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Tips for Growing Garlic at Home

Ningthoujam Sandhyarani
Garlic is an easy-to-grow culinary herb that requires minimum maintenance after plantation. Read on to find some of the helpful tips which you can follow for growing garlic at home.
Garlic, being a herb of both medicinal and culinary importance, all hobbyists prefer to grow it in a vegetable garden. It is a small annual herb that grows to a height of about 12-16 inches. Each garlic plant requires a small space for growing and development of its bulbs.
Hence, even if you have limited space for plantation, you can plant sufficient amounts of garlic crop in the garden. Or else, you can maintain garlic plants in pots and containers. With so many practical options for growing garlic, you cannot give excuses for not planting this wonderful herb.

How to Grow Garlic at Home?
Garlic requires at least 7-8 months for developing healthy bulbs. Even though you can plant garlic as a winter crop, fall is the ideal time for growing most varieties of garlic. Gardening enthusiasts are of the opinion garlic crop planted during fall produce larger and healthier bulbs.
If you plant garlic in fall(autumn), you will be able to harvest garlic bulbs in the next coming summer. To grow garlic at home, refer to the given useful tips.

Step #1

First of all, select a plantation site that receives abundant sunlight. Also, the garlic plant performs best in good, well-drained soil that has a slightly acidic to neutral pH range (preferably 6.5-7).
If you are growing garlic in pots and containers, prepare the soil by taking a note of the requirements. For sun exposure, you can place the pots in sunlit areas.

Step #2

So, you have planned the plantation area for garlic. The next crucial step is selecting the correct garlic variety for your soil type and climate conditions. You can try planting varieties like elephant garlic, softneck and hardneck type.
In case you are not sure which garlic type will perform best in your area, consider taking advice from your local horticulturist.

Step #3

Assuming you have bought the correct and healthy garlic bulbs, now separate each of the individual cloves. From a garlic bulb, you can choose 8-10 of the biggest size cloves for growing in your garden (or pot). Ensure that there are no soft spots or injury to the cloves that you have selected. Otherwise, the cloves may rot after inserting them in the soil.

Step #4

Dig the soil with the help of a shovel in the garden area that you have planned to grow garlic. In case, the soil is heavy and sticky, there are chances of the soil getting waterlogged. To avoid such a situation, which is not preferable for garlic crop, you can mix the soil with adequate amount of sand and a handful of organic compost.

Step #5

For planting garlic, you can push the soil with your hand (about 1½ inch depth) and drop a garlic clove such that the blunt part is down and the pointed part faces up. Cover the clove with soil and press slightly. Measure a space of 4 inches and follow the same process to plant another clove. Continue the same until you have covered the plantation area.

Step #6

Once you have planted garlic cloves, water them lightly. Regular watering every day or every alternate day is necessary for the quick development of the leaves. You can add mulch over the top soil to retain moisture and protect the cloves from invading weed.
Add a new layer of mulch during spring season. Weed control is a very important factor for the formation of healthy bulbs.

Step #7

If you notice developing flower stalks in between, cut them at the base without injuring the leaves. For larger bulb formation, you can supplement the soil with farmyard compost. Water the plants once in a week until the foliage turns yellow.
When the leaves fall over, you can cut the lower leaves, so that there are more nutrients to aid bulb development.

Step #8

With the arrival of summer, the garlic leaves will dry out completely. This is an indication that the bulbs are mature and ready to harvest. Gently, pull out the garlic bulbs without damaging them. For storing them, you can dry the bulbs in a well ventilated area.
So, this is how you can grow and harvest garlic. Growing garlic at home is very easy, as long as you select those varieties that are suited to the soil and prevailing climatic conditions of your area. Hence, you can plant healthy garlic plants in your garden and enjoy their flavor and health benefits.