If you’re tired of constantly buying garlic and feeling like you always run out when you need it most, I know exactly how you feel!
To stop this happening, I’ve decided to show you proven methods for how to grow an endless supply of garlic right at home!
Before we start, let’s see what makes this veggie so special.
Why Grow Garlic At Home?
I’m sure you’ve heard of garlic’s health benefits. The most important compound found in this root vegetable is allicin (1), which aids in cardiovascular disease prevention, high blood pressure control, and cholesterol control.
This vegetable is highly nutritious and packed with manganese, vitamin B, and vitamin C.
Garlic can aid in infection treatment and has antifungal agents, making it a good alternative to antibiotics for treating specific fungus species. (2)
How To Get An Endless Supply Of Garlic Indoors
The garlic you find in supermarkets is frequently injected with a hormone that inhibits garlic growth, particularly the clove sprouting stage. This technique extends the shelf life, which is why garlic in grocery stores always looks fresh.
No one wants chemicals in their veggies, so you need to purchase organic garlic from reliable growers.
Alternatively, you can wait until the store-bought garlic generates sprouts on its own.
What You Need
Luckily, growing garlic at home doesn’t require any special equipment. You only need three things:
1. A few bulbs or heads
2. Organic growing medium
3. A container
Let’s plant some garlic!
Step By Step Planting Guide
Here are the 5 steps for planting garlic!
1. Take the container you prepared and fill it with organic potting soil.
2. Divide the cloves and plant each vertically at a depth of 1 inch.
3. Add a thin layer (an inch or two) of potting soil to the cloves and place the container in a spot with good sun exposure.
4. Monitor your garlic and add water when the topsoil dries out. This is a frequent irrigation technique for indoor plants, and this vegetable responds perfectly to it.
5. Once the greens reach about 4 inches in height, cut them down to an inch to allow them to regrow.
When To Plant Garlic
Not planning ahead is a common planting mistake; you need to choose the best time for planting.
When it comes to garlic, you’ll get the best results if you plant it in the fall. The first frost has passed and the soil temperatures are lower, which is perfect for cool-season veggies such as garlic.
Alternatively, you can plant cloves in late winter, just bear in mind that the bulbs won’t be as big.
This is a moisture-loving veggie but it won’t tolerate soggy soils.
The Best Garlic Varieties
Here are some great garlic types to choose from.
1. Softneck: These varieties are more suitable for growing in warmer climates. They can last a long time if properly stored and are perfect for braining. Some of the best varieties include California Early and Late Whites, Silver Rose, and Blanco Piacenza.
2. Hardneck: If you live in a cooler climate and want to harvest garlic scapes, then these varieties are a better choice. I recommend Creole, Asiatic, and Purple Stripe varieties.
Grab your gardening gloves and grow garlic right at home following these simple guidelines!
Until next time.
References
1. Borlinghaus, J., Albrecht, F., Gruhlke, M. C., Nwachukwu, I. D., & Slusarenko, A. J. (2014). Allicin: chemistry and biological properties. Molecules
2. Li, G., Ma, X., Deng, L., Zhao, X., Wei, Y., Gao, Z., Jia, J., Xu, J., & Sun, C. (2015). Fresh Garlic Extract Enhances the Antimicrobial Activities of Antibiotics on Resistant Strains in Vitro. Jundishapur Journal of Microbiology