
Garlic ‘Russian Red’
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Botanical Name: Allium sativum
Lifecycle: Annual
‘Russian Red’ is a hardneck Garlic with satiny white outer skins and gorgeous white cloves often containing a pink to brown blush.
It offers strong garlic taste with a warm, sweet finish. It’s a hardy variety that grows well in NZ and is able to withstand soggy winter soils better than others. The bulbs typically have 5 large cloves with hard skins. It stores well for 6 to 7 months.
It’s best planted in May to June and harvested about 7 months later when all but the top 4 to 5 leaves have died. Plant cloves about 5cm deep from top of clove to top of soil, with plenty of well-aged organic matter and then water, weed and wait patiently.
As a hardneck variety it will produce a flowering scape near maturity that should be removed to help the bulbs develop and grow larger. The scapes are a gourmet delicacy that can be enjoyed fresh or cooked.
It originates from Russia a long time ago and is now grown and cherished for its strong flavour in many countries.
SOWING:
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Autumn – Winter |
Sow Direct, or Transplant |
Garlic is best sown in autumn and winter. Carefully break whole bulbs into individual cloves for planting, and sow pointy side up.
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0°c - 10°c |
21 - 42 days |
Cloves are typically sown directly in place 50mm below the surface, approx. 20cm - 30cm apart when soil temperatures are between 0°c – 10°c, however they can also be sown in trays for transplanting.
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20cm - 30cm |
160 - 190 days |
Hardy |
TIPS:
Garlic is popular and fun to grow. Garlic grows best in fertile, well-drained soil in full sun.
As garlic is a heavy feeder we recommend dressing your beds before planting by digging or trenching down 200-300mm and adding sheep pellets or guano or bone flour to the bottom of the hole/trench at a rate of 100g per lineal metre. Fill in the hole/trench with loose soil to form a cushion for your garlic cloves to sit on when you plant them, leaving about 50mm from the top of the hole for planting. Plant your cloves at 200mm – 300mm apart with the pointy side up (tip up) about 50mm deep - so that approx. 50mm of soil covers the planted tips of each clove, and fill your hole/trench back up.
We then recommend sprinkling a balanced bulb food or general fertiliser over the top of your planted garlic row/s at 100g per lineal metre. Preferably use a bulb blend/general fertiliser that’s not too high in nitrogen, ideally the P (Phosphorus) & K (Potassium) values are slightly higher than the N (Nitrogen) value in the NPK ratio.
Aim to sow your cloves the same day they are broken apart from their bulbs, as this process breaks their dormancy and they also will begin to dehydrate once broken apart.
Adequate spacing appears to be one of the simplest methods for dealing with rust, as plants spaced closely together can be devastated much more easily.
Garlic can be sown from April – August in New Zealand. Traditionally garlic was sown on the shortest day of the year in June, and harvested on the longest day of the year in December.
If birds or other animals are prone to disturbing your freshly sown garlic cloves, cover with netting or wire mesh until the cloves have put up their green shoots a few weeks later.
About a month before harvest you should reduce watering to improve the keeping quality of your garlic and help the bulbs focus on swelling.
Please note that garlic bulbs for sowing are only available during autumn and winter each year.
For more tips to growing garlic successfully in NZ read our blog post here.
GARLIC BULBS PER PACKET:
HOME GARDEN ($9.90) | 2 bulbs (Mixed grade) |
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SHIPPING RATES
All orders are subject to a shipping and handling charge, outlined as follows:
URBAN NZ WIDE
Urban Courier Delivery (0kg-0.75kg): |
$6.50 |
Urban Courier Delivery (0.751kg-1.5kg): |
$8.90 |
Urban Courier Delivery (1.51kg-3.0kg): | $10.90 |
Urban Courier Delivery (3.01kg-5.0kg): | $12.90 |
Urban Courier Delivery (5.01kg-7.0kg): | $14.90 |
Urban Courier Delivery (7.01kg-10kg): | $16.90 |
RURAL NZ WIDE
Rural via Standard Post (max. 150g, untracked): | $4.60 |
Rural Courier Delivery (0kg-0.75kg): | $8.90 |
Rural Courier Delivery (0.751kg-1.5kg): | $11.90 |
Rural Courier Delivery (1.51kg-3.0kg): | $13.90 |
Rural Courier Delivery (3.01kg-5.0kg): | $15.90 |
Rural Courier Delivery (5.01kg-7.0kg): | $17.90 |
Rural Courier Delivery (7.01kg-10.0kg): | $19.90 |
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ISSUES WITH SHIPMENT
In the unlikely event there is an error in your order we will correct this for you as soon as possible. Please ensure to check your order as soon as you receive it and inform us of any errors within 24 hours.
