Ivan Hardneck Garlic is a Large, Porcelain, Hardneck Garlic. The bulb size is typically large and plump and looks like the moon (luna). This spicy garlic is in high demand. Similar to Music and Georgian Crystal. Luna (Ivan's Moon) is also known as Ivan. The large garlic bulbs have been said to look like a full moon, hence the name Ivan Luna. Ivan is one of the first hardneck garlic plants to sprout in the spring.
With 4 to 7 large, fat cloves per bulb, the clove's outer skin may have thin pink, magenta, and red non-linear stripes, and the top of the cloves comes to a thin, flattened point. Cloves are easy to peel. Ivan is a rather hot and spicy garlic variety. Eaten raw, Ivan will spread garlic fireworks in your mouth. Roasting and cooking disarms the spicy flavor and reveals a warm, spicy flavor.
Country of Origin: The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, formerly known as Bohemia. Apparently, it was imported into British Colombia, Canada, and cultivated and distributed by a man named Ivan. Ivan Luna has a strong, garlicky, and rich flavor with plump, easy-to-peel cloves. It is unknown, though unlikely if Dr. Ivan Buddenhagen, a UC Davis professor - who has been working with garlic from true seed for 20+ years was the individual this garlic variety was named after?
Our Ivan Garlic is Naturally Grown. Our garlic is grown in organically-rich soil full of organic compost and worms. Ivan, (also known as Ivan Luna) is considered Hardneck Garlic and is part of the Porcelain family. Typically, each bulb contains large cloves. Ivan is well known and grown in Canada and does really well in the northern United States.
When used raw, Ivan is "Hot-flavored". When cooked or roasted, Ivan develops a sweet. buttery flavor. Because the cloves that comprise the Ivan bulb are large, Ivan garlic is the ideal choice for making Black Garlic. Ivan garlic is a really flavourful, full-body garlic for use in your culinary wonders. The large bulbs are easy to peel and Ivan sports a true garlic flavor, with spicy and hot overtones.
When planting Ivan Garlic in the northern United States, plan to plant these gems right around Haloween.
Approximately 10 pounds of our Ivan Garlic equates to 250 cloves. 10 Bulbs/heads have a weight of about 2 pounds. Approximately 20 pounds of our Ivan Luna Garlic equates to 500 cloves. Keep in mind that each garlic bulb contains 3-7 cloves that are rather large.
During the growing season, the Ivan garlic plant is a very good survivor. usually grows tall and healthy and appears to be relatively resistant to most of the diseases that can affect garlic. It is one of those Porcelains that were formerly called Allium Longicuspis and still retains the ability to produce viable flowers, pollen and seed. If you want to experiment with developing garlic seed, this one's for you. The plant has lush green leaves and can grow fertile flowers and seed.
GroEat Garlic is shipped beginning in September, depending on the season and the variety. Quantities are limited; order early for best availability. Sorry, not available to Idaho or Canada.
IVAN (Hardneck, Porcelain)
Ivan Luna does well in climates with cold winters, and is more tolerant to the wet spring soil and is resistant to common allium diseases. Ivan Luna produces 4-6 cloves per bulb. Ivan Luna is a garlic planted in the fall, soon after the first frost and a few weeks before the first hard frost. The seed garlic bulbs should be taken apart into separate cloves not long before planting. Hardneck garlic requires vernalization (exposure to a period of cold temperatures) before or after planting. Plant cloves two inches deep, the pointed side up. Garlic does best with a loose soil with very good drainage and a pH of 7.0 optimum. Plant in an area with full sun exposure.