Tips For Growing Garlic Inside

Think about how much money you spend buying garlic. Imagine if you could grow your own herbs like basil and garlic at home and harvest the spouts when needed for your next mouth-watering meal. Follow along to learn tips for growing garlic inside. You don’t need a lot of space or materials, and it’s a fun project to get the kids involved in. Even though garlic bulbs take 8-10 months to grow, you can still trim off the greens and add them to soups, salads, and more.

Materials You’ll Need

• 8-12-inch-deep container with drainage: Whether you decide to use clay, glass, or plastic, make sure that it is deep enough for the garlic roots to grow and has enough holes for the water to drain properly.
• Potting soil: To promote drainage, fill your container within about 2 inches of the rim with soil-less potting mix. This helps the water drain easily and stops the cloves from rotting.
• Garlic bulbs: Organic cloves from the nursery.
• Water: Before adding your garlic cloves, water the soil with 250 ml of water so that it can settle the material and drain.

Buy Garlic Cloves

It’s best to buy organic garlic bulbs from an online store or a nursery. Your local supermarket may also sell organic garlic bulbs; these are not treated, so they should sprout when you plant them. 1-2 days before you plant, break up the bulb into individual cloves and keep the husks on.

Plant the Cloves

With a stick or your finger, make holes in the soil 2-3 inches deep and 5 inches apart. This will give the roots enough space to grow. Place 1 clove in each hole with the flat end facing the bottom and cover with 1-inch potting soil. Next, add water and make sure that you can see the water drain. The water will help the sprouts come through the husks. Place the container on a window sill that receives at least 6-8 hours of sunlight.

Looking After Your Garlic Plant

Add liquid fertilizer to your plant once per month. Be sure to read the instructions on how to dilute it. Depending on the temperature of your home, you may need to water your garlic plant 2-3 times per week. Do not overwater; just add enough water until you can see it drain. Check your plant for pests like mites and aphids. If you find any pests, get rid of them right away with an organic insecticide.

Harvesting Your Garlic Plant

As mentioned earlier, garlic takes 8–10 months to grow. However, while you wait, you can harvest the greens when they are about 6 inches tall. It will continue to grow green leaves for the first 6 months. Using a pair of sterile scissors, cut the greens at the base and leave at least 1 inch of growth. Once the greens reach 4 inches, you can trim again. This will help the plant use more energy to grow the bulb. After 10 months, the leaves will begin to turn brown, and you can pull the bulbs out of the soil. Leave them to hang and dry in a dry spot with good airflow for about 2 weeks. And there you have it: tips for growing garlic inside. Enjoy your garlic plant and have fun creating a new batch. Why not try growing basil too?

The image featured at the top of this post is ©Marian Weyo/Shutterstock.com.

Up Next:

• 3 Ways to Grow Basil Indoors
• Fall Vegetable Garlic
• The Foolproof Way to Easily Grow Basil

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