Spring Violet is an Asiatic softneck garlic and the standout choice for gardeners in warmer climates.
Most of the best-known seed garlic varieties are bred for cold winters and northern growing conditions. Spring Violet, on the other hand, thrives in mild, warm climates where hardneck varieties struggle. It's widely grown across South America and other warm-weather regions where it has become a staple crop. Add in the attractive purple-streaked wrappers, easy-peeling cloves, and bold punchy flavor, and you've got a variety that southern growers have good reason to get excited about.
SHIPPING INFO: Seed garlic starts shipping in early October.
Why Grow Spring Violet Garlic?
🌞 A Garlic Built for Warm Climates: While most hardneck varieties need a hard winter to perform well, Spring Violet thrives in mild, warm growing zones where other varieties fall short—a true southern-friendly garlic.
🟣 Stunning Purple Markings: The vivid purple-streaked wrappers and easy-peeling cloves make Spring Violet one of the most visually striking varieties in the garden and at the market.
⚡ Early Harvest: Asiatic garlics are typically the first to mature each season—a welcome early harvest while you're still waiting on your other garlic varieties to come in.
Growing Information
🌱 Plant Type: Softneck garlic
🌱 Hardiness Zones: 5–9; best suited to zones 7–9
🌱 When to Plant: Fall through early winter in warmer climates; plant 4–6 weeks before ground freezes in cooler zones
🌱 When to Harvest: Early to mid-summer—one of the earliest maturing garlic varieties available
Cultivation Tips
- Soil: Rich, well-draining soil with good fertility. Garlic does not like to sit in wet soil.
- Sunlight: Full sun.
- Planting depth: Plant cloves 2–3 inches deep with the pointed end up, flat end down.
- Spacing: 6 inches apart within rows, rows 12 inches apart.
- Mulching: In zones 5–6, apply 4–6 inches of straw mulch after planting to protect against freeze-thaw cycles. In zones 7 and warmer, mulching is largely unnecessary but can help with moisture retention.
- Harvesting: Spring Violet matures earlier than most garlic—watch for the lower leaves to begin yellowing and the tops to start falling over. Loosen soil with a fork before lifting. Brush off excess soil and cure in a shaded, well-ventilated spot for 3–4 weeks before storing.
- Storage: Spring Violet's storage life is shorter than hardneck or Silverskin softneck varieties. Plan to use or preserve your harvest within a few months. For a more complete garlic garden, consider pairing it with Spring White for an early fresh crop followed by a long-storing one.
- Northern growers: Spring Violet can be grown in zones 5–6 with mulch protection, but it won't size up as impressively as hardneck varieties that thrive on cold winters.
About August's Harvest: August's Harvest operates on a 100-acre farm in Gads Hill, Ontario. The farm has been a leading Canadian garlic grower for over 30 years, supplying major grocery chains, seed houses, and home growers across North America and the UK.
Non-GMO Commitment: At The Farm on Central, all our plants are guaranteed non-GMO and not genetically modified in any way, upholding natural breeding methods and promoting sustainable gardening and farming practices.