Susanville Garlic

Let me tell you why Susanville has earned a permanent spot in our fields (and why it should be in yours, too).

• ✅ Certified Organic by CCOF & USDA – Clean garlic you can trust
• 🌅 The Early Bird – Ready to harvest while other varieties are still growing
• 🧄 Classic Softneck – Those flexible stems make gorgeous braids
• 🤍 Picture-Perfect White – Pristine papery wrappers that customers love
• 🙌 No Scape Fuss – Set it and forget it growing
• 🌱 True Non-GMO Heirloom – Just good old-fashioned garlic
• 📏 Goldilocks Size – 2.0"–2.5" bulbs that are just right
• 🥶 Laughs at Winter – Handles cold like a champ
• 📦 Keeper Quality – Still fresh 6–9 months later
• 🍴 Kitchen Workhorse – From seed to supper
• 💪 Dependable Yields – The variety that always shows up

• 🏡 New Gardeners: Your gateway garlic - forgiving and rewarding
• 👵 Family Cooks: Finally, garlic the whole Family will eat
• 🌨️ Northern Growers: Built for your brutal winters
• 🎀 Crafty Types: Those white bulbs braid like a dream
• 🥘 Weeknight Warriors: Mild enough for Tuesday's chicken
• 🌻 Market Vendors: Be the first with fresh garlic
• 🍞 Roasting Fans: Turns into sweet, spreadable gold

Not sure how much garlic to order? Whether you're planting garden beds or stocking your kitchen for Mediterranean cooking, our guide helps you choose the right amount. Let's be real - you always need more garlic than you think. Here's my honest take:

• 🌱 1/2 pound – Testing the waters or tiny garden (about 4–6 bulbs)
• 🌾 1 pound – The sweet spot for most folks (about 8–12 bulbs)
• 🏆 2 pounds – You're serious about garlic (about 16–24 bulbs)

Mother Nature decides the exact bulb count, but these estimates are pretty close.

The Math: Plant 1 pound, Harvest 8–12 pounds. It's not bad for six months of basically ignoring it. Each bulb runs 2–4 ounces at Harvest.

Figured at 4–6 inch spacing with roughly 60–75 cloves per pound.

Need a truckload? Give us a ring: (530) 238-5357

• 💰 5–9 pounds: Take off $0.50 per pound
• 🏪 10–24 pounds: Save $1.00 per pound
• 🌽 25–59 pounds: $1.50 off each pound
• 🚜 60–99 pounds: Save $2.00 per pound
• 🏭 100+ pounds: $2.50 off per pound
• ☎️ Bigger orders? Let's chat about custom deals

• 🚚 Shipping starts mid-August - first ordered, first shipped
• ⏰ Sells out every year - seriously, don't wait
• 📅 Last call: August 15th to guarantee your order
• 📮 USPS for most orders, FedEx for the big ones
• 📧 Tracking info comes right to your inbox
• 💼 25+ pounds? Call for our best shipping rates
• 📬 Double-check that address - returns cost everyone money
• 🔄 Sold out? We'll offer a similar variety (with your okay)
• 🏠 No minimums for regular folks, 25 pounds for wholesale

Susanville isn't flashy - it's the garlic equivalent of your most reliable friend. This California-bred softneck has been quietly outperforming fancier varieties for decades. While other garlic demands attention, Susanville gets the job done. Clean white wrappers, uniform cloves, and that sweet, approachable flavor that won't scare off the kids.

Key Details:

• 🌱 Latin Name: Allium sativum (fancy, right?)
• 🧄 Personality: Softneck, artichoke type
• 📍 Hometown: Susanville, California
• 📜 Heritage: Time-tested American classic
• 👔 Dress Code: Crisp white wrappers, no-nonsense
• 🌳 Family Tree: Amaryllidaceae (the allium clan)
• 🏷️ Goes By: Susanville
• ⏳ Track Record: Generations of happy growers

Here's the thing about Susanville - it plays well with others. This isn't the garlic that takes over your pasta sauce or scares away vampire-fearing dinner guests. It's mellow, slightly sweet, and knows when to step back. Perfect for when you want garlic flavor without the garlic assault.

Cooking Info:

• 🔥 Cooking Methods: Literally everything - roast it, sauté it, eat it raw (if you're brave)
• 😋 Flavor Profile: Gentle soul with a sweet side, especially roasted
• 🔪 Raw Deal: Present but polite, won't burn your tongue
• ⏰ Fridge Life: 6–9 months if you treat it right
• 🌿 Scape Situation: None - softnecks don't do that
• 🍷 Wine Friends: Plays nice with everything from Chardonnay to Pinot
• 🥫 Preserving: Freezes, pickles, and dehydrates beautifully
• ⭐ Best Feature: Actually tastes like garlic, just friendlier
• 📐 Clove Situation: Medium-sized and easy to peel
• 🏠 Kitchen MVP: Your new go-to for everything
• 🗄️ Seed Storage: 3–6 months in a cool, dry spot for planting

