Description
Two of the rarest gourmet garlic varieties available in North America, together in one order. Each gives you a quarter pound — enough to plant a meaningful test bed of both and discover what rare hardneck garlic actually tastes like.
What's Included
Donostia Red Creole (1/4 lb) — A rare Creole hardneck from the Basque region of Spain. Multiple major seed operations limit Donostia to 1 lb per customer because supply is so constrained. We grew it for the first time in 2026 and it took hardneck grand champion on our farm. Planted from tiny cloves, bulbs doubled in size compared to what we procured the prior fall. Bold, spicy heat that mellows into something rich and complex when cooked. Stunning magenta-streaked cloves. Stores 9 to 10 months.
Georgian Fire (1/4 lb) — A rare Porcelain hardneck from the Republic of Georgia. One of the hottest garlic varieties available, with a clean, deep heat and high allicin content that holds up through cooking. Large cloves, striking tan skin with maroon streaks. Some sources do not carry it at all in 2026. Cold hardy in zones 3 to 8. Stores 6 to 8 months.
Why This Pair
Both are genuinely hard to find. Both are gourmet varieties prized for bold, complex flavor that supermarket garlic cannot match. Both are Porcelain or Creole hardnecks that perform reliably in the Willamette Valley and across a wide range of U.S. climates. Growing them side by side in the same season shows you the real difference between two rare hardneck types.
Planting
Plant in fall, October through November in most U.S. climates. Both produce scapes in late spring — remove them when they complete their first curl to redirect energy to the bulb. Harvest July when the lower 3 to 4 leaves have dried. Each quarter pound plants approximately 8 to 14 feet of row.
How We Grow
Our farm is an ODA inspected and licensed nursery, inspected annually during the spring growth season. No synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. OMRI-listed organic inputs, crop rotation every season. Grown in Coburg, Oregon's Willamette Valley.
Ships nationwide in September for fall planting. Free shipping on orders $60+.
