A garlic plant is better understood to be a stem plant, from the family of Amaryllidaceous which is a family of herbaceous plants that are mainly perennial crops whose plants are bisexual.
Generally, the growth process of garlic plants from the planting stage is an easy process. In south Africa, the process is just like every other.
WHAT ARE THE IMPORTANT STEPS TO TAKE NOTE OF IN PLANTING GARLIC?
The following are the steps you will most likely have to go through irrespective of your location. The difference in these steps depends on your country’s region, weather conditions and the soil topography.
- Getting your non chemical preserved seeds that are fresh
- Preparing your soil and area of planting
- Fertilizing your soil
- Vernalizing your Garlic cloves
- Loosening the soil
- Planting your Garlic cloves
- Watering and monitoring the growth process
- Preparing for harvesting
- Harvesting your garlic
- Curing your harvested Garlic
WHAT IS THE CONCEPT OF PLANTING GARLIC?
Planting Garlic is not putting the whole garlic bulb into the soil and covering it. You ensure that it is the best garlic variety for your region, then open up or break the bulb and separate them from the union of cloves. This means that with just one garlic bulb, the number of garlic you will get will be the number of cloves planted, and the total number of cloves that would be gotten if separated would be about 8-20 cloves times the number of cloves planted and many more if you continue the planting process. It is advisable to plant the bigger ones from the harvest because the sizes of the harvested garlic would differ in sizes.
Read also: Can You Plant Garlic Cloves From The Grocery Store? 4 Questions And Answers
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO PLANT GARLIC IN SOUTH AFRICA?
The most advisable time to plant garlic in south Africa is February to may. The growth period lasts for six months from the planting period. The very first germination where the root sprouts is between 14 to 21 days after planting.
DO YOU NEED TO PEEL THE OUTER LAYER OF THE GARLIC CLOVES ?
No, you don’t. the skin acts as a very important feature which protects it from bacteria and secures it’s value when planted.
Read also: How To Grow Garlic At Home In Pots
HOW DO I KNOW THE LAND MASS FOR PLANTING GARLIC?
To get the size of the land you would be using, you would need to calculate the number of cloves you want to plant in relation to the planting gap between the plants that will accommodate their leaf production.
WHAT HAPPENS TO GARLIC CLOVES IN THE SOIL?
Garlic plants grow underground which explains the reason you use the number of dried leaves to determine when it is ready for germination. When you plant garlic in the soil in a very compatible soil, a sandy loamy soil, the clove will split open and then sprout without straining or breaking the stem.
Read also: How To Grow Garlic From Scraps
DOES THE DEPTH OF PLANTING DETERMINE WHEN IT WIL SPROUT?
The period you plant your garlic can affect how deep you will plant it. In colder period, you can plant two inches deeper than 2-3 inches. If you do not also want to mulch you can also do this. If it is buried too deep, it would grow as a weakling or may not germinate at all because it won’t be able to tap enough sunlight that will aid its germination. When the depth is properly measured, what matters most is the purpose and usefulness of deep planting and not about how fast it will grow but instead the security and assurance of the germination in relation to areas with colder climate.
Read also: How To Harvest Onions And Garlic
DOES VERNALISATION MAKE THE GROWTH PROCESS FASTER?
Hard necked garlic mostly requires vernalization (exposing the garlic to cold) because it makes it grow faster and quicker and also generally guarantees bigger bulb to be harvested. Vernalization is putting the garlic in the fridge few weeks before planting.
Related: How To Grow Garlic In Pots In South Africa
Conclusion
I hope this article answers you about how long garlic takes to grow in South Africa. I will like to hear from you. Let me know if you have any questions.
