1 bulb per order.
Spanish Roja Garlic is a Rocambole-type hardneck variety and one of the most beloved garlics among chefs and home growers. Known for its rich, complex flavor and exceptional culinary qualities, Spanish Roja has earned a reputation as a classic gourmet garlic.
This beautiful variety produces large, easy-to-peel cloves with a deep, robust flavor that becomes sweet and mellow when cooked while maintaining excellent garlic character. Spanish Roja is prized for its outstanding taste, making it a favorite for roasting, sauces, and recipes where garlic is the star ingredient.
Characteristics
- Appearance: Its bulbs are medium to large in size, with beautiful white skin that encases 7-10 cloves. The individual cloves are noted for their distinctive mahogany or rose-red streaks. In richer soils, the cloves may lose some of their rosy color.
- Flavor: It has a strong, earthy, and pungent flavor with a hint of spicy heat. The flavor holds up well during cooking without turning bitter.
- Storage: Up to 4-6 months when cured properly.
Cultivation
- Planting: For the best results, plant cloves in the fall, 4–6 weeks before the first hard frost. For southern regions with mild winters, planting can extend into early winter. Plant each clove 1–2 inches deep with the pointed side up, leaving 4–6 inches of space between them. Nootka Rose can also be planted in the spring for a smaller bulb harvest later in the year.
- Soil and Sun: This cultivar is adaptable to a wide range of climates but thrives in full sun and rich, well-drained soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0.
- Harvesting: Harvest the bulbs in mid-to-late summer, when approximately half of the leaves have turned yellow or brown and fallen over. Avoid leaving bulbs in the ground too long, as this can cause the wrappers to decay and shorten their storage life.
- Curing: After harvesting, cure the bulbs in a warm, dry, and well-ventilated area away from direct sunlight for 3–4 weeks. After curing, you can trim the roots and stems or braid the soft stalks for storage and decorative purposes.
Culinary Uses
- General Cooking: Excellent all-purpose garlic for cooking. It is suitable for roasting, sautéing, and recipes where garlic is star ingredient.
Allium sativum, Spanish Roja Garlic, 1 bulb
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.