Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning
• What you need

In most climates, growing garlic yourself shouldn't be that difficult. Although the growth time of each garlic crop is quite long, the end result you will get will be a good season to have enough garlic to store for winter or to share with friends. Garlic can be grown in a garden or pot, and harvest time is mid to late summer. Read Step 1 to learn how to grow and harvest garlic.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Preparing to Plant Garlic

1. 

   Choose a variety of garlic to grow. You can choose the types of garlic you buy from the supermarket, but your chances of success are higher if you buy the cloves of garlic, or the seeds from nurseries - there are a variety of garlic available for the climatic conditions where you live. The online stalls will have a variety of garlic varieties and you can choose the one you like. Some types of garlic are stronger, others are harder during the cold season, and many others.
   • Market garlic is usually imported from elsewhere, so you don't have to use garlic that is suitable for the climate or soil where you live.
   • Garlic sold at the market is often chemically impregnated to keep it fresh for a long time. Chemically impregnated garlic is harder to grow than natural garlic.

2. 

   
   
   Garlic should be planted in the fall or spring. If you live in a place with heavy snow, you should plant garlic in the fall. Garlic can easily survive the winter, and when growing early, the bulb will be bigger and more fragrant than it is in the spring. However, if you live in a place that doesn't have a cold climate, you can grow garlic in early spring.
   • If you plan to grow garlic in the fall, plant it for 6 to 8 weeks before the ground is completely frozen.
   • If you plan to grow garlic in the spring, plant it early around February or March.

3. 

   
   
   Prepare the ground to grow the garlic. Choose a place with a lot of sun and a well drained soil. Use a hoe or rake to dig the soil about 10 cm deep. Adding organic fertilizers will help garlic grow fast and healthy.
   • If you like, you can plant garlic in an ornamental pot. Choose a pot that has enough width and depth to grow the garlic and add soil to the pot.

4. 

   
   
   Growing garlic cloves. Split the garlic bulb into small cloves and keep the innermost silk. Plant each clove of garlic 5 cm deep in the soil and 10 cm apart. When planting, place the base of the base in the ground and the top end upwards - otherwise garlic will grow in the wrong direction. Cover the garlic cloves with soil and pat the soil gently. advertisement

Part 2 of 3: Garlic Care

1. 

   Carefully cover the garlic growing area. If you are planting garlic in the fall, you should shield the garlic growing area with 15 cm of straw to protect the garlic in winter. In the spring, you can remove the straw.

2. 

   Cut off garlic flowers in the spring. In early spring, you should see garlic stalks sticking out of the ground. Cut off the garlic flowers, otherwise they will take out all the nutrients needed for the garlic bulb formation process and the result will be smaller.

3. 

   Water the garlic. During the garlic growing season, water the garlic every 3 to 5 days. When you see the soil getting dry and dusty, it's time to water. You do not need to water in autumn and winter.

4. 

   Fertilize the soil if needed. If the stalk is yellow or soft in the middle of the season, you can add fertilizer to make the garlic stronger. Keep the soil moist so that garlic does not have to compete for nutrients and water with other plants. advertisement

Part 3 of 3: Harvesting and Preserving Garlic

1. 

   Harvest the garlic once the leaves are yellow and begin to wilt. At the end of the season, July or August, the leaves will turn yellow and begin to dry. This is when you can harvest the garlic.
   • Avoid harvesting the garlic too late - the bulb will atrophy and not be good for use.
   • Garlic harvested too soon will not dry completely.

2. 

   Avoid cutting the garlic body when pulling it out of the soil. Use a trowel to loosen the soil around the bulbs and avoid cutting the cloves of garlic from the stem. Wipe off excess soil. You can keep both the body and the bulb intact.

3. 

   Let the garlic dry for 2 weeks. Before use, the garlic must be dried. During this time, the crust will dry and the garlic will become firm. Store garlic in a cool, dry place to dry it.
   • You can remove the stem and just dry the bulbs in the storage bin. Make sure garlic has enough air.
   • Another popular way to dry and preserve garlic is to keep the stalks intact, then plait them and hang them in a cool, dry place.

4. 

   Use garlic once the crust has dried and becomes "paper thin". The garlic cloves should be firm, and easy to separate.

5. 

   Save the best garlic bulbs for the next season. Choose a few large garlic bulbs for planting before winter or early spring. Choose the best bulbs for planting in the new season, the harvested garlic will be large and fragrant. advertisement

Advice

• In regions with temperate climates, garlic can be grown in winter.
• It is not necessary to use lemons unless your soil is strongly acidic. The ideal pH for soil is between 5.5 and 6.7.
• The rows of garlic should be 30 cm apart.
• For more detailed instructions, see the articles in the same section on how to grow garlic.

Warning

• Fungal root rot diseases can be harmful to garlic. Avoid over watering.

What you need

• Tools for making soil
• Tools for digging
• One fresh garlic clove (or more if needed)
• Container and sandy soil if planting garlic in barrel.