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The price of garlic has grown all the way to 76.30 USD/cwt in 2020.
So, this commonly used spice is costing a lot of pennies from our pocket. But, what if we could grow garlic ourselves!
Read this content to know How to grow Garlic in Balcony Garden in a short time.
Garlic
Garlic is commonly used as a herb or spice. But in fact, garlic is botanically a vegetable.
Garlic is a perennial flowering plant that grows from a bulb. Because of the pungent flavor, garlic is used to spice up the dishes.
Did you know? – Garlic is the second most used bulb plant after onion.
Because of the pungent smell of garlic, it acts as a natural fungicide to other plants like mint. So, to grow mint on your balcony, check our content on How to grow mint in Balcony Garden (Grow mint in any Season).
Garlic is rich in vitamins C and A and helps to lower blood pressure, cholesterol, support immune functions, quell inflammation, and many more.
How to grow Garlic on Balcony Garden
Like mentioned earlier, you can grow garlic in your balcony garden. You can expect fresh green stalks, flowers, and even garlic bulbs from this method.
Let’s get started on how to grow garlic in the balcony garden.
Step 1: Know When to Plant
Many people get confused about when to plant this plant. Usually, autumn is the preferred season for this plant.
But, you can grow this plant at any time of the year indoors. You need to maintain the temperature and soil.
Step 2: Choosing the Right Container
Choosing the right container is crucial for the growth of garlic plants.
The container should be about 8 inches deep minimum with proper drainage holes in the bottom.
Step 3: Soil
Now, you need to place the soil in the right container. Make sure that the soil is well-draining and permeable.
You can use an equal mix of cocopeat, compost, or manure, and either perlite or vermiculite in the soil.
Step 4: Planting the Garlic
Once the soil for the garlic to grow is all set, the next step is to plant the cloves.
But remember, you need to remove all the cloves from the garlic bulbs. And, make sure that the flat end of cloves goes down the soil. This is where the roots come from.
Push the cloves about 2-3 inches deep into the soil and slightly cover the top of the clove by the soil.
Also, for multiple plants, maintain a distance of about 4 inches between the cloves to grow garlic bulbs. You can plant the cloves closer for garlic green.
Care for Garlic Plant
So, by following these steps, you have successfully planted the garlic. But, it is not enough yet to grow healthy garlic in your balcony garden.
Caring for the garlic plant before harvesting them is equally necessary.
#1 Location
Once you have planted the clove, it is important that where you are growing the plant.
You need to look for a proper location where the plant receives at least six hours of direct sunlight every day. You can also opt for indoor grow lights.
#2 Watering
Obviously, just like any plant, garlic also needs water to grow healthy. Watering garlic indoors might be a little tricky than watering them outside.
While outside, the soil should be moist. But, to grow garlic in the balcony garden, watering must be done according to sunlight and warmth received by the plant.
Make sure that the soil always remains slightly moist.
#3 Fertilizer
Fertilizer is mostly preferred while growing garlic, especially if you are growing garlic on your balcony.
Use organic fertilizer twice a month for healthy growth. Also, you can use kelp meal or fish fertilizer as nutrients for the plant.
Harvesting the Garlic
The growth of garlic from clove to plant is quick. Within a few weeks, you will be able to see the fresh new garlic shoots.
So, once they become at least 4-6 inches tall and green, you can start picking them up. But, make sure that you leave an inch of growth on the clove for the regrowth.
If you are expecting for garlic bulb, you need to take care of the plant for about 8 months.
When the leaves start turning brown, remove the plant from the soil and start drying them.
Finally, you can use these garlic bulbs in your cooking or, use them again to grow garlic in your balcony garden.
Image credit: unsplash.com
