Pehoski Purple Seed Garlic

Nature & Nurture Seeds Barcode: 44315676

Allium sativum

$14.95

Select Bulb Size: Large
Select Quantity: 1/4 lb
Purple garlic cloves are naturally sweeter, juicier, and have a smoother texture than white garlic when fresh. They contain higher antioxidants, giving them a bolder color and subtle heat. Unlike white garlic, purple garlic is often easier to peel and has a more complex aroma, making it ideal for fresh culinary use.

Pehoski Purple is a hardneck Purple Stripe garlic with 8-10 medium/large cloves per bulb. Its robust growth, ease of peeling and chopping, and unique flavor profile make Pehoski Purple a standout variety for both market and home use, ensuring a long-lasting supply of flavorful garlic well into the spring. The bulbs can grow up to 2.5 inches, with 8-10 large cloves each, and have glossy brownish-purple clove wrappers that contribute to its excellent storage qualities of 9 months or more. Visually stunning, Pehoski Purple is often sought after by photographers for its striking color in food photography, making it a superb market garlic.   

Cherished and passed down through generations within the Polish community in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, this heirloom variety is celebrated for its robust growth and striking appearance. Named Pehoski Purple SSE #12870 by John Swenson of Seed Savers Exchange in 1988, in recognition of Chris Pehoski's dedicated stewardship, this garlic features medium to large bulbs with a vibrant purple hue. Its strong, pungent flavor is unique and distinct, offering a kick of heat when raw and a creamy butter flavor when roasted. Farm-to-table chefs praise its versatile flavor profile, with distinct front, middle, and back notes, making it perfect for a variety of dishes. Thriving in most US regions, especially cold hardy areas, Pehoski Purple has been nurtured since the 1970s by Chris Pehoski, who improved the variety and increased its size. 

Specs: Type: Purple Stripe (Hardneck) Zones 3-7

8-10 medium-large cloves per bulb.

Garlic is shipped: September - November while supplies last!

Due to shipping restrictions, garlic cannot be shipped to the following states & regions: AK, CA, CO, GA, ID, KS, MT, NV, OR, WA, HI, Armed Forces, non-continental states & territories, Canada, & International.

Garlic is excluded from free shipping over $50 offer.

How to Grow How to Harvest How to Save Seeds

Garlic is planted in the fall, after the first light frost but before the ground freezes, usually in late October or November. Overwintering (exposure to cold) is essential for bulb development. Garlic is a heavy feeder, so plant in fertile, well-drained soil rich in organic matter and nutrients. Keep bulbs intact until you are ready to plant them, then break up into individual cloves leaving clove skins intact. Plant cloves about 2" deep into the soil, 6-8" apart in rows spaced 12" apart. The tapered end of the clove should point up, and the flatter end with the attachment point should point down. Covering the soil with a light layer of mulch (straw, oak leaves) helps suppress weeds, retain moisture, and fertilizes the soil. Do not remove the mulch in the spring. Cut or remove the weeds a few times in the spring and summer, as garlic does not compete well against weeds. Garlic will benefit from regular watering (at least 1" of water per week).

Hardneck garlic will produce scapes which are edible flowering stems that develop in early summer. Break off the scapes and use as a vegetable.
Harvest the bulbs when the lower 4-6 leaves of the garlic plants are yellow/brown (sometime in July), loosen the soil with a digging fork and carefully lift the bulb out of the soil. Brush off the dirt, then hang garlic or lay out on raised screens in well ventilated area away from sunlight, to cure for about 10-14 days. After curing, trim roots off and cut stem to about 1" above bulb. Outer skin should be crispy dry, and cut stem should be hard. Garlic is best stored at 50-70°F and around 50% humidity.

Save the biggest bulbs for planting stock for next season. Keep bulbs cool and dark until ready to plant (but not in the fridge because this can make it sprout.) If scapes are not removed during growing, the scapes will form bulbils, which can be collected and planted like seeds. During the first growing season, planted bulbils will grow into single cloves, which can be dug up and re-planted to produce full bulbs the following year. In rare cases, scapes can produce "true" seed, which does not grow true to type.

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