Bulbs can easily grow to 2" or more in diameter, and with only 4 to 6 cloves per bulb, this is one of the easiest varieties to peel. The taste is pungent, but not overpowering. The scapes from German Extra Hardy are generous and flavorful, adding to the bounty of the harvest.

German Extra Hardy can withstand very cold winters, and even stand up to wet, warm winters better than many other varieties. Long roots prevent frost heaving. Individual cloves are enveloped in a thick  skin, which when left intact at planting provide added protection in moist conditions.

.Garlic is one of the easiest crops you can grow. In most regions of the country, garlic is planted in the fall. By that time, many summer crops have already been harvested, leaving some free garden space. Just remember that the garlic bed won't be available for another type of crop until late next summer, when it's time to harvest the garlic you planted the previous fall.

1. an to plant garlic in fall about four to six weeks before the ground freezes.
2. Prepare the soil by loosening it to a depth of at least 8" and mix in some slow-release, granular organic fertilizer.
3. Just prior to planting, break up the garlic heads into individual cloves, leaving as much of the papery covering on each clove intact as possible.
4. Plant cloves 3" to 4" deep, orienting them so the pointy ends face up.
5. Water gently to settle the soil, and then cover the bed with a 4" to 6" layer of straw. Even as air temperatures drop, the soil will stay warm enough for the newly planted cloves to establish roots before the ground freezes. Sometimes you'll see some green shoots form in fall; that's fine and won't harm plants. They'll begin growing in earnest in spring.
6. Next spring and summer, keep the bed weeded and watered.