How to grow garlic? Planting & Maintaining garlic crops isn’t hard. We show an easy way to plant & harvest Garlic & experienced way to store it.
Garlic is very important in your diet. You can find strong advocacy of garlic in Ayurveda. Garlic is not only a great way to boost immunity, health, and fitness, it also is a natural detoxicating herb. Garlic is very flavourful and adds to the aroma and taste of many recipes. Along with How to grow onions, we today suggest how to grow and harvest garlic.
Garlic is easily grown and I personally grow it every year. Although you can grow it 2 times a year. I feel the need only once as the crop covers the needs of my family in one go. Garlic can be planted closer and grows well in most types of soils. If you need a soil preparation guide, or planter selection and planter preparation guide, feel free to use them.
You can Grow garlic in raised beds, level beds, planters and grow bags without any problems. Just follow the same practices and only exception will be the watering interval. Planting in confined containers usually requires more attention to avoid soil drying.
Steps to Grow Garlic
Prepare the soil for planting garlic
Garlic works well in most types of soil, however loose, dry, well-drained soils in sunny locations works the best. It also grows best in climate zones 4–9. Good organic content is important. Hardneck garlic is usually grown in cool climate.
It produces large cloves. Softneck garlic is generally grown in hotter area and are smaller in size. Loosen the soil and ensure that it is free of weed. You should also test the PH of the soil to make sure it is neutral.
Create furrows and plant the garlic buds
Create 1.5 inch deep furrows with a garden tool or with your hand. Keep the gap around 3 inches. Place the cloves of garlic with 3 inch gap. Use cloves that are healthy and large in size. Small cloves will germinate late and create unhealthy plants.
Avoid garlic that has become soft. Garlic that has already sprouted at home can also be used. Cover the cloves in soil and water gently. Do not remove the top cover or break the cloves in any way. Use organic garlic and not GMO for planting.
Growing garlic plants and maintenance
Cover the beds with mulch like hay, dry leaves, well rotted manure, straw, compost etc. The Garlic cloves will begin to grow in a few days. Water the beds regularly. Fertilize the Garlic crop once. A good time is after 6 weeks. Do not over water garlic as it does rot. Water it only when the soil starts getting dry or the shoots start to show signs of droop.
Pests in garlic plants: Pests like rhodents and insects may invade and try to eat different parts of the plants so be watchful and take timely action.
How to harvest garlic
Harvesting garlic is easy. Warm climates may enable earlier harvesting of garlic. Harvesting is dont with the following things in mind:
- When the garlic crop has matured
- The stalk or scapes will start to dry starting from the top
- You can see matured garlic bulbs with dry skin
- Dig gently around the bulbs
- Pull out the garlic gently by the stalk (scapes)
- Do not cut off the stalk
How to store garlic
Store the garlic in traditional way. Do not cut off the scapes. Make braids and you can hang the braids in a barn or store. Garlic is stored warm, above 18 °C (64 °F) and dry to keep it dormant so that it does not sprout.
Garlic Nutritional Values:
| Nutritional value | per 100 g |
|---|---|
| Energy | 623 kJ (149 kcal) |
| Carbohydrates | 33.06 g |
| Sugars | 1 g |
| Dietary fiber | 2.1 g |
| Fat | 0.5 g |
| Protein | 6.36 g |
| Vitamins | |
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.2 mg |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.11 mg |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.7 mg |
| Pantothenic acid (B5) | 0.596 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 1.2350 mg |
| Folate (B9) | 3 μg |
| Choline | 23.2 mg |
| Vitamin C | 31.2 mg |
| Minerals | |
| Calcium | 181 mg |
| Iron | 1.7 mg |
| Magnesium | 25 mg |
| Manganese | 1.672 mg |
| Phosphorus | 153 mg |
| Potassium | 401 mg |
| Sodium | 17 mg |
| Zinc | 1.16 mg |
| Water | 59 g |
| selenium | 14.2 μg |
| ———————————————- | —————————————- |
So what are you waiting for? Your homegrown garlic will meet some great recipes in your kitchen. There is nothing more rewarding than eating a crop that grows in your own garden. Not only it leads to a healthy body but also a healthy mind as gardening is a mentally rewarding experience.
Do let us know in the comments how it went and keep in touch!