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Start a new green adventure by growing garlic indoors in pots! It’s easy, fun, and yields a flavorful reward. Your windowsill is waiting for its green guests.
Do you want to grow your own garlic but don’t have an outdoor garden? Good news! You can start growing garlic indoors in pots.
Growing Garlic Indoors Key Takeaways:
- Growing Garlic Indoors In Pots is a rewarding venture allowing you to have fresh garlic right at home.
- It requires a pot, quality soil, and a sunny spot.
- Plant a garlic clove in the pot, provide adequate water, and in 8-9 months, you’ll have a fresh garlic bulb.
Growing Garlic Indoors In Pots
The joy of growing garlic indoors in pots is something every green thumb, or even the green-curious, should experience.
It’s not just about having fresh garlic at arm’s reach, it’s about seeing life sprout on your sunny windowsill, and feeling the rhythm of nature right in your cozy kitchen.
So, why not invite the robust, yet elegant garlic plant to your indoor garden family?
The journey from clove to bulb, with sprouting greens and sometimes a surprise flower, is truly enchanting.
And guess what? Your dishes get the fresh, home-grown zing they deserve. Grab a pot, and some soil, and let’s get growing!
Growing garlic indoors is a gratifying green thumb adventure, from the initial planting stage to the harvest of fresh, homegrown garlic. Your patience will be rewarded with aromatic bulbs ready to spice up your meals.
Garlic is an easy to grow crop for indoors. It doesn’t take up a lot of space making it ideal for growing in containers.
You can grow garlic on a sunny windowsill and it even makes pretty flowers.
How Long Does It Take To Grow Garlic Indoors?
If you want to grow your own garlic indoors you should know you will be in it for the long haul.
It takes 8-9 months to grow a full garlic bulb from a clove. If you don’t want to wait that long there is a workaround of sorts.
Growing Garlic Indoors In Water
You can grow garlic indoors in water. You can use this method to harvest garlic greens and use them much like chives.
But eventually, the bulb will be depleted so the only way to grow a full garlic bulb is to grow it in soil.
As you can see in the video he set his garlic on top of water bottles but you can use anything like a teacup to set your garlic in.
You just need to keep the water level barely touching the bottom of the bulb otherwise it could start to rot.
Start Growing Garlic Indoors In Pots Today
You don’t need much to get started growing garlic. You will need:
- A pot of any size but a wider pot will allow you to plant more garlic.
- Potting mix I recommend using coco coir instead.
- Garlic bulbs you can use garlic bulbs from the supermarket or you can buy different varieties online.
Choosing Your Garlic Bulbs
There are dozens of different garlic varieties to choose from. Garlic is classified into softneck and hardneck varieties.
If you get garlic from the supermarket it will most likely be softneck garlic.
Softneck garlic grows leaves while hardneck garlic develops a thick central stem.
Hardneck varieties are best for colder climates and most garlic is planted in fall to overwinter.
But since we are growing garlic indoors this is not a deciding factor for us. Here is a good article about softneck vs hardneck garlic.
Garlic Cloves Vs Garlic Sets
Most people grow their garlic from cloves. If you are lucky you might spot some garlic cloves that started sprouting at the supermarket.
Usually, they remove them from the shelf. There is another option and that is buying garlic sets.
I am going to grow German Red Garlic from garlic sets. These are cloves that have sprouted and grown some tops and roots.
I was lucky enough to find a seller on eBay offering them and I think they will take at least a month off my growing time.
Growing German Red Garlic From Garlic Sets
My German red garlic arrived today and here is a video where I show planting it in self-watering planters filled with coco coir.
Once they start growing I will give you updates here.
Planting German Red Garlic In Self Watering Planters (indoorvegetablegrower.com)
These sets did not grow at first. I left them in their pots and about 4 months later they started growing. They were dormant all that time. I would not recommend growing garlic from sets. Using cloves is a more reliable method.
Indoor Garlic FAQs
Growing indoor garlic growing might raise numerous questions. Let’s delve into some frequently asked questions to provide clarity on this gardening journey.
Q. How much sunlight does garlic need?
A. Garlic requires full sun, which entails around 6-8 hours of sunlight per day. If you’re growing garlic indoors, placing your pots on a sunny windowsill or under a grow light can help meet this sunlight requirement.
Q. When is the best time to plant garlic indoors?
A. Unlike outdoor planting which is typically done in the fall, garlic can be planted indoors at any time of the year. This flexibility allows for a continuous supply if you plant cloves in intervals.
Q. How often should I water my indoor garlic plant?
A. It’s crucial to maintain a balance when watering your indoor garlic plant. Watering should be done when the top inch of the soil feels dry to the touch. It’s essential to keep the soil moist but not waterlogged to prevent root rot and other issues.
Q. Can I grow garlic indoors in water?
A. Yes, you can grow garlic indoors in water to harvest garlic greens, which are flavorful and can be used much like chives. However, if you’re looking to grow full garlic bulbs, planting in soil is necessary as the bulb will be depleted in water over time.
Growing Garlic in Pots Final Thoughts
Growing garlic indoors is a rewarding, but it requires some patience due to its lengthy growth span.
There’s a workaround for enjoying garlic greens earlier, making this endeavor all the more enticing.
The essentials to begin are minimal, and the exploration of garlic varieties is quite varied.
The narrative on German Red Garlic brings a personal touch to this green venture. It was successful eventually.
However, I would recommend growing any type of garlic from cloves and not from sets.
It’s an invitation to relish the homegrown goodness of garlic, making every meal a bit more special, regardless of the outdoor climate or space constraints.
In conclusion, growing garlic indoors in pots is a simple yet rewarding gardening project.
With adequate sunlight, timely watering, and the right choice between soil and water cultivation based on your harvest goals, you can enjoy fresh garlic greens or bulbs right from your indoor garden.
