Unlocking the Secrets of Endless Garlic at Home: A Beginner’s Gardening Guide
Rich in nutrients and a staple in Mediterranean cuisine, garlic is not only a culinary delight but also possesses numerous medicinal properties. Imagine having an endless supply of this remarkable herb right in your home! This gardening guide for beginners will show you how to cultivate garlic, whether in pots or a garden, allowing you to savor its delightful flavors all year round. Get ready to embrace the joys of gardening with this comprehensive tutorial!
Which Garlic to Grow at Home?
While you can find biennial garlic bulbs in supermarkets, they are not suitable for planting in soil. These store-bought garlic may have been treated with pesticides or anti-sprouting agents that can hinder their growth. To ensure a bountiful supply of garlic at home, it’s best to get them from a garden center. The advantage of planting garlic is that it’s easy to grow and resilient to temperature fluctuations. Unlike other plants, perennial garlic harvested in early summer is less vulnerable to insect attacks and diseases.
How to Cultivate Garlic at Home?
Growing garlic at home is a breeze! All you need is a garlic bulb, potting soil, and a pot.
Start by filling the pot with a mix of soil and fertilizer. Next, carefully separate the garlic cloves, making sure not to damage their base.
Before planting them, ensure the pointed ends of the cloves face upward and bury them about 2.5 centimeters deep, covering them with another 2.5 centimeters of soil.
Place the container in full sunlight and water the pot when the soil dries out. During germination, remember to trim the stems when they exceed 10 centimeters to preserve the flavor in the bulbs. Leave about 3 centimeters of the elongated parts of the perennial to ensure continued growth.
When the stems stop growing, and the foliage turns dry, remove the bulbs from the soil and repeat the process. It’s recommended to leave a space of 15 centimeters between each large bulb. After one to ten days, you’ll notice significant results in the growth of this perennial plant.
When to Plant a Garlic Bulb?
There are various garlic varieties, and knowing their optimal planting conditions is essential for successful cultivation. For white garlic bulbs, it’s best to plant them from October to December as they have a longer growth cycle. If you have pink biennial garlic, consider planting it in early spring or between January to March. For purple or red garlic, fall is the preferred planting time as they are more susceptible to heat.
Growing Conditions for Garlic
While this biennial plant is easy to maintain, it does require suitable soil. It thrives in well-aerated and non-sandy soil to promote healthy growth. Therefore, using dry potting soil, clay balls, and compost is recommended for optimal garlic bulb development.
Caring for Garlic in a Pot
This low-maintenance biennial plant is beginner-friendly and perfect for those starting out in gardening—a therapeutic activity scientifically proven to soothe the soul. For the garlic bulb to thrive in the pot, it needs plenty of sunlight. Watering should only be done when the weather is dry or during the early stages of planting.
When to Harvest Garlic?
Once the garlic bulb has grown well, it’s time to reap the rewards. For a summer harvest, start planting in the fall. To enjoy a fall harvest, plant them in the spring. A few weeks before harvesting these culinary gems, peel the bulb and remove excess soil around it.
How to Harvest Garlic?
To finally savor the deliciousness of garlic in your recipes, use a garden fork to pull out the bulbs. The next step is to wash the garlic heads to remove any remaining soil and prevent decay. Simply lay them out with their leaves on a piece of wood to dry and savor the satisfaction of your homegrown garlic!
