Description
Donostia Red is a Creole hardneck garlic with bold, spicy flavor and exceptional long storage. Originally from the Basque region of Spain, it has been selected over generations for cold tolerance and adapts well to Pacific Northwest gardens despite Creole garlic's reputation as a warm-climate type.
Flavor and Kitchen Use
The cloves have a sharp, assertive heat when raw that mellows considerably with cooking into a rich, full-bodied garlic flavor. The deep purple-red skin and wine-red streaking make it visually striking. Donostia Red works well roasted whole, sliced thin into pan sauces, or used anywhere you want garlic to be the centerpiece of the dish rather than background flavor.
Growing
Donostia Red is a Creole hardneck variety and one of the more cold-tolerant selections in that group, performing reliably in zones 4 to 7. It produces medium-sized bulbs with tightly wrapped cloves and thick outer skins. Plant in fall, 2 to 3 inches deep, 6 inches apart. Mulch well after planting. Harvest when the lower 3 to 4 leaves have dried, typically mid to late July in the Willamette Valley.
Bulb size is smaller on average than Music or Georgian Fire, but the long storage and intense flavor make it a worthwhile addition to any garlic garden. Grown pesticide-free in Coburg, Oregon from our inspected seed stock.
Storage
Stores 9 to 10 months under proper conditions (cool, dry, good air circulation). Among the longest-storing hardneck garlic types available.
Seed Garlic Sizes
- 1/4 lb: approximately 8 to 14 cloves, plants a small test bed
- 1/2 lb: approximately 16 to 28 cloves, a solid home garden planting
- 1 lb: approximately 32 to 56 cloves, plants 25 to 35 feet of row
Ships nationwide in September for fall planting. Orders placed now are presale. Free shipping on orders $60+.