• 🧈 Mellow Garlic Butter: Won't overpower your lobster
• 🍞 Roasted Whole Bulbs: Squeeze out sweet, creamy goodness
• 🥔 Garlic Mashed Potatoes: Finally, ones the kids will eat
• 🫒 Infused Olive Oil: Gentle flavor that enhances, not dominates
• 🎨 Kitchen Braids: Functional art that makes you look fancy
• 🥒 Quick Pickles: Ready in 3 days, gone in 1

• 🍷 Wine: Basically everything in your rack
• 🧀 Cheese: From mild mozzarella to sharp aged cheddars
• 🌿 Herbs: All of them - seriously, so versatile
• 🍗 Food: If you cook it, Susanville improves it

Growing garlic isn’t hard—especially with Susanville. You plant it in the fall, leave it alone all winter, water it in the spring, and harvest it in the summer. Honestly, if you can grow a dandelion, you can grow this. We keep it simple by using regenerative organic farming methods that keep the soil healthy and help the garlic grow naturally. Whether you're just starting out or you’ve done this before, Susanville is a great pick for garlic that grows strong and tastes great.

Growing Guide:

• 🏡 Where: Outside in actual dirt
• ☀️ Sun Needs: Full Sun - at least 6 hours
• 🗺️ Zone Sweet Spot: 5–9 (but flexible)
• 🌡️ Soil Temp for Planting: 50–60°F (that's fall, folks)
• 📊 Growing Temps: Likes it cool (50–70°F) then warming (70–80°F)
• 🔥 Heat Tolerance: Decent, but prefers cooler weather
• ❄️ Cold Hardy: Absolutely - laughs at frost
• 🪨 Dirt Preference: Well-draining, not too acidic
• 📅 Patience Required: 210–240 days (it's worth it)
• 🎯 Maintenance: Basically none - no scapes to cut
• 🧄 Clove Count: 12–16 nice-sized ones
• 📏 Bulb Size: 2.0"–2.5" across when happy
• 🌱 Planting Math: 4–6 bulbs per pound, 60–75 cloves
• 📐 Give Them Space: 4–6 inches apart
• 💧 Water Wisdom: Keep moist but not swampy
• 🥕 Garden Friends: Beets, carrots, lettuce, tomatoes
• 🍃 Food: One spring feeding is plenty
• 🍂 Mulch? Yes, especially for winter protection
• 🪴 Container Growing: Sure, in big pots (12"+ deep)
• 💪 Tough Cookie: Handles most garden challenges

• Zones 5–7: Late September through mid-October
• Zone 8: Mid-October into early November
• Zone 9: Late October to early November

Pro tip: This early bird variety needs its growing time. Don't plant too late thinking you're clever - you're not. In Zone 9, maybe pre-chill for 2–4 weeks if you're feeling fancy.

• Early Bird Special: While your neighbors are still waiting, you're already eating fresh garlic. Susanville finishes 2–4 weeks ahead of the pack.
• Winter Warrior: We've seen this variety survive winters that killed other "hardy" types. If you're in snow country, this is your garlic.
• Mr. Reliable: In 10 years of growing, Susanville has never let us down. Not once. Rain, drought, whatever - it produces.
• Heat Heads-Up: In really hot areas, it might size up smaller. Just give it some afternoon shade or harvest a touch early.

• 🔸 Tiny Bulbs in Phoenix:
  • ❌ What Happened: Too hot, too fast
  • ✅ Fix It: Shade cloth during late spring, harvest promptly
• 🔸 Wonky Clove Sizes:
  • ❌ What Happened: Inconsistent watering
  • ✅ Fix It: Set up drip irrigation or be more regular
• 🔸 Sprouting in Storage:
  • ❌ What Happened: It's eager to grow again
  • ✅ Fix It: Use these first, or plant them!
• 🔸 Going Yellow Early:
  • ❌ What Happened: That's just Susanville being early
  • ✅ Fix It: Nothing - get ready to harvest

• 🍂 Fall (Sept-Oct): Plant cloves, add Mulch, and feel smug
• ❄️ Winter (Nov-Feb): Do nothing. Seriously. Nothing.
• 🌱 Spring (Mar-Apr): Watch them grow, maybe fertilize once
• 🌿 Late Spring (May-Jun): Water regularly, get excited
• ☀️ Early Summer (Jun-Jul): Harvest party time!

Dreaming big? Here's what you need:

• 🌱 1/4 acre: 250 pounds of seed
• 🌾 1/2 acre: 500 pounds
• 🚜 Full acre: 1000 pounds

Based on 2–6 inch spacing.

The magic moment when all that waiting pays off.

Harvest Tips:

• 🌾 When: When the bottom leaves are brown but the top 5-6 are green
• 📏 Size Check: Should be 2.0–2.5 inches across
• ⚖️ Weight: Nice medium bulbs, very uniform
• 🍴 Digging: Fork the soil 6–8 inches away, lift gently
• 🏠 Curing Setup: Hang in shade with airflow for 3–4 weeks
• ✅ Ready When: Wrappers papery, stems completely dry
• 🌡️ Perfect Conditions: 60–70% humidity, 75–85°F
• 🎀 Braiding Time: When stems are dry but still flexible
• 📦 Storage Life: 6–9 months in the right spot
• 🏺 Best Containers: Mesh bags or open baskets (not plastic!)