Grow Your Own - Garlic

This amazing plant can be classed as a spice, herb or veg. It is closely related to the onion and shallot, and also known to have contain medicinal properties. You either love it or you hate it, in my household we love it. Whether it is cooked or consumed raw, it is big on flavor and beneficial to health. Garlic has always been associated with a healthy heart, I think due to its ability to lower cholesterol, with thanks to the anti-oxidant Allicin. It is also suggested that it can help regulate blood pressure as well as blood sugar levels. I use garlic in my cooking every week, either in the main dish or as a part of a side dish. From brunch to dinner, or even as a part of a snack. Garlic bread, garlic prawns or garlic mushrooms to name a few dishes.

Sprouted organic garlic - Ready to plant.

I use garlic every week, So I decided what better thing to do, than to start growing my own. In my opinion it is very easy to grow. It can be grown indoors throughout the winter, or outdoors once the ground frost has passed. I mostly grow my garlic in containers, indoors, on a window ledge. I have grown garlic outdoors, in the ground, once before. But the birds loved to peck them out. I think this is because worms like to gather around the garlic roots. For this reason, I would recommend growing your garlic indoors. However, should you do choose to grow your garlic outdoors. I would suggest that you protect your garlic by covering them so the birds cannot get to them.

Garlic sprouts - Growing garlic in a tray

I F Y - Information For You

I consider garlic to be a relatively low maintenance crop. In fact as mentioned above, my opinion is that is very easy to grow. You can purchase garlic growing kits from many garden centers or online, but you can also grown garlic from your own sprouted bulb. If you plant your garlic bulbs indoors during the Autumn/Winter period, you are likely to achieve a bigger, better crop. Planting garlic in the Autumn months, will lead to harvest in late Spring, early Summer. I plant late December and usually harvest between June / July.

Planting

To begin find yourself a suitable container. Something that has depth, width and decent drainage. Fill it loosely with nutrient rich soil and set aside. Take your garlic and separate each sprouting bulb, do not peel each individual bulb. Some people soak their garlic to prevent fungal infections - I don't soak mine, and I have experienced a successful grow as well as infected grows.

How to soak before planting -

(soak in a well ventilated area - outdoors if possible. )

1. mix 2.5 litres with 1/2 tbs baking soda and 1/2 tbs of seaweed liquid.

2. place garlic bulbs in the liquid for 18 hours.

3. Remove from liquid and quickly place the bulbs into rubbing alcohol.

4. Allow the bulbs to soak in the alcohol for 3 minutes. This will kill germs.

5. Immediately rinse of and proceed to plant straight away.

Plant the garlic approximately 2.5 inches deep, with 4-6 inches between each bulb. Place it somewhere with a good amount of daylight and leave to grow. Its that easy!

Home grown garlic on a window ledge.

T I P S !

1. Give your garlic plenty of day light and void shady areas.

2. Garlic dislikes water logged soils. Make sure the soil has good drainage.

3. Use nutrient filled soils - Do not use soil in which Garlic, Onion or any other relation to the Allium family has previously been been grown in.

Watering and feeding your plants.

Remember, garlic bulbs dislike water logged soil. If you over water you plants you pose the risk of bulb rot and infection. I would suggest to only water the garlic when it needs it. I.e. when the soil is dry to touch. I feed my garlic twice throughout the grow. First with fish bone and blood in the initial planting process. Second with shop bought nutrients. My second feed is between late Feb early March.

Harvesting

As mentioned above, I usually harvest between late spring and early summer. However, if the sprouts have gained about 6 leafs, that would indicate to me that they are almost ready to harvest. When the leaves begin to yellow, I will harvest the garlic bulbs. It is said that each leaf represents a papery layer around the bulb. When harvesting, it is essential to be careful not to cause damage to the bulb. I recommend using a fork or spoon to carefully pry the bulb loose. Do this by digging around and underneath the plant. Once removed, shake of any excess dirt. Move on to the next bulb until you have completed harvest.

Cleaning, curing and storing

If you intend on storing your garlic it is essential to cure them. Move your garlic to a dry, moisture free area away from sunlight. To cure the garlic, gather them in bundles and hang them by their foliage. Alternatively, you can lay them on a rack. Curing takes approximately 3-4 weeks. Once they are cured trim the roots to the bulb, cut the foliage away and carefully peel the outer layer of garlic. Be extremely cautious to not to take away to many layers, as this is what protects the garlic. Take a soft nail brush or tooth brush to clean of any excess dirt and your done. Be sure move them to a dark, dry, and airy location for storing. Save the biggest bulbs for planting again.

Fish bone and blood

Soil

Garlic growing kits

Seaweed liquid

Baking soda

Rubbing alcohol