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How To Grow Garlic At Home In Pots

by Idris Ya'u
This article was fact checked.
Helpful: 100%

Growing garlic at home in pots is a best way to grow garlic with small space at hand. Also, even if you have the enough space, you can use that space for growing other vegetables. To grow garlic in pots, fill 8″ by 24″ pots with good potting soil. Sow 4-5 garlic cloves 2-3 inches deep down the potting soil. Leave about 3-4 inches of space between cloves. Water regularly and feed them with phosphorus riched fertilizer when they begin to grow. For details about growing and caring garlic, read on.

Information about garlic

Garlic, which is scientifically known as Allium sativum, is a flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae, a family that includes bulbs producing plants such as onions. Garlic is widely grown as vegetable and for it’s numerous proven health benefits.

Garlic was believed to be a native of Central Asia and Northeastern Iran. Close relatives of garlic include Chive, Chinese onion, leek, shallot, onions, Welsh onions.

In terms of growing habits, garlic has a very long growing season, which takes about 8-9 months. The ideal growing temperatures for healthy growth of garlic is between 45-55ยฐF. If you are living in zones 5 to 7, plant garlic from mid to late October. People living in zones 7 through 9 can plant garlic from late October to November. While gardeners who are living in zones 9 to 10, they can plant their garlics from late October to December.

Garlic thrives well in loose and well-drained loamy sand soil. Planting garlic in too much clay soil can lead to waterlogged or soggy soil, which can affect the healthy growth of garlic. Look for a good potting soil that drains water well. The pH range ideal for growing healthy garlic is between 6-7.

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Types and varieties of garlic

Garlic plant is basically divided into types: the softnecked garlic and the hard necked garlic. This division is based on the tendency of garlic plant to produce flower stalks, garlic clove formation pattern, and it’s hardiness.

The softnecked garlic variety thrives well in warm climates. They have a very long shelf life and they produce many cloves. They are called soft because they don’t produce flowering stalk and their stems are soft and flexible.

Common varieties of softnecked garlic include Polish red, Galiano, California Early, California late, and Inchelium.

On the other hand, hard necked garlic grows well in colder climates. They have a very short shelf life of not more than 4-5 months. They produce a long flowering stalk, which is called scape. They produce fewer cloves but they have a good flavor than softnecked garlic.

Common varieties of hard necked garlic include purple stripe, German white, Persian star, chesnok red, and porcelain.

With this basic information about garlic, let us look at how to grow garlic at home in containers.

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How to grow garlic at home in containers

Here is a step by step instructions:

1. Choose the best garlic variety: the first thing you need to do is to choose good variety of garlic. Good variety is one that has a good history of growing successfully in your area. These types of garlic varieties have developed resistant to common pests and diseases. And they are also well adopted to your climatic conditions. These varieties can be obtained from your local garlic growers.

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2. Plant your garlic at the right time: after buying the right variety of garlic for your climates, the next thing is to plant your garlic at the right time. If you are living in colder climates, plant garlic in autumn during the first frost. Generally, in zones 9 through 10, garlic is sown between late October to December. And in Zones 5 through 7, garlic is sown between mid to late October. While in zones 7 through 9, garlic is sown between late October to November.

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3. Choose the right pots: choose the right that can accommodate your garlica. Do not plant garlic too close. If you are aiming to plant many garlics, choose containers that are about 8 inches deep and 24 inches wide. This is if you are planting 5-8 garlic cloves per pot.

The containers should be well-drained. If you are growing in colder climates, use plastic containers that retain heat. And if you are living in warm climates, use ceramic pots that drain water easily.

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4. Add potting soil in the pots: before adding soil to the pots, make sure the soil is free weed seeds and pathogens. Also, ensure that the soil is well-drained and fertile with pH near neutral. To encourage faster germination and growth, add in about 2-3 tablespoons of phosphorus-riched fertilizer. Also, mix in 1 cup of compost to every 3 cups of potting soil.

5. Plant the garlic cloves: plant garlic cloves about 3 inches deep. Space planting holes about 3-4 inches apart. Mulch the top of the potting soil with 1-2 inches thick layer of shredded cardboard papers or straw.

6. Keep the pots in a safe place: find a good place where there is full sunlight. Do not locate the garlic in an unshaded area. Do not place the pots in spot where there are insects and rodents.

7. Take care of the garlic: water your garlic regularly. But, avoid flooding the pots. Just water enough to keep the potting soil moist. Feed them with fertilizer that contains plenty phosphorus. Adding phosphorus riched fertilizer helps encourage bulbs growth.

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8. Pests and diseases: common pests and diseases of garlic include thrips, bulb mites, nematodes, onions maggots, leafminers, white rot, Rust, purple blotch, Downy mildew, and mosaic.

How long does garlic take to grow

Under normal climatic conditions, garlic takes 8-9 months from planting to reach maturity. Most varieties of garlic are within this range.

Read also: Can You Plant Garlic Cloves From The Grocery Store? 4+ Questions And Answers

Does garlic need full sun?

As earlier stated, garlic requires loose sandy loam soil. The spot should receive at least 6-8 hours of sunlight daily. However, hard necked garlic can also grow in areas that recieve sunlight partially.

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Conclusion

In this article, I discussed how to grow garlic at home in pots. I hope that this guide helps you in understanding how to grow garlic in pots. I would love to hear from you. Let me know if you have any questions.

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