Who hasn’t been to the Farmer’s market and got such a deal on garlic in the summer and only find a few weeks later that it’s sprouted like this? These are the PERFECT Garlic Cloves to start a Garlic Container Garden!
Growing garlic in containers is a great way to save space and get fresh garlic year-round. Garlic can take up to six months to reach maturity, and the best time for planting outdoors is from September through November, but with an Indoor Container Garden you can plant anytime!
The Benefits of Starting Container Gardens
You use less water – A container garden is a lot more water-efficient than a traditional garden, which can save you time, money, and resources. The plants are usually already in the ground so they don’t need to be watered as often as other gardens where the plants depend on rainfall or overhead irrigation systems.
You have more control over pests – With much less soil exposed to pests like slugs and snails that enjoy feasting on the roots of your plants, your container garden will be pest-free, which means you’ll spend less time and money fighting bugs the traditional way with pesticides and traps.
You can plant an Indoor garden anytime!
What you’ll need for your Container Garden
The container garden is very simple to set up, and the materials are easy to find.
1) Start with a clean and dry container.
2) Potting Soil
3) Gravel to help with drainage
4) Garlic Cloves
That’s It!
How to Plant Your Garlic Cloves in a Container Garden
Planting garlic bulbs in a container garden is not only an easy way to grow them but also the most productive way.
Here are some tips for planting your garlic:
-Use individual garlic cloves peeled or unpeeled.
-Soak the cloves for at least 8 hours and no more than 20, 12-16 is perfect. Use a gallon of warm water and a tablespoon of baking soda. This protects the plants from pests and diseases.
– Plant the bulb vertically into the soil. The pointy end should be up and it should be planted deep enough that it is covered by two inches of soil. Planting in this way will ensure that the roots grow down and not sideways.
– Choose a sunny spot for your container garden, as garlic needs six-eight hours of sun per day in order to produce well.
– To add nutrients to your soil, you can mix in some compost or manure before planting or sprinkle with fertilizer once a month during the growing season.
– Water thoroughly after planting – make sure to water around them as well as on them so they don’t dry out too quickly!
Tips, Tricks, and Ideas for Growing Your Garlic Bulb Containers
A container should be filled with high quality potting soil, then the garlic cloves are planted two inches apart and three inches deep. To help with water retention, a layer of gravel or stones can be placed on the bottom of the container.
The top of the container should stay open during growth so that it can get plenty of air circulation. The container also needs sufficient drainage holes.
It is important to harvest when your bulbs are mature enough – usually 6-8 months – by removing entire plants from the ground, leaving some roots behind in the soil to help
Maintaining Regular Watering in Containers
The most important thing to remember when growing garlic is to make sure that your watering schedule is consistent. If you are unsure how often to water, check your soil every few days and water when it feels dry and needs it.
When should you water plants outdoors?
Watering plants outdoors is dependent on the type of plants you have. If you have a dirt or clay pot, then the container itself should tell you about how often to water it. Generally, plants in containers need more water because they don’t have good drainage and can’t self-irrigate. If your container doesn’t mention watering, check for signs that it needs water such as wilted leaves or dry soil.
How often should you water indoor plants?
What’s the size of the pot? Which room is it in? How often does your home get direct sunlight?
The rule of thumb is to water indoor Garlic Containers twice a week. You may want to check the soil in between and if it’s dry give it a drink!
You should also pay attention to the humidity levels in your house because this will affect how often you would need to water the plants.
Harvesting and Storage of Garlic
Garlic takes 6-8 months to mature and be harvested. Telling when to harvest is all in the leaves. According to my grandmother the time to harvest is when half the leaves are dead, and half are green. Lightly dig around one of the bulbs and check it’s size. If it’s small, give it 3-5 days and check again.
It should be a fairly large bulb, with tight wrappers (the papery stuff) and plump individual cloves.
Pull the entire plant out of the soil with a firm but gentle pull at the place where the leaves join the bulb.
DO NOT WASH the garlic after you harvest it.
You should use it or store it within 3 weeks of harvest.
See the Welcome to Herbs article Garlic 101 for methods of storage!
Growing Garlic in a container is a great way to ensure that you have Fresh Garlic all year! It’s easy to do and fun! Not to mention, you may never have to buy garlic again!
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