Garlic is a very beneficial spice. It increases the taste and flavor of curry. Apart from curry, garlic is used in making pickles, chutneys, soups and sauces. It is full of valuable nutrients and many amazing health benefits. It helps reduce stomach pain, dysentery, heart disease and cholesterol in the human body. It is also used as an insecticide and antibacterial. Today, I will share how to grow garlic indoors in pots. If you have a rooftop garden, you can grow this beneficial spice and enjoy it fresh.
How to Grow Garlic Indoors
When to Plant Garlic
Garlic is a winter crop. Although it is a winter crop, it does not grow well in extreme cold and fog. So, the best time to plant garlic is September, October and November. In warmer regions, it can be planted in late winter or early spring especially in February to March.
Suitable Soil for Garlic
The suitable soil for garlic is fertile loam soil. But it can be grown in clay loam soil. Remember that tubers do not form well in clay soil.
Variety Selection
Garlic varieties are of two types. They are hardneck and softneck.
Hardneck Varieties: Hardneck garlic varieties are popular for their rich flavor. They are suitable for colder regions. Some popular hardneck garlic varieties are: Music, Chesnok Red, German White, Rocambole, Siberian etc. If you are a gardener in a cold region, you can select anyone from these varieties.
Softneck Varieties: Softneck garlic varieties are known for their long shelf life. They are suitable for warmer regions. The best softneck garlic varieties are Inchelium Red, California Early, California Late, Silver White, Ajo Rojo etc. If you are a gardener of a warmer region, you can select anyone from these varieties.
Step by Step Instructions to Grow Garlic
Choosing Pots
The best pot for growing garlic is 12-18 inches. So, choose garlic-growing pots according to your wish or capability.
Setting up Pots
Make two holes at the bottom of each pot. Then give twobrick pieces on the two holes. Then give 1-inch white sand and 1-inch little brick pieces on them. At last, press them with your hand.
Preparing Soil
Garlic grows well in loose, fertile, well-drained loam soil. To prepare such type of soil, take 40% garden soil, 20% white sand, 20% cow dung and 20% compost. Then mix them well. This mixed soil is the best soil for growing garlic.
Filling the Pots with Soil
Take a drainage setup pot. Fill the pot
with prepared soil little by little and press it with your hand. In this way,
continue filling the pot with soil keeping 3 inches empty from the top. Now
your pot is ready to plant garlic. In the same way, you will fill all the pots
with prepared soil.
Planting Garlic Cloves
Before planting cloves, you must prepare them. To prepare them, remove the garlic head's papery outer layer. Then pull them apart carefully. Keep the papery covering on individual cloves and avoid damaging their flat bottom. After preparing cloves, plant them 2 inches deep and space them 4 inches apart. Usually, in a 12-inch pot, plant 4 cloves for good yield.
Caring for Garlic
- Watering: Water garlic in pots when the topsoil turns dry. Reduce watering when bulbs mature. Keep soil moist during growth but slightly drier near harvest.
- Fertilizing: Organic fertilizer is better for garlic. So, to fertilize garlic, apply liquid fertilizers like cow dung cake tea or leaf rot water. Mix 1:10 (Cow dung cake tea or leaf rot water: Normal water) and apply 1 glass to each pot every two weeks. Alternatively, apply dry compost around the base of the plants every two weeks.
- Cleaning Weeds: If there are weeds in the garlic pots, clean them gently and pull them with roots by hand. Then loosen soil carefully around the garlic. check for new weeds regularly.
- Adding Extra Soil to the Base of the Garlic Plants: Extra soil around garlic plants helps them grow better. It keeps the stems steady, makes the roots stronger and holds moisture. So, when the garlic plants are one month old, add extra soil to the base of the garlic plants.
- Mulching: Mulching regulates temperature, retains moisture, suppresses weeds and enriches the soil. So, use straw or dry leaves, as mulching. Apply a 2–3-inch layer and keep it away from stems.
Controlling Diseases and Insects
White rot, basal rot and rust are the mentionable diseases of garlic. To control them use disease-free seeds, crop rotation, and proper soil drainage. And, onion thrips and nematodes are the main enemies of garlic. To prevent them, apply neem oil and insecticidal soap and clean the weeds regularly.
Harvesting Garlic
The best time to harvest garlic is July, August and September. When stems turn yellow, and the bottom few leaves turn brown, it is the best time to harvest garlic. And, to harvest garlic, dig soil around garlic bulbs with a garden fork keeping the stems intact.
Storing Garlic
To store garlic, first, cure your harvested garlic in a warm, dry and shady area with good air circulation. Then tie the stems together and hang the garlic to dry or spread out the heads in a single layer. After 15-30 days, your garlic will be ready for best storage. Then cut the stems off about 1 inch above the bulbs. Finally, store garlic in a cool, dry and well-ventilated area. You must keep it away from sunlight. Use mesh bags, baskets or open containers for air circulation. Don't store garlic in plastic bags. Never freeze garlic because freezing changes its flavor and texture. So, it is better to store garlic at room temperature for the best quality.
Nutritional Value of Garlic
Garlic is a storehouse of valuable nutrients. It contains calories, carbohydrates, fiber, fat, protein, vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid and choline, manganese, selenium, calcium, copper, phosphorus, potassium, iron, zinc, magnesium and sodium.
Health Benefits of Garlic
Garlic is very beneficial for health. It relieves colds and coughs, activates brain function, improves digestion, regulates blood sugar, boosts immunity, keeps skin healthy, reduces the risk of cancer, removes harmful toxins from the body, removes stress, helps lower cholesterol and increases sex drive and performance.
How long does garlic take to grow?
After planting garlic, it takes about 8-9 months to mature fully. However, if you grow garlic indoors in pots, you can harvest the green garlic shoots in 3-4 weeks.
Finally, growing garlic is very easy and simple. You can turn a few simple cloves into fresh, flavorful garlic with a little care. For this, you need not much space or skill. Just plant the cloves, water them and let nature do the rest. As the months pass, your garlic grows strong and healthy. At last, you will be able to enjoy homegrown fresh garlic. How to grow garlic indoors in pots is fully clear to you. Now grow garlic and enjoy it fresh.
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