Name: EARLY RED ITALIAN
Availability: OutOfStock
Rating: 4.0 (4 reviews)

Home All Garlic & Shallots Early Red Italian Garlic Organic Garlic

EARLY RED ITALIAN

Early-season, Artichoke type. This mild variety originated in southern Italy and produces large heads of creamy, sumptuous garlic. True to its name, Early Red Italian cuts the waiting for delicious garlic for sauces, pestos and enjoying raw. The husky heads are wrapped in lightly marked, white wrappers. Stores well.

Garlic is shipped only in the fall—starting in mid-September, depending on the season and the variety. Quantities are limited; order early for best availability. Sorry, not available to Idaho, US Territories, or Canada.

Key Features:

Key Features:

Great Bulbs

Arrived in very good shape with some really nice cloves. We'll see how they turn out next summer.

Rotten Bulbs

Only one bulb was not rotten, moldy, or shriveled up. Horrible product. It was very obvious these bulbs were bad. They should have been discarded; certainly not shipped to a customer. I was shocked at the quality sold to me.

So sorry to hear that - that is definitely not the norm! Our products are backed by our full guarantee. We want you, our customers, to be 100% satisfied with the seed, plants and supplies that you purchase from us. If anything you buy from Territorial proves to be unsatisfactory, we will either replace the item (if available) or refund the purchase price, whichever you prefer (for up to 1 year from purchase). I have reached out to our customer service about issuing you a refund as it does not appear we have any Early Red Italian inventory left.

Easy to grow and very delicious roasted

This is my very first time growing garlic. I planted this variety and a mid-season variety in the fall. I live in the Willamette valley in Oregon. True to it's name, the Early Red Italian matured noticeably faster than the mid-season variety. I think that I harvested them too early, but I roasted several heads by cutting the tops off, adding olive oil, wrapping in tin foil and baking. The result was delicious and very creamy textured. I think with more practice I could do better with judging the maturity of the garlic, but even as a newbie the result was delicious and mild.

big and mild

I purchased some Early Red Italian garlic about 4 years ago from Territorial. I live in Cleveland OH (zone 6). I've been planting the garlic around Halloween and harvesting in July. I routinely get baseball sized heads, with around 8 cloves per head. Because they are hardnecks, we can't braid the stalks, but string them up in the kitchen where they are good for about a year. The flavor is mild and the cloves are huge.

More Information

Seed Depth	2-3"
Seed Spacing	6"
Cloves per Bulb	Hardneck: 5-10; Softneck: 6-18
Cloves per Pound	Hardneck: 40-65; Softneck: 50-90

Folklore is rife with tales of garlic's ability to bestow strength and courage, treat a vast array of disease and infections, and to ward off evil. Modern day medicine has shown this remarkable food to be powerfully effective at boosting the immune system, supporting cardiovascular health, and fighting cancer.

Hardneck Garlic: Allium sativum subsp. ophioscorodon Cloves grow in a single circle around a central woody stem. These varieties also produce, or attempt to produce, a flower-like stalk. What makes these garlics stand out is the range and quality of flavors they exhibit. Hardneck garlics typically have a shorter storage life than softnecks.

Softneck Garlic: Allium sativum subsp. sativum These varieties produce cloves in several layers around a soft central stem. Approximate cloves per pound can vary based on seasonal conditions and the variety. These easy-to-grow garlics are excellent in the kitchen and usually have the best storage qualities. Great for braiding.

Elephant Garlic: Allium ampeloprasum Not a true garlic, these enormous bulbs have much milder and sweeter flavor than garlic, as it's related more closely to a leek. Elephant garlic is planted 6-8 inches apart and covered with 4-6 inches of soil.

Culture
• Garlic thrives in rich, well-drained soil with a pH between 6.0-7.0
• Work in 1 inch layer of compost, 1/2 cup of bone meal, 1/2 cup TSC's Complete fertilizer per 5 row feet
• When spring growth begins: water to keep the soil slightly moist and fertilize with Age Old Grow or TSC's Complete fertilizer
• As harvest approaches: water less to avoid molding or staining
• Hardnecks: cut off any flowering stems (scapes) at the top leaf to redirect energy to the bulb; scapes can be used like green onions

Direct Sowing
• In Northern regions, garlic is best planted by the end of October, or 6-8 weeks before the ground freezes
• Southern regions may plant as late as March
• Separate the cloves of garlic just prior to planting, keeping as much skin on as possible
• Plant cloves pointed end up
• Mulch with clean straw or leaves to 4 inches

Pests & Diseases
• Common pests: onion thrips, stem & bulb nematodes
• Pest control: Pyrethrin, 5–7 year crop rotation
• Common diseases: Gray mold/Botrytis, rust
• Disease prevention: 5–7 year crop rotation, avoid soggy soil

Harvest & Storage
• Harvest when the top 4-5 leaves are slightly green and lower leaves are dry
• Begin checking for mature bulbs in late June
• Each green leaf represents one layer of covering over the bulb in the ground
• Tie the plants in small bundles and dry in a cool, shaded, well-ventilated location for about 3-4 weeks
• After curing is done, cut foliage and roots from bulbs and store in mesh bags
• Softnecks: you can keep leaves on and braid the whole plant

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