Along with green onions, garlic is one of the best plants you can grow at home. It’s super-easy and cheap to maintain–a whole bulb costs pennies! And while many people might not like its taste or odor (and who could blame them?), eating an entire clove per day works miracles for your body.
Garlic is a simple food that has powerful healing properties. Garlic contains an array of nutrients and vitamins C,B,D, micronutrients including selenium which helps with immune function!
The most important thing to know about garlic is that it contains a phytoncide called allicin, formed during mechanical destruction of plants. Allicin gives Garlic its strong odor and flavor, so you should crush or grind your bulbs for maximum benefits!
Choose the Garlic To Grow
There are many different kinds of garlic you can grow, but not all varieties might work for indoor farming. Before choosing a variety to try out make sure that it is suited and able-to-grow in your climate zone!
White Pearl garlic have stronger flavors while Purple Moldovan has an overall sweeter taste with hints of rosemary—perfect for adding flavor to any dish or just rubbing on raw skin as a natural defense against mosquitoes.
Growing garlic in containers inside your house can be a great way to avoid pesky insects and diseases. It does require some care, but when you equip yourself with the right materials it will provide many benefits for years!
Here’s how you can grow garlic in a container!
Preparation
The best container for planting garlic is one that has holes in the bottom and drainage. The ideal container should be about 8 inches or 20 cm in depth. Place four inches between each clove, so all your bulbs can grow properly with enough space.
You will need to purchase a garlic bulb from your local nursery or garden supply store. The cloves are planted in the ground while they grow larger and form bulbs.
Purchase the garlic bulbs from a gardening supply store instead of your local supermarket. Using these will ensure you get quality produce because they are often chemical-free, which is what we’re striving for here!
Mix the gardening sand with the potting soil in a ratio 1:3. Leave the entire container with soil, but leave one inch space from the top of the container.
Planting the Garlic Cloves
Break the raw garlic cloves from its head, being very careful not to damage any parts that are attached at their bases. If you break these segments then growth will stop and it could result in bad flavors.
The garlic cloves should be about an inch deep in the soil. Hold them at either end, flat side down for best results and make sure that there is some space between each part of your planting hole so water can get through without drowning everything below it!
Plant the larger cloves since they will produce more bulbs than smaller ones.
To get the most out of your garlic plant, make sure you follow these steps: fertilize with compost or manure at planting time. At the end, cover the cloves with a layer of mulch.
Caring for the Growing Garlic
You’ll need to place your container in a sunny spot. You can also put it outside, on the windowsill or balcony–whatever is most convenient for you! Make sure that there’s at least 8 hours of sunlight each day so they don’t get too shaded and start drying out.
Watering your garlic plant is fundamental to have a healthy and tasty harvest. To make sure the bulbs are getting enough moisture, water it regularly by sprinkling in nice even droplets all over its container. Let it drain through the holes at the bottom of the container.
Just because you are growing garlic in containers indoors does not mean that pest problems will go away. Mice can nest inside and damage plants, so if there’s an infestation of them on your kitchen countertop then move the garlic plant to another location where it won’t be disturbed or come into contact with these pests at all!
Clip off the flower at base of garlic plant once it starts to sprout green chives. This will make your cloves grow bigger and stronger!
Harvesting and Using the Garlic
As your garlic plant starts to grow, you will notice long green stalks emerging. These are called scapes and can be pulled off the bulb if done carefully. It is also advisable to wear gloves when pulling out the scapes if you don’t want garlic smell on your fingers for days.
Harvest your garlic bulbs about eight to ten months later once the leaves will start to die and turn brown. Pulling them out gently is important so it doesn’t hurt or break them!
Storing the Garlic
You’ll want to keep your harvested garlic hang for at least two weeks so it can cure. The best place is in a cool and dry area, such as your garage! After drying them for about a week, you are free to use them.
To make sure your garlic cloves stay fresh, store them in a cool dry place. If you want to speed up the process of curing and cleaning then give it some love with these quick tips from our experts: The ideal temperature for drying out is 80°F. Make sure there aren’t any water droplets on top or near by because this will cause molding quickly!
When storing garlic, make sure to keep it cool and dry. Separate individual cloves by pulling off the skin or breaking apart heads if you have a bunch of them! Store in an airtight container with some vinegar or oil.
To get the most out of each clove, make sure you cook or eat them raw. Save some for planting and harvesting more garlic in future years!