Solent Wight is bred on the Isle of Wight and is widely considered the finest UK-grown softneck garlic variety. It produces large, plump bulbs with excellent flavour and exceptional storage life — bulbs from a July harvest will keep through to the following spring. It's reliable in UK conditions, high-yielding, and available from many specialist UK garlic suppliers as certified UK-grown seed.
Flavour
Rich, full garlic flavour with a good balance of heat and sweetness. Less raw-pungency than many imported varieties. The flavour mellows beautifully when roasted — whole heads roasted in the embers become mellow, nutty, and sweet. A confident, well-rounded flavour that works in everything from aioli to marinades to whole-head roasting.
In the kitchen
Outstanding for all culinary uses — raw in dressings, cooked in sauces, or roasted whole. For BBQ cooking, whole unpeeled heads roasted directly in embers (or wrapped in foil) for 40–45 minutes are transformed into sweet, spreadable garlic paste. An essential ingredient in marinades for all grilled meat.
Growing
Softneck variety — plant cloves individually in well-drained soil in October–November, 15cm apart, 5cm deep. Softnecks are less cold-hardy than hardneck types but produce more cloves per bulb and store much longer. Harvest in June–July when the lower leaves begin to yellow. Cure in a warm, airy place for 2–3 weeks. UK certified seed garlic from the Isle of Wight supports domestic seed sovereignty.