Chesnok Red Hardneck Garlic - (Allium sativum)

Chesnok Red Garlic - Grow the Ancestor of Modern Garlic

For those of us who love flavorful garlic, many of the varieties we enjoy today are thanks to what’s known as the “Garlic Revolution.” Before the late 1980s, American home gardeners had access to fewer than twenty hardneck garlic varieties; by 2004, that number had exploded to nearly three hundred. This incredible expansion of our garlic library was made possible by a small group of dedicated collectors, with one man in particular at the heart of the story: John Swenson.

John, who always described himself as a “recovering attorney,” was instrumental in this movement. In 1989, he was invited to join a USDA expedition into Russia and Central Asia—garlic’s center of origin—returning with an astonishing 120 new varieties. He then took the crucial step of acquiring, cultivating, and generously sharing these treasures with growers across the country. He was also our friend and mentor, a guide who shared his knowledge and choicest selections with us over the years.

Chesnok Red's journey from a remote Georgian village in 1985 to gardens across North America is a powerful chapter in that story. Plant a clove of Chesnok Red, experience this legacy, and become a steward of Georgian heritage, a keeper of ancient genetics.

Details

Chesnok Red is a hardneck garlic of the Purple Stripe type, renowned for its rich flavor and exceptional performance in the kitchen, especially when baked. It reaches a mature height of 18 to 24 inches, making it a well-behaved resident of the garden bed. The plant produces a series of flat, ridged green leaves and, true to its hardneck nature, sends up a solid flower stalk, or scape, in early summer. This scape famously curls as it matures and is itself a celebrated culinary delicacy.

The bulbs are large and hefty, holding 9 to 12 crescent-shaped cloves that are firm and crisp. The creamy-white wrappers of each bulb are streaked and flushed with deep purple and red hues, making it a visually striking variety. When raw, it has a robust, true garlicky flavor, which mellows into a remarkable sweetness when cooked.

Chesnok Red is a reliable and vigorous producer in USDA Hardiness Zones 3-7, and can be grown successfully in zones 8-10 with a period of cold treatment (vernalization) before planting. Its adaptability extends to container gardening, making it an excellent choice for those with limited space.

History

The story of Chesnok Red is a taste of garlic's most ancient genetic heritage. Genetic studies have identified the Purple Stripe group, to which Chesnok Red belongs, as the likely ancestral line from which all other garlic varieties evolved. This family originated in Central Asia, and this specific variety comes to us from the small village of Shvelisi in the southern Republic of Georgia. Its alternate name, 'Shvelisi', is a direct reference to its birthplace, while its more common name is straightforward: 'Chesnok' is simply the Russian word for garlic.

The fact that we can grow this Georgian heirloom today is thanks directly to the work of our friend and mentor, John Swenson. He was a central figure in the "Garlic Revolution," and over the years, he generously shared not just his knowledge, but many of his choicest seed selections with us. Offering Chesnok Red is our way of honoring his legacy and continuing his important work of connecting gardeners with the world's incredible diversity. Read John’s five tips on growing garlic in this interview. 

About Hardneck Garlic 

Chesnok Red is a "hardneck" type of garlic, a distinction that is key to understanding its growth, flavor, and culinary potential. The "neck" refers to the stiff, woody central stalk that extends from the bulb—a stalk that produces the delicious bonus harvest of young "garlic scapes" in early summer.

Garlic is broadly divided into two main categories, and while the softneck varieties are what you typically find in supermarkets, hardneck garlics are prized by chefs and growers for their remarkably complex and robust flavors. Chesnok Red belongs to the Purple Stripe group, celebrated for producing full-bodied, complex garlic that becomes exceptionally sweet and rich when cooked.

While hardnecks are famously cold-hardy and thrive in northern climates, they can be grown successfully in warmer southern regions with the proper technique. The secret to success in these zones is a process called vernalization, which we detail below in our Planting and Growing Tips section.

Uses

Chesnok Red's greatest strength is its versatility and its remarkable flavor transformation upon cooking. When raw, it has a fiery, robust garlic flavor that is strong but not overpowering, making it an excellent choice for fresh salsas, dressings, and aioli. The tender scapes are a gourmet treat in their own right, perfect for making pesto, grilling, or adding to stir-fries.

Its true purpose, however, is revealed with heat. When roasted, baked, or sautéed, the cloves lose their pungency as their natural sugars caramelize. This results in a creamy, buttery texture and a rich, sweet, and mild garlic flavor with no lingering bitterness. This quality makes it arguably one of the best baking garlics in the world, perfect for whole-head roasting, incorporating into breads, or adding a complex sweetness to soups and sauces.

Planting and Growing Tips

As a hardneck variety from a cold-winter region, Chesnok Red requires a period of cold exposure (vernalization) to stimulate proper bulb development. Gardeners in Zones 3-7 should plant cloves in the fall, about 4 to 6 weeks before the ground freezes, allowing the natural winter cold to do the work. In warmer climates (Zones 8-10), this is best achieved by pre-chilling the cloves in a refrigerator for 8 to 12 weeks before planting in the coolest part of fall.

Break the bulbs into individual cloves just before planting, keeping the papery wrappers intact. Plant the cloves pointed-end up, about 2-3 inches deep and 6 inches apart, in a site with full sun and loose, well-drained soil rich in organic matter. After planting, apply a thick 4- to 8-inch layer of organic mulch, such as straw or shredded leaves. The mulch insulates the soil, conserves moisture, and provides excellent weed suppression. In early summer, remove the scape once it has formed a distinct curl to direct the plant's energy into bulb formation.

Our article, "Grow Great Hardneck Garlic at Home," walks you through the details of growing the best and most delicious garlic you've ever had!

Harvest Tips

Harvest in mid-to-late summer when the lower leaves begin to turn brown, but while there are still 5-6 green leaves remaining. Each green leaf represents a protective wrapper on the finished bulb. Carefully loosen the soil with a garden fork and gently pull the entire plant. Bundle the harvested garlic in groups of 5-10 and hang them in a shady, well-ventilated location to cure for 3 to 6 weeks. Proper curing is essential for long-term storage. Once the wrappers are papery and dry, trim the stems to about one inch and the roots to a quarter-inch, and gently brush off any remaining soil. 

Learn More

• Grow Great Hardneck Garlic at Home
• Peel Garlic in 10 Seconds
• Korean Pickled Garlic
• Honey Pickled Jalapenos with Garlic

Shipping Restrictions

U.S. shipping only, Cannot ship to certain counties in Washington or Idaho

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