How Do You Grow An Endless Supply Of Garlic Indoors?

Garlic is known for its health benefits and its compound allicin has antibacterial properties and can help you to fight any bacteria, flu, or yeast infections, and it features in almost every savory dish. The homegrown garlic has a stronger smell than the one bought on the market and you know for sure it is chemical-free.

Can you Grow Garlic Indoors All-Year-Round?

Do you think that you can plant garlic indoors? Yes, you can, you can do it all year round and in endless supply.

Garlic is easy to crop and grow and needs a little maintenance, and all you need is just a few cloves and you are ready to become a real micro farmer.

It is fun to harvest real food at home when it is real winter outside and you will have the needed fresh greenery for your meals in the middle of cold winter days.

You can grow it in containers, and even in small pots, but growing whole bulbs will need more time compared to the garlic greens that can be snipped in 7 or 10 days’ time.

To plant the whole head of garlic, you need to plant outdoors, as it needs the winter dormancy to generate a new head.

But, you can start growing indoors any time you want, and here is what you need to know:

There are 3 different garlic varieties and they all have different flavors and are suitable for different climates and soil types.

• Softneck garlic– the most common type found in groceries
• Hardneck garlic – has a stronger taste and smell and has fewer cloves than the softneck garlic
• Elephant garlic– that grows large as a leek and has large cloves

Garlic Parts

You might often wonder, how many parts does garlic have? It might be a little bit confusing even though garlic is a small plant.

1. The round part is called a bulb
2. The bulb is composed of smaller parts called cloves
3. The root that is almost always trimmed before it is sold in the markets
4. The stem that is sometimes attached to the bulb and grows leaves out of it
5. Some garlic types have scapes, that hold the flower head of the plant and can generate bulbs on their own

What Do You Need To Plant Garlic Indoors All-Year-Round?

You will need:

1. Organic or locally grown garlic cloves can be kept in the fridge for several weeks before planting so you can get the best results. Also, it is better to use the garlic cloves that are sprouting as this might easier the whole process.
2. Container that can be pot, a bowl, or a cup, and the best is to use a clear one as it will be easier for you to follow the growing process.
3. Water, yes no soil is needed as it gets all nutrients it needs from the cloves

Growing Garlic Method From Clove To Bulb

1. Prepare the materials

Yes,  firstly, before planting the garlic, you need to prepare all the materials ( a container, garlic cloves, and water) you need and find a place to keep the garlic. The best place to keep it is on a windowsill, as it needs a lot of light. You need to be sure that there is enough sun and the curtains are not very often drawn. You do not need to worry about the smell, as the garlic doesn’t smell while growing.

2. Put water in the bowl

It is very important to add enough water to cover the entire bottom, but at the same time to touch only the bottom of the garlic. If the water covers the garlic cloves, they will begin smelling and rotting, so you should be careful.  

If the water starts to become gloomy, you need to change it, and you do not have to worry that the whole process turned down. The water temperature should be the same as the room temperature, so you should take care of that as well.  

3. Put the garlic cloves

You should be careful when putting the garlic cloves, as they should not be submerged into the water and they should be facing upward. If you have problems with placing them upward, you can use toothpicks to balance them and put them in the right position.

4. Change water every few days

While growing the water should be changed every few days so as to keep it clear and clean. What is more important, you must constantly check if the plant gets enough light.

5. Harvest

Harvest the shoots when they reach 3 inches long and remove 1/3 of the plant at a time. It is important not to cut it too much as it will stop growing. You can wait with the harvest if you like,  as sprouts may grow up to 10 inches long and harvest them when they grow much longer.

6. Add them to your favorite dish

They are great as an addition to stews, soups, pasta, baked potatoes, and flatbreads.

Growing Garlic Greens Indoors

If you want to plant it in soil and get garlic greens, here is a quick guide of how to do it:

1. Break cloves, but leave the peel and plant them in a 4-inch pot
2. Put the soil, but leave ½ inch at the top
3. Put the garlic cloves slowly, but facing upward, they need to be pointy
4. This way, you can plant them very close one to another and plant up to 12 cloves in one 4-inch pot
5. You should water them on a regular basis
6. In ideal conditions, the clove you planted, will transform into a small bulb.

Materials used:

1. Organic or locally grown garlic can be kept in the fridge for several weeks before planting to get the best results. It should be healthy and nice looking.
2. Container that can be a large pot, large yogurt, or margarine container with drainage holes
3. Potting soil

5 Garlic Growing Tips

1. Do I Peel Garlic Before Planting?

Garlic cloves do not need peeling and it is possible that they would become more vulnerable to diseases and insects if you peel them. Just plant them about an inch deep pointing upward.

2. How Long Does Garlic Take To Sprout After Planting?

If the growing conditions are satisfactory and favorable,  the garlic greens or the baby garlic will sprout in seven to ten days and can be snipped.

3. How Often Should I Water My garlic?

You should water the garlic on regular basis and you have good drainage you should not worry about overwatering. If the soil is scratchy and warm you should water it immediately.

If you have decided to grow it in water, you should change the water as soon as the water gets gloomy, or every few days.

4. Does Growing Garlic Need Full Sun?

Yes, garlic needs to receive six to eight hours of sunlight per day. If you planning to plant indoors, it is recommendable to put the pot on south-facing windows

5. How Do You Know When Garlic Is Done Growing?

Harvest the shoots when they reach 3 inches long and remove 1/3 of the plant at a time, usually in 10 days. If you grow garlic for bulbs, it will take a few months for them to be generated.

The plant has finished growing when the leaves turn brown.