Hardneck Garlic · Porcelain

Porcelain Garlic

Porcelain is the classic hardneck: a few very large cloves wrapped in thick, smooth, porcelain-white papers, with a bold flavor that holds up long after milder garlic fades. It is the most cold-hardy garlic we grow, bred for growers who get a real winter.

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Porcelain seed garlic we grow

Certified organic porcelain seed stock, grown in volcanic soil and reserved for fall planting.

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Why porcelain

What sets porcelain apart

The biggest cloves

Just four to six cloves per bulb, each one large and easy to peel. Less fiddling in the kitchen and simple to plant.

Built for cold

The most winter-hardy garlic we grow. Porcelain wants a real cold season and rewards it with big, well-formed bulbs.

Bold, lasting flavor

A strong, full flavor that stays with a dish. It comes on rich when raw and mellows to a deep warmth when cooked.

Keeps well

Long storage for a hardneck. Cured and kept cool and dry, porcelain holds its quality for months after harvest.

Grow it right

Best climates for porcelain

Porcelain sits happiest in cooler-winter ground, roughly USDA zones 4 through 7. It carries a strict vernalization requirement, meaning it needs a genuine cold period to split into a full head, so it is a natural fit for northern and high-elevation gardens.

One honest caveat from our own fields: porcelain is sensitive to a hot spring. A run of warm weather in May and June can shrink bulb size. If your springs turn hot early, plant on the early side and mulch to hold the soil cool.

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Questions

Porcelain garlic FAQ

What is porcelain garlic?
Porcelain is a subgroup of hardneck garlic known for thick, smooth white papers and a small number of very large cloves, usually four to six per bulb. It has a strong, lasting flavor and is among the most cold-hardy garlic you can grow.
How is porcelain different from softneck garlic?
Porcelain is a hardneck, so it sends up a scape and forms fewer, larger cloves around a central stalk. Softneck garlic skips the scape, packs in more but smaller cloves, and tends to store longer. Porcelain trades a little shelf life for size and bold flavor.
Which variety do you grow in the porcelain group?
Music is our porcelain variety. It is one of our most popular hardnecks and a favorite of cold-climate growers. Because supply is limited, Music tends to sell out earlier in the season than our other varieties.
What growing zones suit porcelain garlic?
Porcelain does best in roughly USDA zones 4 through 7, where winters are cold enough to meet its vernalization requirement. It can grow warmer than that with care, but it is happiest with a real winter.
When should I order?
Pre-orders open in the spring and ship in September for fall planting. Our most popular hardnecks, Music included, often sell out by early summer, so ordering by May gives you the best chance at the variety you want.