Certified organic seed garlic
Every variety we grow, in one place. Hardneck and softneck seed garlic, triple-certified organic and raised at 3,300 ft on the volcanic ground of California's Fall River Valley. Reserve now and your order ships in September, in time for fall planting.
USDA Organic β’ CCOF Certified β’ Real Organic Project
Our certified organic garlic
Hardneck and softneck, every bulb graded seed stock and certified organic. Open a variety to choose your size and pre-order.
What "certified organic" means here
Not a label we print for ourselves. Three independent programs inspect this farm every year.
Plan your planting
New to seed garlic? Two quick tools tell you what grows in your area and how much seed your beds need, and the pricing page lays out the bulk tiers.
Volcanic soil, on purpose
Our fields sit on the floor of the Fall River Valley at 3,300 ft, on ground built from old basalt flows off California's Southern Cascades. We are not amending our soil with crushed basalt the way some growers do. We are farming directly on it.
That matters because basalt breaks down slowly, releasing calcium, magnesium, potassium, and a long list of trace minerals as it weathers, the same nutrients garlic draws on to size up a bulb. The science backs the mechanism: in a 2024 Newcastle University trial, crops grown with basalt took up measurably more calcium and potassium. Put that mineral base together with real cold winters and you have the conditions garlic actually wants. It is the biggest single reason our bulbs taste and store the way they do.
Why growers choose Basaltic Farms
Triple certified
USDA Organic, CCOF, and Real Organic Project, re-inspected every year. The certifications are current and the practice behind them is real.
Bigger bulbs, better seed
The bigger the bulb, the bigger the cloves and the stronger the seed. Every harvest runs across a sorting line by size, and each bulb gets looked over by hand as it goes. The largest bulbs ship first, first come first served.
Half-pound up to bulk
Order what fits your plot, from a single half-pound through 1, 5, 10, and 25 lb lots, with the per-pound price dropping as the size goes up. Every bulb is good to plant this fall or to cook with right now.
Shipped for planting
We cure the bulbs through the summer and start shipping in September, so your seed shows up in good shape with plenty of time to get it in the ground in October or November.
Backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee: if you are not happy for any reason, and you have not yet planted it, we will make it right. First-time buyers save 5% with code welcometothefamily.
How we farm, and what we leave out
What we never use
- Synthetic pesticides
- Chemical fertilizers
- GMO seed
- Sewage sludge
- Irradiation
- Synthetic preservatives
What we rely on instead
- Living, mineral-rich volcanic soil
- Cover crops and crop rotation
- Compost and natural amendments
- Careful curing and a hand-checked sorting line
- Annual third-party inspection
Certified organic garlic questions
Ordering & purchasing
Where can I buy certified organic seed garlic?
We ship our own certified organic seed garlic straight from the farm, with no middlemen or resellers. Every variety on this page is grown here at 3,300 ft in the Fall River Valley. Choose a variety, pick a size, and pre-order.
When do pre-orders open and when does it ship?
We open pre-orders on March 1 every year. Our best sellers usually go early, so don't wait too long if there is a variety you have your heart set on. Everything gets harvested and cured over the summer, then we start shipping in September so it is in your hands before fall planting.
How do I place an order?
Pick a variety, choose your size, anything from a half-pound up through 25 lb, and add it to the cart. The per-pound discount kicks in on its own once you reach 5 lb. For orders over 1,000 lb, email us and we will set up tiered pricing for you.
Do you ship internationally?
Yes, with a 25 lb minimum on international orders. Phytosanitary certificates are required and billed at cost. Email us before you order so we can confirm your country's import rules and line up the right paperwork.
Is there a discount for first-time buyers?
There is. Use the code welcometothefamily at checkout and you get 5% off your first order. It works on any variety, and there is nothing to sign up for first.
Bulk & wholesale
Do you offer bulk pricing?
Yes. Per-pound discounts kick in automatically at checkout from 5 lb on up, on a sliding scale. Premium and standard varieties discount at slightly different rates. Our pricing page lays out the full tiers.
Is wholesale seed garlic available?
It is. We supply seed companies and larger growers, with tiered percentage discounts on orders of 1,000 lb and up handled directly by email. Email us the varieties and volume you need and we will put a quote together.
How is bulk garlic sorted?
Everything is sorted by bulb size on a sorting line, with each bulb looked over by hand as it passes. There is one price per variety no matter the size, and the biggest bulbs go out first, first come first served, so earlier orders get the largest seed.
Can restaurants and stores buy from you?
Yes. We work with restaurants, stores, and farms that need steady supply. Wholesale runs through email rather than the cart so we can match varieties, volume, and timing to exactly what you need.
Is there a minimum order?
No minimum on the website for retail; buy a single half-pound if that is all you need. International orders start at 25 lb, and true wholesale pricing begins at 1,000 lb and is arranged by email.
Quality & varieties
Which varieties do you grow?
Hardnecks Music and Chesnok Red, plus weakly bolting Thai Purple and Korean Mountain. Our softnecks are all Artichoke-type: Inchelium Red, Susanville, Sicilian Artichoke, and Red Toch. Compare the two types on our hardneck garlic and softneck garlic pages.
What is the difference between hardneck and softneck?
Hardneck grows a scape and fewer, larger cloves with bolder raw flavor, and it needs real winter cold. Softneck has no scape, more but smaller cloves, a milder flavor, and the longest storage. Plenty of growers plant some of each.
Which variety should I grow?
For the boldest flavor in a cold-winter area, start with a hardneck like Music. For long storage, braiding, and a milder all-purpose clove, go softneck. Our variety pack is the easy way to try several at once.
How fresh is your seed garlic?
It is harvested in July, cured properly, and shipped straight from our farm beginning in September, never held in a warehouse for a season. You are planting bulbs from the most recent harvest, not last year's leftovers.
Can I eat it, or is it only for planting?
Every bulb is dual purpose. It is graded seed stock, but the same bulbs are excellent in the kitchen, so anything you do not plant you can cook. Most varieties show their distinct flavor best raw.
Storage & planting
When do I plant seed garlic?
Plant in fall, usually October or November, a few weeks ahead of the first hard freeze so roots settle in before winter. The plants overwinter, pick back up in spring, and finish as a summer harvest.
How much seed do I need?
It depends on clove size and spacing. Our garlic planting calculator turns your bed size into pounds. Order a little extra so you can cook the biggest bulbs and still plant plenty.
How should I store the bulbs?
Keep them somewhere dry and airy at 55 to 65Β°F with moderate humidity, with at least five papers left on each bulb. Skip the refrigerator; the move from cold back to warmth is what signals a clove to start growing.
Will garlic grow in my climate?
Most regions can grow garlic; the type is what matters. Hardneck wants real winter cold, while softneck handles milder areas. Run your ZIP through our garlic zone finder to see which fits your winter before you order.
Do you include growing instructions?
Our full garlic growing instructions cover spacing, depth, mulch, and harvest, and the zone finder and planting calculator handle the rest. If you get stuck, email us and we are glad to help you get your crop in the ground.