Maddock Wight® Garlic Bulbs | Softneck

Planting Advice

When to plant

Plant Maddock Wight from October to January; the grower gives October to December as the optimum period, depending on the season. Choose a sunny position with fertile, free-draining soil.

Preparing and planting cloves

Separate the bulb into individual cloves just before planting and keep the papery skins intact. Plant each clove pointed end up, with its tip about 2.5cm below the soil surface. Space cloves around 15cm apart, with about 30cm between rows.

Care through the season

Keep the bed weed-free and water during prolonged dry spells in spring and early summer while bulbs are swelling. Stop watering once the bulbs are well formed and the foliage starts to yellow. Maddock Wight is a softneck, so it does not produce the hardneck flower stalk described for Carcassonne and Kingsland.

Harvesting and curing

Harvest is usually from May to July, when the foliage has turned yellow. Lift carefully and dry the bulbs in a single layer for two to four weeks in the sun or a dry, well-ventilated place before storing cool and dry.

For general advice, see our autumn planting guide for onions, garlic and shallots.