Red Duke Garlic
Key Facts
- Ideal for spicy East European dishes.
- Very intense, hot and spicy flavour
- Easy to grow.
- Takes about 3 to 4 months to grow
- Where to buy garlic cloves

Background
Red Duke Garlic is great for growing if you like garlic with a very intense, hot and spicy flavour.
- Ideal location – balcony, patio or vegetable garden. (Or possibly unused spare room with extra light)
- For best results plant in Autumn in cold climates or even better put in a fridge for 2 weeks before planting.
- Very intense, hot and spicy flavour.
- Ideal for spicy East European dishes.
- Days from seed to harvest – about 90 to 120 (3 to 4 months)
- About 60 cm high
Example red duke garlic recipes
Originally from the Czech Republic it will add real taste to your recipes.
For example it’s great when used in:
- Czech Garlic Soup (Česnečka)
- Potato pancakes (Bramboracky)
- Czech Beef Goulash (Hovězí Guláš)

How to grow Red Duke garlic at home
The Red Duke Garlic is very easy to grow, but (like all garlics) it does tend to smell when growing – you won’t notice it outside (terrace, balcony, etc.) but will notice it indoors.
They are ideal for areas with very cold winters (such as the UK, Northern Europe, North America, etc.) so they are dormant and then start in the spring i.e. ideal for outdoors, vegetable garden plots, etc.
This variety of garlic has distinctive plump purple cloves.
- Position: full sun
- Soil: light sandy, rich fertile
- Flowering Period: May, June
- Harvest Months: June, July
- Height: 60cm (24in)

One of my favourite garlic types to grow – ideal for adding spice & flavour to a recipe