garlic\"\u003eBold Flavors Duo\u003c\/a\u003e with Music, and the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/southern-growers-duo-donostia-red-inchelium-red-seed-garlic\"\u003eSouthern Growers Duo\u003c\/a\u003e with Inchelium Red.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eShipping now.\u003c\/strong\u003e Order now to lock in your favorite varieties — several are already low in stock or sold out for the season and won't be restocked until next year. Orders ship within about a week of purchase, so there's no advantage to waiting. If your planting date is later and you'd like your order timed accordingly, just add a note at checkout and we will do our best to accommodate. Free shipping on orders $60+.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Earthwise Garlic","offers":[{"title":"1\/4 lb Cloves","offer_id":46205335109679,"sku":"DONSEED04","price":12.8,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"1\/2 lb Cloves","offer_id":46205335142447,"sku":"DONSEED08","price":22.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"1 lb Cloves","offer_id":46205335175215,"sku":"DONSEED16","price":37.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"2 lb Cloves","offer_id":46205335207983,"sku":"DONSEED32","price":68.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"5 lb Cloves","offer_id":46205335240751,"sku":"DONSEED80","price":160.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0758\/1958\/1487\/files\/DonostiaClovesBulk.jpg?v=1789701551","url":"https:\/\/earthwisegarlic.com\/products\/donostia-red-cloved-seed-garlic","provider":"Earthwise Garlic","version":"1.0","type":"link"}