Allium sativum Inchelium Red Garlic, organic, 1 bulb
1 bulb per order
Inchelium Red is a softneck garlic variety prized for its large bulbs, mild but lasting flavor, and long storage life. As an heirloom variety, it is recognized as the oldest strain of garlic cultivated in North America.
Origin and history
- Inchelium Red was discovered growing wild at an old homesite on the Colville Indian Reservation in Inchelium, Washington.
- It is believed to have been grown on the reservation long before English settlers arrived in the 1700s.
- The variety gained national attention after winning a 1990 taste test for softneck garlic conducted by the Rodale Institute.
- It is included in Slow Food USA's "Ark of Taste," a catalog of foods in danger of extinction, to help preserve its legacy.
- While it has long been available commercially, Washington State University Extension has been working to revitalize its cultivation on the Colville Reservation for economic development and to reconnect tribal members with this native food.
Characteristics
- Appearance: Bulbs are large, often measuring 3 inches or more in diameter, and have a slightly flattened shape. The outer wrappers are typically white with pink or reddish-purple stripes and blotches.
- Cloves: A single bulb contains 8 to 20 cloves, which are notable for their uniform size, with none of the small inner cloves common in other softnecks.
- Flavor: It is known for its mild, yet robust, flavor with medium pungency. When first harvested, it can have a subtle spiciness that mellows in storage.
- Uses: Due to its gentle flavor, Inchelium Red is excellent for eating raw in dressings, salsas, and bruschetta. It is also versatile for cooking, with its taste becoming milder when baked or roasted.
- Braiding: As an artichoke-type softneck garlic, its flexible stems are suitable for braiding.
- Storage: It boasts a superior storage life of 6 to 9 months, and its flavor intensifies as it cures.
Growing information
- Planting: For a summer harvest, cloves should be planted in the fall, a few weeks before the first hard frost.
- Hardiness: Inchelium Red is a robust and adaptable variety that thrives in a wide range of climates, from southern regions to northern zones 3-9.
- Care: It requires full sun, well-drained soil, and moderate watering, with consistent moisture being especially important during bulb formation.
- Harvesting: It matures mid-season and is ready to be harvested in the summer when the lower leaves turn yellow-brown.
Allium
Allium, Latin for garlic, Flowering Onions are available in diverse heights and sizes, are rabbit-, rodent- and deer-resistant, and are seldom affected by disease. Adored by bees, butterflies and pollinators, Allium extend the spring flowering season with bold, dramatic color and statuesque garden architecture. They are also valuable cut and dried flowers.
Allium require full sunlight although there are several varieties that can also thrive in partial sunlight: A. cowanii, oreophilum and siculum bulgaricum. Allium require rich, well-draining and neutral pH soil and benefit from a summer dry period. A. unifolium can handle soil with a bit more moisture. All Allium must be planted outdoors in the fall after the soil has cooled down to around 55°F (normally after two weeks of night time temperatures hovering around 40°F). While most Allium are not recommended for forcing over the winter, there are several varieties that are known to be good forcers: A. cowanii, karataviense and unifolium. Please note that flower size is presented as the width, or diameter, from left to right.
Plant the larger Allium bulbs 6" to 8" deep and 8" to 10" apart. Plant the smaller Allium bulbs 4" deep and 3" to 4" apart. Top size bulbs. Bloom time: May through August depending on the variety. Height: variable depending on the variety. Variable horticultural zones ranging from 3-10 depending on the variety.