Rocambole (Allium sativum var. ophioscorodon)
2 sources cited · Verified
The short answer
- Ready in
- 180–240 days
- Site
- 6+ hours of sun
- Biggest risk
- Downy mildew
In the UK, rocamboles are ready to harvest 180–240 days after planting.
Rocamboles (Allium sativum var. ophioscorodon) — herbaceous perennial, grown as an annual crop.
Unlike an annual crop, the work here is front-loaded into establishment: get the planting and the site right and the same plants crop for several seasons.
Core growing advice on this page is checked against named horticultural and university-extension sources — see References.
Growth Stages
| Stage | BBCH | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Planting cloves | 0 | Separate individual cloves from the bulb and plant pointed-end up in late autumn or early winter. RHS: 15cm apart, tips 2.5cm below the surface. NC State: 2-3in (5-7.5cm) deep, 6-8in apart -- both figures kept, not averaged. Needs 4-6 weeks to establish before the ground freezes. |
| Root establishment & cold period | 3 | Roots develop in the cool, moist autumn soil, forming a dense network beneath each clove before winter. A cold period afterward is needed for the bulb to develop quality cloves the following season -- skipping it produces a poor bulb even with everything else right. |
| Scape formation | 6 | Hardneck garlic sends up a distinctive coiled flower stem (scape), unlike softneck types. Many growers cut the scape once it curls to redirect the plant's energy into bulb size rather than seed production -- the scape itself is edible. |
| Harvest & curing | 8 | RHS: harvest early summer once foliage turns yellow. NC State: once about half the leaves have turned brown. Cure in a warm, dry, shaded spot; once leaves are fully dry, trim roots, outer layers and top growth, then store cool and dry, never refrigerated. Rocambole keeps only until mid-winter -- shorter than other garlic types. |
Quick Facts
| Factor | Value |
|---|---|
| Sunlight | 6-6 hours direct sun |
| Time to harvest | 180-240 days |
| Soil texture | Chalk, sand or loam (RHS) |
| Drainage | Moist but well-drained, loose and fertile |
| Lifecycle | herbaceous perennial, grown as an annual crop |
| Edible parts | bulbs, scapes |
At a Glance
Harvest & Storage
When to pick: RHS: harvest early summer once the foliage turns yellow. NC State: harvest when about half the leaves have started turning brown. Cure in a warm, dry location out of direct sunlight; once leaves are fully dry, trim them along with the roots and outer layers.
Storage
Store cool and dry, never refrigerated. Rocambole keeps the shortest of any garlic type -- only until mid-winter (RHS) -- the trade-off for its stronger flavour compared with longer-storing continental hardnecks and softnecks.
Diseases
Pests
Rocambole, Clove to Scape
References
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Tier 1. Erect perennial bulb, 1.5-2ft tall, 6-9in wide. Hardneck garlics produce a coiled flower stem (scape); rocamboles specifically have alternating large and small cloves, easier to peel and more pungent but shorter storage life than continental hardnecks. Plant cloves 2-3in deep, 6-8in apart; needs 4-6 weeks to establish before the ground freezes. Full sun, loose fertile well-drained soil, mulched. Harvest when about half the leaves have turned brown; cure in a warm, dry, shaded spot, then store cool and dry, never refrigerated. No significant pest/disease problems typical, though bulb rot can develop in overly wet soil and bulb mites may occasionally occur.
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Tier 1. Hardneck garlic producing strongly flavoured, aromatic white-skinned cloves, up to ten per bulb. Height/spread 0.1-0.5m. RHS hardiness H5 (resilient through most of the UK in severe winters). Full sun, sheltered position; moist but well-drained soil, chalk/sand/loam, acid/alkaline/neutral. Not native to Great Britain or Ireland. Plant individual cloves late autumn/early winter, 15cm apart, tips 2.5cm below the surface -- requires a cold period for quality bulb development. Harvest early summer once foliage turns yellow. May produce a flower stalk; stores only until mid-winter, distinguishing it from softneck types. Susceptible to allium leaf miner, onion fly, onion white rot and downy mildew.
2 independent sources are cited for this crop. Where they disagree - soil pH is the clearest case - every figure is preserved rather than averaged into false precision.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do rocamboles take to grow?
Typically 180–240 days, depending on cultivar and growing conditions.
What problems affect rocamboles?
Our data links 2 diseases and 2 pests to this crop. See the sections above for each one and how to manage it.
Plan next season before the problems start
Short-season growing is arithmetic before it is technique: days to maturity against frost-free days decides what will finish at all. The Canada Garden Planner does that subtraction for your region before you sow.
Get the Canada Garden Planner →Instant PDF download · Written for Canadian growing conditions
Vegetable Growing Guides Canada
Last verified 2026-08-28
Where To Go From Here
Take this crop from reading into a written plan for your own beds.
Plan the next step
Use the printable SoilCommander planner for your region to turn this guide into sowing dates, bed layouts and weekly garden tasks.