This is a somewhat rare cultivar of the marbled purple stripe family, though it is growing in popularity. Originating from Estonia in the Baltic region. This variety is rapidly gaining favor in my eyes for its dependably huge bulbs, perhaps the largest I grow, and mild flavor. This is an excellent all-purpose garlic. It also has very large cloves, which are nice for peeling, but it makes expanding your planting plot noticeably slower than other strains, given the fewer cloves per bulb. Harvest this variety early, as it is very fond of decaying if left in the ground too long. For that reason, I don't recommend this variety for beginners, but if you are an experienced grower looking for a large bulbed, massive cloved variety that presents a bit more of a challenge, this is your garlic!
Bulb Grading Notes...
The only difference between culinary and seed grade bulbs is size. Seed grade bulbs are 2 inches in diameter or over. Culinary bulbs are 1 1/2 inches or more but less than 2 inches. You can use either grade interchangeably, but if you are planting your garlic, then seed grade bulbs will give you a larger harvest. The smaller culinary bulbs can still be grown, but they may take two seasons to reach full potential. They do, however, tend to store longer and have better flavor than jumbo bulbs.
Bulb Grading Notes...
The only difference between culinary and seed grade bulbs is size. Seed grade bulbs are 2 inches in diameter or over. Culinary bulbs are 1 1/2 inches or more but less than 2 inches. You can use either grade interchangeably, but if you are planting your garlic, then seed grade bulbs will give you a larger harvest. The smaller culinary bulbs can still be grown, but they may take two seasons to reach full potential. They do, however, tend to store longer and have better flavor than jumbo bulbs.