Just like growing onions, growing garlic organically in your garden is very easy and simple.
If you have space in your garden, you can enjoy the aroma and taste of homemade garlic.
All you have to do is plant the right variety at the right time and in the right soil to grow garlic organically in your garden.
Garlic (Allium sativum) is actually available and cultivated all over the world, but is native to Central Asia and northeastern Iran.
It has been cultivated for a very long time, with a history of thousands of years of human consumption and use.
In some parts of the world, garlic has been used not only for food, but also in traditional medicine.
Today, China is the largest garlic producer (accounting for around 80% of total production).
Garlic is an excellent source of some essential vitamins and minerals. Raw garlic contains less than 1% fat, 2% dietary fiber, 6% protein, 33% carbohydrates and 59% water.
Today, garlic is widely used around the world for its pungent taste and is eaten in different ways (including raw and cooked).
How to grow garlic in your garden
Garlic takes up very little space in the garden and is very easy to grow. After you plant a clove, it will multiply in the ground, forming a new bulb made up of several cloves.
However, here we cover everything about growing organic garlic in the home garden, from planting, care to harvesting.
Choose the right type of garlic
First, you need to choose the right variety to grow garlic in your garden. In fact, there are many types and varieties of garlic available around the world.
Three types of garlic are commonly available: large-headed (elephant), hard-necked, and soft-necked. And within these three types, many varieties are available.
Elephant (big-headed): This variety of garlic does not have the same taste and aroma as most other common garlic varieties. The cloves and bulbs are large (about 4 cloves per bulb), but the variety is less hardy.
Stiff neck muscles: As the name suggests, garlic varieties of this type have necks that remain soft after harvest. These varieties are recommended for the home gardener living in warmer climates. They tend to rise and have a strong, rich taste. Some common varieties of soft garlic are late California, early California, red inchelium, and silver.
hardneck: The Hardneck type has many varieties that have a single carnation ring growing around the stem and no carnation layer. These varieties are extremely hardy, but they don’t keep as well or for as long as other varieties. Common varieties in the hard type are Red Garlic, Dujanski, German Red, Korean, Musical, Siberian, and Spanish Rocha. Hardneck garlic is milder than softneck garlic.
You should choose a variety that grows well in your area. You can consult a gardener in your area for more specific recommendations.
Buy fresh garlic or cloves
Garlic is grown by planting cloves. Therefore, having chosen a variety, buy fresh garlic or cloves first.
Remember to choose garlic with fresh, high-quality bulbs. It will be better if you can find and buy organic garlic (to avoid chemical processing of garlic) to grow organic garlic in your garden.
If you already have sprouted garlic at home, you can also use it to grow new plants.
Best time to grow garlic
As we mentioned earlier, garlic is very easy to grow and can be grown all year round in mild climates.
To grow garlic in colder climates, the cloves are planted in the fall (about six weeks before the ground freezes) and harvested in late spring or early summer.
But cloves should be planted deep enough to avoid freezing or thawing (which causes mold or white rot).
Garlic grows well in a wide variety of climates. But it may not thrive in areas with high temperatures or humidity, or heavy rainfall.
Soil preparation
Garlic grows well in loamy soil in full sun. You should choose or prepare fertile, well-drained soil for growing garlic.
Raised beds are suitable for these plants. If there are any rocks or hard materials in the garden, remove them from the top 6 inches of soil.
Add well-rotted and seasoned manure or compost when preparing the soil for growing garlic.
Adding fish bones or fishmeal to the soil (a few inches below where the base of the garlic will rest) works great for growing garlic in your garden.
planting
Garlic is not grown from seed like some of the other more common garden vegetables. They are actually grown from cloves.
If you use garlic for cooking, you’ve probably noticed garlic with sprouted cloves. These sprouted cloves are used to grow garlic.
If you buy fresh garlic, separate the cloves from the bulb a few days before planting (keep a paper envelope on each clove).
Place the uprights 2-4 inches apart and about 1.5-2 inches in their upright position. Rows should be 8 to 12 inches apart. Then water and mulch the soil. That’s it, very simple!
Care
After planting the carnation, you will need to take extra care to ensure that the plants grow better and also to get a good harvest.
Here are the general steps for caring for organic garlic in your garden.
Feed / fertilizer
Garlic is a heavy food that requires adequate amounts of nutrients in the soil. They grow well in fertile soil rich in organic matter.
Therefore, for better plant growth, additional fertilizer is needed. Reapply fertilizer just before the bulbs begin to swell. And you will need to fertilize more if you see yellowing leaves.
tearing
When growing garlic, proper watering is essential. The plants will need to be watered every 3-5 days depending on the condition of the soil.
Mulching
Mulch immediately after planting the carnation. Mulching not only helps prevent weeds, but also helps retain moisture in the soil.
The mulch will also prevent the garlic roots from being pulled out of the ground by alternating between freezing and thawing.
So, after planting, lay down a protective mulch. Chopped leaves, mowed grass, hay and straw are suitable for this.
Cannabis control
Weeds can create serious problems for growing garlic in your garden. Plants do not grow well in a competitive environment.
Weed control is therefore very important. You can rinse between the rows then mulch abundantly. This will prevent most weeds from spreading through your garlic beds.
Pests and diseases
Garlic is less prone to pests and diseases. In fact, garlic is a natural pest control. Although you should monitor the plants regularly.
If you live in a colder climate, white rot is a problem when growing garlic. It is a fungus that can attract garlic in cool weather.
Crop rotation and cleaning the area after harvest are good ways to prevent this fungus.
The fungus infects the base of leaves and roots, and the spores can live in the soil for many years.
Harvest
Look for yellow tops and you can expect to harvest when the tops of the plants start to turn yellow and fall off (before they are completely dry).
Carefully dig up the bulbs with a shovel or garlic fork. Lift the plants and gently scrape the soil.
After harvest, let the garlic dry in a cool, shady, dry place for about 2 weeks. And when the garlic bulbs are dry, they can be stored.
As the bulbs dry out, the flavor intensifies and improves. You can enjoy home-grown garlic for a long time if stored properly.
Hope you enjoyed this garlic growing guide! God bless you!
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