Quick Facts:

• Latin name: Allium Sativum Ophioscorodon
• Heirloom variety
• Hardneck
• Rocambole Garlic

 

 

History

Do you know who’s responsible for bringing Russian Red garlic to the Pacific Northwest? I’ll give you two hints:

Hint #1 – It’s a big country that you can see from Alaska.

Hint #2-  It’s Russia.

Did you figure it out yet? Yup, your gut, and reading skills, have brought you to the right answer once again.

In the early 1900s Russian Doukhobor immigrants, in their (successful) effort to escape the tyranical and  oppressive Czarist Government, brought Russian Red along with them to the Pacific Northwest, more specifically, British Columbia.  In fact, the Canadian government was very welcoming to the Doukhobors, to the point of granting them land that is now Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Nobody knows if the Russian Red Garlic “sweetened” the deal for the Canadian governmet, but it sure is fun to imagine that they were going to turn Russian emigrants away until they were offered a handful of Russian Red garlic.

No. No, that most certainly did not happen.

Anyways, I think “Red Russian” is an ill-fitting name. Primarily because the people who brought it to North America, were trying to escape Russia, rather than promote it. The least, the namers of this variety could have done, was name it Doukhobor Red. I suppose that doesn’t quite have the alliteration we’ve all come to love in our titles. So how about? Doukhobor Damascena? No? Allright, Russian Red it is.

BUT! At least you know that the Doukhbors brought us this time-tested champion of a garlic variety.

 Since the early 1900s, Russian Red has flourished as a commercial variety, especially by Canadian growers because of its success growing in colder winters. And, of course, no garlic could have thrived for so many decades without its dependable delicousness (appreciate the alliteration?) on the dinner table.

Appearance

5-8 cloves per bulb

Less white than other hardneck varieties. Some may exclaim, “give that poor garlic a bath, post haste!” No, it’s not dirty, the wrapper is just a bit browner tinted. That’s all. While it is one of the… uglier garlics in the world, the toothsome taste will make all memories of its appearance fade away. Truly. Don’t turn this garlic away just because it may look like it needs a wash.

 

 

To Grow

Zones – 3-8

Depth  – 4 in.

Spacing – 6 in.

Light – Full Sun

Plant in the fall, and harvest mid-late summer the following year

Russian Red Garlic likes a colder winter and colder spring. Again, many canadian growers love Russian Red for it’s ability to withstand the wet, soggy, winters.

Don’t grow Russian Red if you experience warm winters. What exactly is a warm winter? Just ask your uncle who plays golf in Fort Lauderdale from November to March every year.  As a general rule of thumb, if you’re walking around in flip flops in February, grow a different variety of garlic best suited for warm winters.

Taste

The flavor is the big winner here.

It starts strong and finishes with a warm, sweet aftertaste.

The depth of the flavor is truly remarkable. A heat that won’t send you packing, but forever keep you snacking… that’s bad. But true. From me to you.

Start Growing

If you’re ready start growing these seeds, click the link below to see the different growers offering Russian Red here on SeedWise.

Buy Russian Red Seed Garlic

Any Questions?

If you have any questions about Russian Red Garlic, leave them in the comments below, and I’ll do my best to answer them for you!

Ajo Rojo is a great garlic to grow for beginners.

It”s resilience and low-maintenance make it an easy win for beginning gardeners.

History

Creole garlic varieties are hardy and smaller than other varieties of garlic. They grow best in the warmer climates of the Southern US and in the southern parts of Europe. Ajo Rojo is among the rare Creole varieties of garlic native to Spain and Europe where it was cultivated for centuries.

In the early 1990’s G. Lutovsky brought Ajo Rojo to Nevada from Spain. (I’m still trying to figure out more details about both G. Lutovsky and Ajo’s origins in Spain. If you have any leads, please let me know in the comments below.)

In southern parts of the US, Ajo Rojo is known as Mexican Purple. I don’t know where the name originated, but it does have a beautiful deep purple to it that you can see in the photos.

Ajo Rojo is a beautiful and distinctive garlic with red/burgundy clove wrappers and good storage. It sizes up nicely in warmer growing areas with many bulbs reaching 2″ diameter. A Vigorous root system and late harvest make for incredibly rich flavor.

Ajo Rojo garlic is a Creole variety of Allium sativum. Ajo is Spanish for garlic and Rojo means red. Ajo Rojo is considered a hardneck variety, yet it is genetically distinct from both hardneck and softneck varieties. Hardneck garlic has a woody, hard neck “scape” or flower stem growing in the center stem and grows well in colder climates, whereas softneck garlic grows best in warmer climates and has no flower stalk.

The size of a bulb of Ajo Rojo garlic is generally dependent on the climate, but a healthy bulb will grow to about two inches in diameter. The outer skin of the Ajo Rojo bulb is often called “silky” for its look and feel. Aside from that, the bulb has a very typical garlic look on the outside; it’s the individual cloves that reveal the signature “Rojo” or red color. There are typically eight to twelve cloves per bulb. The cloves of the Ajo Rojo garlic have a pungent aroma with a sweet taste and a warm, spicy finish.

Nutritional Value

The first recorded use of garlic for health benefits dates back to 1500BC Egypt. The active ingredient is allicin, which is released when the garlic is crushed or chopped.  Aside from repelling vampires, garlic has anti-biotic properties and will help to build your immune system. Ajo Rojo’s red coloring is caused by anthocyanins, which are phytochemicals known to increase its antioxidant properties.

In Ajo Rojo, the antioxidant properties are even higher due to the presence of anthocyanins, the phytochemicals that produce the red color in the cloves.

Taste

Ajo Rojo has two distinct tastes  depending on how it’s prepared.

Prepared Raw: It has some serious heat! Teń cuidado señor! It starts subtle and gradually builds to a serious heat that will surprise you.

Baked: It is rich and creamy.

Like a nice wine, over time, the flavor will continue to improve.

Applications

Add Ajo Rojo to a variety of dishes that call for garlic. Ajo Rojo garlic retains much of its flavor when cooked. Creole garlics are great for fresh eating; chop and add to salsas or salad dressings. To enhance Creole dishes, finely chop garlic to release its essential oils for a bit more heat. Add sliced garlic to pasta sauce or soups or top pizzas.

Obviously there are limitless uses for this garlic, so let us know your favorite recipes using Ajo Rojo!

Where to buy Ajo Rojo Garlic

Did you know we sell seeds?

Well you’re in luck, here’s a link to Ajo Rojo we have for sale now:

Ajo Rojo Garlic for sale on SeedWise

Happy growing!