Allium sativum var. sativum 'Mersley Wight'

RHS Plant Profile
garlic 'Mersley Wight'

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Bulbs

An aromatic, edible, bulbous perennial grown as an annual with linear, upright, bright green leaves and hollow stems bearing umbels of bell-shaped, white flowers in summer. Produces an ovoid bulb with edible bulbets enclosed in a papery, white sheath. A silverskin onion originating from Auvergne in Central France but well suited to our UK climate. Plant October to March for July to August harvesting

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
1 year
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
East–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H4

Colour & Scent

Fragrance Flower
Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Amaryllidaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Clump forming
Potentially harmful
Skin irritant/allergen. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling Pets: TOXIC if eaten - see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
Genus
Allium are bulbous herbaceous perennials with a strong onion or garlic scent, linear, strap-shaped or cylindrical basal leaves and star-shaped or bell-shaped flowers in an umbel on a leafless stem
Name Status
Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Garlic grows best in a sunny, sheltered spot with fertile, well-drained soil. If you have heavy soil try growing your garlic in a raised bed or container. To produce good quality bulbs garlic needs a period of cold, so it’s best planted in late autumn or early winter. Divide each bulb into individual cloves and space the cloves 15cm apart, with the tip 2.5cm below the soil surface. Space rows 30cm apart. Harvest from early summer once the leaves have turned yellow. See garlic cultivation, and our video Grow your own garlic: planting and choosing varieties, for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by dividing the bulb into cloves

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Patio and container plants
  • Cottage and informal garden

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to allium leaf miner and onion fly

Diseases

May be susceptible to onion white rot, onion downy mildew and leek rust