SKU: 00840369415790 2 Huge Elephant Garlic Bulbs! Great for Spring Planting! Non GMO -Milder Tasting Garlic

Key Features

• Growth Habit: Upright, bulb-forming herbaceous perennial commonly cultivated as an annual or biennial vegetable crop. Plants develop broad, strap-like leaves and large underground bulbs composed of several oversized cloves.
• Bloom Color: When allowed to flower, tall stalks produce rounded pinkish-purple to lavender flower clusters during late spring or summer.
• Fragrance: Foliage and bulbs have a distinctive onion-garlic aroma when cut or crushed, although the scent is generally milder than that of true garlic.
• Fruit Flavor: Elephant Garlic does not produce an edible fruit. Its bulbs and cloves have a mild, slightly sweet, onion-garlic flavor that is considerably less pungent than conventional garlic.
• Culinary Uses: Excellent roasted whole or as individual cloves. It can also be grilled, sautéed, minced into sauces and marinades, added to soups and stews, incorporated into mashed potatoes and vegetables, or used anywhere a mild garlic flavor is desired. Young flower stalks can also be prepared similarly to garlic scapes.
• Medicinal Uses: Like other members of the Allium group, Elephant Garlic contains sulfur-containing compounds and has historically been valued as part of a healthful diet. However, it should primarily be considered a culinary food rather than a substitute for medical treatment.
• Possible Toxicity to Pets or Humans: Elephant Garlic is edible and generally safe for people when consumed as food, although large quantities may cause digestive irritation in sensitive individuals. Like other Allium plants, it can be toxic to dogs, cats, and horses, potentially causing gastrointestinal problems and damage to red blood cells if sufficient quantities are eaten.
• Wildlife & Pest Resistance: The strong Allium aroma generally makes plants resistant to deer, rabbits, and many browsing animals. Flowers can attract bees and other beneficial pollinators. Potential problems include onion thrips, onion maggots, nematodes, white rot, basal rot, and other diseases associated with Allium crops.
• Planting Zone: Can be grown as a garden crop through approximately USDA Zones 3–10, although planting and harvest schedules vary by climate. It generally performs especially well where fall-planted cloves experience a period of cool winter temperatures.
• Sun Preferences: Full sun is best, with at least 6–8 hours of direct sunlight per day. Strong sunlight encourages vigorous foliage and larger bulb development.
• Drought Tolerance: Moderate once established, but consistent moisture is important during active foliage growth and bulb formation. Extended drought during bulb development can significantly reduce bulb size.
• Mature Size: Foliage commonly reaches approximately 2–3 feet tall, while flower stalks may reach 3–5 feet under favorable conditions. Mature bulbs can become substantially larger than ordinary garlic bulbs.

When and How to Prune

Elephant Garlic requires very little conventional pruning.

• Leave healthy green foliage intact throughout the growing season because it produces the energy necessary for large bulb development.
• Remove yellow, damaged, or diseased foliage only when necessary.
• Flower stalks can be removed while young if maximum bulb production is the goal. Cutting the developing stalk encourages the plant to concentrate more energy on its underground bulb.
• Young flower stalks are edible and can be cooked similarly to garlic scapes.
• If ornamental flowers or pollinator value are desired, allow selected plants to flower naturally.
• Do not cut the entire plant back while the foliage is still actively green.
• Harvest bulbs when approximately one-third to one-half of the foliage has naturally yellowed or browned, while some upper leaves remain green.

Planting Instructions (Bulb/Cloves into the Ground)

1. Elephant Garlic is normally planted as individual cloves separated from a mature bulb, rather than planting the entire multi-clove bulb.
2. Separate the cloves shortly before planting, leaving their protective papery skins intact.
3. Select the largest, firmest, healthiest cloves for planting. Larger cloves generally have the greatest potential to produce large bulbs.
4. Fall planting is preferred in many climates. Plant approximately 4–6 weeks before the ground freezes so roots can begin developing before winter.
5. Spring planting is also possible, particularly in colder regions, although plants may produce smaller bulbs or occasionally form a single large round bulb during their first season.
6. Select a location receiving full sun with loose, fertile, well-drained soil.
7. Plant each clove with the pointed end facing upward and the flat basal/root end downward.
8. Plant cloves approximately 4–6 inches deep, with slightly deeper planting providing additional winter protection in colder climates.
9. Space individual cloves approximately 6–8 inches apart, with rows approximately 12–18 inches apart.
10. Cover with soil and gently firm the surface without compacting it heavily.
11. Water thoroughly after planting to settle the soil around the cloves.
12. Apply a layer of straw, shredded leaves, or another loose organic mulch after fall planting, especially in colder climates.
13. During spring growth, provide approximately 1 inch of water per week when rainfall is insufficient. Keep soil evenly moist but never saturated.
14. Reduce watering as the foliage begins naturally yellowing near harvest. Excessive moisture late in the season can interfere with proper bulb maturation and storage.

Harvesting and Curing

• Elephant Garlic is typically harvested from late spring through midsummer, depending on climate and planting date.
• Watch the foliage rather than relying strictly on the calendar. Harvest when several lower leaves have turned brown while upper leaves remain partially green.
• Loosen the soil around each bulb with a garden fork or spade and carefully lift it from the ground. Avoid pulling aggressively by the foliage.
• Handle freshly harvested bulbs carefully because bruising can reduce storage life.
• Allow the entire plant to cure for approximately 2–4 weeks in a dry, shaded location with excellent airflow.
• Once thoroughly cured, trim the roots and dried foliage if desired.
• Store cured bulbs in a cool, dry, well-ventilated location.
• Small underground cormels may develop around the main bulb. These can be saved and replanted, although they may require additional growing seasons before producing large, divided bulbs.

Overwintering Steps

• Fall-planted Elephant Garlic normally remains in the ground throughout winter.
• In cold climates, apply approximately 3–6 inches of loose straw, shredded leaves, or similar mulch after the soil becomes cold.
• Mulching helps protect cloves from extreme temperature fluctuations and repeated freezing and thawing.
• Some foliage may emerge before winter. This is generally normal, and established plants can tolerate considerable cold, although exposed leaf tips may experience frost damage.
• Make sure the planting bed drains freely throughout winter. Cold, waterlogged soil is one of the greatest risks to overwintering bulbs.
• Avoid excessive winter watering unless conditions are unusually dry and the soil is not frozen.
• As temperatures warm in spring, gradually pull excessively heavy mulch away from emerging plants.
• Resume regular watering once vigorous spring growth begins.
• Avoid planting Elephant Garlic repeatedly in the same location year after year. Rotating Allium crops can help reduce the buildup of soilborne diseases and pests.

With its enormous cloves, impressive garden presence, and wonderfully mild flavor, Elephant Garlic is an entertaining and highly useful addition to the home vegetable garden. Its gentle garlic-onion flavor makes it particularly delicious when roasted, while its towering flower stalks and lavender-purple blooms can provide unexpected ornamental appeal. With full sun, fertile well-drained soil, consistent spring moisture, and proper curing after harvest, Elephant Garlic can reward gardeners with remarkably large, flavorful bulbs.