Garlic serves a dual purpose – as an ingredient for cooking and as a medicine. Growing garlic is no great job. They can easily be grown in pots and in tiny containers. It is not an alien fact to anyone that garlic has a heap of health benefits. From garlic bread to any exquisite cuisine, garlic is almost added to everything. The most important thing behind adding this to almost every dish is because, it is highly rich in nutrition- Vitamin C, Vitamin B1 Fibre, Manganese, Vitamin B6, Calcium, Iron and Selenium.
Garlic helps to keep in control your blood pressure. It also helps people to fight the common cold at the transition of the seasons. For long term effects like to fight Alzheimer’s disease and to increase the longevity of life, garlic contains a high range of antioxidants. With the various benefits of garlic, it is also equally easy to grow it at home. Growing garlic does not involve extra maintenance or pruning. The cost involved in it is also not much.
So, here in, we have collected a series of steps by which you can grow garlic in pots with ease.
Amazing steps to grow garlic in pots
Find the best pot or container to grow garlic
Garlic plants have a tendency to grow bushy and expands all over the pot. Hence, it is always advisable to grow garlic in pots which are made of plastic or thick fibre. Even ceramic pots can also do great wonders. However, try not to use terracotta pots. Since, the terracotta pots tend to seep in lots of water and even gets cracked very easily. The most dangerous of pots being cracked is that, in the wake of the winter, the cracks get filled with water which turn into ice. This formation of ice further deepens the crack and even hinders the growth of the garlic. Hence, the best pot for garlic ceramic pot. All the more, you can always make winter proof pots by covering the pots with thick black sheets.
At the bottom, do remember to leave a tiny hole to facilitate proper water seepage as well as for proper aeration.
The soil requirements
The soil for the garlic plant needs to be moist but need not be over loaded with water. The soil ought to b well-drained. The excess water in the soil can lead to the rotting of the bulbs. While preparing the soil remember to balance the potting mix and the organic compost. The potting mix should be at least three times more than the organic compost. The compost should be spread over the potting mix very carefully.
Add adequate fertilizer and manure
Having filled the pot with the soil and the potting mix, add a two to three inches of organic manure. Use your kitchen waste of banana peels, pea shells, egg shells, tea leaves and coffee grounds. The compost should be spread well over the soil and should not be too compact. Garlics do not have hefty roots, rather they have bulbs. These bulbs grow well when the soil is rich is Phosphorous. With the organic manure, you can also use some amount of organic fertilizers.
Check the temperature and climatic conditions
Cool temperatures are always favourable to grow garlic. All the types of garlic, can be grown within five to eight weeks. The perfect temperature for this hardy plant is around 40 to 46 F. Try not to grown them in greenhouses, this will simply increase the temperature. Thereby, damaging the crop.
While the first frost come around, remember to sow the dissected cloves of the garlic. The cloves should not be too deep in the soil; just two to three inches inside.
The proper amount of water required
Garlic as such needs regular watering. Watering should not be done in the bright sunlight. The best time for watering is either the dawn or the dusk. While watering, try not to sprinkle too much water on the leaves.
The perfect time to harvest the garlic
Within two to three months, you can see your garlic plants growing full cloves. Basically, at the onset of the summer, harvesting can be done. The cloves will turn yellowish when grow fully.
Conclusion
If an ingredient can add an exquisite flavour and tons of health benefits, then it always good to plant them at home. With the space of a tiny little pot, you can easily bring home, chunks of garlics. All the more, since the cost is less and there is no maintenance requirement as such, hence, garlics are really great plants to be planted in pots. Hopefully, with these easy steps, you can grow garlic in pots at your home with ease and in comfort.