I've been curious about growing garlic in New York, especially softneck varieties. The general advice seems to be that hardneck garlic is best for northern climates, while softneck works better down south. This fall, I planted what I had—8 cloves of softneck and 2 of hardneck—and mulched them with a thick layer of leaves. Now, with winter here and temperatures dropping down to the teens, my softneck garlic sprouted early but is looking a bit rough. The leaves are twisted and flimsy at the base, while the hardneck garlic looks strong and healthy. Am I right to be worried about my softneck? What's the real deal with growing different garlic varieties based on the climate?
2 Answers
You're spot on about softneck garlic; it generally doesn’t handle the cold as well as hardneck. The ‘soft’ in softneck does mean it's weaker when it comes to cold weather, which is true for many plants. Keeping water away from freezing conditions helps, so avoid water pooling around your plants. Just make sure your garlic is well-drained!
Honestly, there's a lot of misinformation online about garlic! Most people throw around advice without much solid backing, but here's the scoop: softneck garlic can indeed be cold tolerant, but it's not as tough as hardneck when faced with hard freezes (below 25°F). Your softneck might be a bit beat up, but give it some time—it's likely to bounce back. You might want to trim the dead tops, just ensuring you leave the healthy parts alone. Be patient; garlic typically takes time to break ground again!
Thanks for the clarification! I knew softneck meant less of a stem, but didn't realize how it affected winter hardiness. That makes a lot of sense.