German Red

Family: Amaryllidaceae Vegetable

Planting Schedule

Provide your location or planting zone to unlock dates and add German Red to a garden.

Experience German Red’s bold, lingering aroma and richly complex bite—garlic cloves that roast to a mellow sweetness while still carrying a deep, savory backbone.

The bulbs form with a strong hardneck character, producing firm, easy-to-separate cloves wrapped in handsome, warm reddish-purple skins. Grow German Red for dependable, cold-hardy performance and for flavorful results in sauces, sautés, and pickled preparations.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 240 DaysHabit: Bulbing

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German Red Planting Dates by USDA Zone

Estimated US hardiness-zone windows for sow, transplant, and harvest. Enter a US ZIP above for exact local dates, or open a zone below.

Zone	Start Indoors	Sow / Transplant	Harvest
Zone 1a	Protected Environment Only
Zone 1b	Protected Environment Only
Zone 2a	Protected Environment Only
Zone 2b	Protected Environment Only
Zone 3a	Protected Environment Only
Zone 3b	Protected Environment Only
Zone 4a	Protected Environment Only
Zone 4b	Protected Environment Only
Zone 5a	Protected Environment Only
Zone 5b	Protected Environment Only
Zone 6a	Protected Environment Only
Zone 6b	Protected Environment Only
Zone 7a	Protected Environment Only
Zone 7b	Protected Environment Only
Zone 8a	Protected Environment Only
Zone 8b	Protected Environment Only
Zone 9a	Direct Sow	Jan 9th	Sep 6th – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Direct Sow	Dec 15th	Aug 12th – Dec 9th
Zone 10a	—	Oct 1st	Feb 28th – Feb 28th
Zone 10b	—	Oct 1st	Feb 28th – Feb 28th
Zone 11a	—	Oct 1st	Feb 28th – Feb 28th
Zone 11b	—	Oct 1st	Feb 28th – Feb 28th
Zone 12a	—	Oct 1st	Feb 28th – Feb 28th
Zone 12b	—	Oct 1st	Feb 28th – Feb 28th
Zone 13a	—	Oct 1st	Feb 28th – Feb 28th
Zone 13b	—	Oct 1st	Feb 28th – Feb 28th

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	240
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Bulbing
Support Needed	None
Planting Depth	Normal
Germination Temp (°F)	50
Min Soil Temp (°F)	40
Min Night Temp (°F)	28
Harden Off (days)	Not Required

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

German Red brings a hardneck snap that mellows fast with heat—perfect when you want garlic’s attitude without turning it bitter. Roast or pickle the firm cloves and you’ll get sweet-soft interiors with a still-deep, savory backbone that clings to fat and bright acids.

Best Uses

roasted clove paste stirred into aioli or warm potatoes
quick sautéing in oil/butter to perfume greens and mushrooms without burning
slow-simmered sauces where the garlic mellows into savory sweetness
quick pickled cloves for a punchy, tangy snack and taco topper

Flavor Profile

bold, lingering garlic aroma sharp-savory bite with a complex, savory backbone roast-sweetened mellow cloves firm cloves that stay distinct, not mushy

Kitchen Pairings

olive oil black pepper butter lemon mushrooms parmesan

Frequently Asked Questions

What pest or disease commonly affects Allium sativum (garlic) like ‘German Red’, and how can I manage it?

Garlic commonly suffers from white rot (Sclerotium cepivorum) and botrytis/leaf blight in wet, cool conditions. Remove and discard infected plants immediately, avoid overhead irrigation, and rotate out of all Allium crops for several years to reduce soil carryover. For prevention, plant only healthy cloves and improve airflow so leaves dry quickly after rain or watering.

How often should I water Allium sativum during its main growing phase, and what soil moisture level should I aim for?

During active leaf and bulb growth, keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged—about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water per week depending on rainfall and your soil’s drainage. Water deeply, then let the top 1–2 inches (2.5–5 cm) of soil dry slightly before the next watering to prevent bulb diseases. Once the lower leaves start yellowing near maturity, reduce watering to avoid splitting and to help curing.

How can I tell when Allium sativum is ready to harvest?

Harvest when 40–60% of the leaves have turned brown and dried, while the rest still look green. Lift a bulb carefully and check that the papery skins are fully formed and tightly wrapped around the cloves. If the skins are still thin or the cloves separate easily, wait a bit longer; if most leaves are brown, don’t delay harvest.