Silverskins

Softneck 9-13 cloves per bulb, sometimes more

Silverskins are one of the two Softneck families. Even longer-keeping than Artichokes, Silverskins keep 10 to 12 months in ideal storage. That means you can have your own year-round supply of garlic. When I get a sore throat in June or July, it's usually a Silverskin that saves my skin. Good for making sturdy braids of garlic as well.

In my soil, they have raw intensity somewhat in between mild Artichokes and generally stronger hardnecks. Due to their long storage and decent spice, they are the best garlic for those who want hardneck-like flavor but need it to stretch in storage through the long winter, spring, and straight into summer til more garlic comes. They may not be as sweet as Rocamboles or Creoles, nor as spicy as most others, but when you have a rock-hard usable, tasty bulb 12 months after it was dug from the ground, you'll be a Silverskin believer.