Untreated Pink Flavor Garlic - Allium sativum

This Flavor Pink Garlic is a spring variety of pink garlic from Auvergne, producing bulbs with light pink cloves. It is a regenerated variety, free from the OYDV virus (Onion Yellow Dwarf Virus). It offers a good yield and good storage capabilities. Planting in February - March and harvesting in June - July. Untreated size +35 bulbs.

Garlic (Allium sativum) is a very hardy perennial plant, cultivated as an annual. It belongs to the Liliaceae family, like onions, shallots, and chives. It comes in the form of a large bulb, called a head, topped with long flat leaves. The garlic head contains several cloves. These are the cloves that will be planted in the ground and give rise to new garlic heads.

There are 3 categories of garlic: white, violet, and pink. White and violet garlic are planted in autumn. They are quite early, have a good yield, but their storage is limited. Conversely, pink garlic is planted in spring. It is well adapted for regions with harsh winters. Its productivity is less significant, but it can be stored for a longer period.

In terms of cooking, garlic can be consumed raw or cooked. Its pungent taste flavours salads, meats, mushrooms, stews, or stuffings. Garlic has the particularity of being rich in sulphur compounds and selenium. Finely chopped leaves of white garlic or violet garlic flavour omelettes and fresh cheeses, just like chives.

Harvesting: Garlic is harvested when the leaves wither, in June and July. Pull up the bulbs and let them dry for a few days on dry and shady ground (to avoid sunburn). The foliage of autumn garlic (white and violet) is harvested in April and May, while still green.

Storage: Cut the stems or braid them to hang them. Store garlic away from light, in a dry and warm room such as the kitchen. Check beforehand that the bulbs have not suffered any bruises to prevent rotting that could contaminate the entire harvest. Garlic heads can be stored for several months (from 6 months to 1 year, with pink and violet garlic storing better than white garlic).

Gardener's tip: prepare a garlic decoction to prevent damping off in seedlings and, as a curative measure, to combat mites and fungal diseases such as mildew and rust. Crush 100g (about 10 cloves) of fresh garlic in 1L of rainwater and let it steep for 24 hours. Simmer gently, covered, for 20 minutes. Let it cool (still covered) for 1 hour. Strain.

Use undiluted:
- either in the watering can, to combat damping off in seedlings.
- or by spraying on the foliage of plants (including the undersides of leaves) to combat fungal diseases and mites. You can add a little milk to the mixture before spraying to allow better adherence to the foliage.

Repeat the process 3 times with 3 days intervals. The garlic decoction does not keep and must be used within 48 hours.