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To advise us of any errors with your shipment please email us on hello@growyours.nz
Botanical Name:
This is the formal scientific name for each plant, firstly identifying the genus and then the species to which it belongs.
The purpose of these Latin names is to have a single name that is accepted and used worldwide for a particular plant or plant group, and to help distinguish each plant uniquely from other plants.
Lifecycle:
This refers to the typical lifecycle of each plant.
Annual: Plants that complete their life cycle within 1 year (from germination to growing and producing seeds, then dying).
Biennial: Plants that complete their life cycle in 2 years (germinates and grows in the first year, then produces seeds and dies in the second year).
Perennial: Plants that have a life cycle of more than 2 years.
It is wise to consider the lifecycle of each plant before choosing its final growing position. For example, you may prefer to plant perennials away from annuals, so your perennials are not disturbed when your annuals are harvested at the end of their relatively short lifecycle.
Heritage:
This refers to the geographic region and approximate date of origin, as it is best known for each variety.
Please note that varieties listed as “pre 1900’s” are very old varieties that have often been grown for hundreds of years, and as such their specific dates of origin are hard to list accurately.
Best Sown:
This refers to when it is suggested the seeds are best sown, to encourage strong and vigorous growth in their ideal seasonal conditions.
Please note that while some varieties may be able to be sown outside the range suggested, they will generally perform best when sown in the approximate seasonal ranges provided.
Sowing Method:
This refers to the suggested method for sowing each variety. Using the appropriate sowing method will help to ensure you achieve best results.
Direct Sow: These are seeds that perform well when sown directly into your garden. These seeds normally produce fast growing and strong seedlings. Please note that young seedlings may still need some protection from harsh weather and pests.
Transplant: These are seeds that perform well when started in trays or containers and then transplanted to their final position once they’re a bit stronger. These seeds often produce slower growing and weaker seedlings that need some care and protection from weather and pests. Seedlings can typically be transplanted to their final position once they are large enough to handle (for example 5+cm tall with several true leaves).
Please note that for varieties where we list both methods you have the choice.
Soil Temp To Germinate:
This refers to the approximate soil temperature range for optimum germination of the seeds.
Please note that while some germination may occur outside these ranges, the seeds will typically germinate strongest when sown in the optimum soil temperature range provided.
Approx. Time To Germinate:
This refers to the approximate amount of time it takes for the seeds to germinate.
Please note that while some variation may occur, with ideal conditions this represents an average amount of time before germination. This relies in part on the seeds being sown in soil at an ideal temperature for germination, per the heading above.
Spacing For Seedlings:
This is the recommended spacing between plants in their final growing position.
Please note that spacing plants closer together than suggested will likely result in underperforming plants, due to crowding and over-competition for root space and available nutrients.
Approx. Time To Harvest:
This is the number of days until the plant typically reaches the purpose for which it is normally grown. For example, this is the time it takes for the plant to fruit or flower, or until the leaves are ready to be picked, etc.
Please note that while this refers to the beginning of harvesting time, the plants could keep growing for an extended period yet, particularly if kept well looked after.
Hardiness To Frosts:
This refers to how tolerant the plant is of frost and cold weather.
Tender: Plants that will be injured or killed by frost and cold weather. These plants will probably not survive winter.
Half-Hardy: Plants that will not tolerate severe frosts, but should otherwise survive winter.
Hardy: Plants that have the ability to survive frost and cold weather. These plants should survive winter.