7 Steps to Growing Garlic on a Patio
Growing Garlic on a Small Patio
7 Easy Steps!
Growing garlic on a patio can be easy, as long as you provide the plants with the proper conditions.
Garlic is a smart choice to grow on a sunny patio if you live with hardiness zones 3-9. If you live in South Florida, growing garlic outdoors will be a struggle. Here are 3 good reasons to dedicate a pot or container to planting some garlic this fall:
- garlic produces multiples: one clove can produce 5-10 more cloves
- garlic can be grown in small pots, taking up little space
- garlic can be grown most anywhere with cooler temperatures (zones 3-9)
The biggest challenge to growing fresh garlic at home is… the wait! It can take 7-10 months grow garlic (a long time)!
Planting Bulbs (Cloves) vs Seeds
Garlic takes much longer to produce than most any other vegetable, so lots of patience is required! The most common way to grow garlic is from cloves (the individual pieces that make up a bulb).
Growing garlic on a patio can be done successfully from bulbs BUT can take up to 9 months to harvest, depending on the variety and planting conditions.
Planting garlic from seeds will take even longer, an addition month or two depending on the variety and planting conditions.
Will Garlic Grow from Grocery Store Cloves?
It can be possible to grow garlic from kitchen scraps (cloves of garlic you’ve got in your kitchen, probably leftovers you’ve purchased from the grocery store). But the chances are low that more garlic will grow from that kitchen scrap garlic. Why? Food farmers will often treat garlic (and foods in general) with chemicals that prevent it from sprouting, and probably removed the roots.
If you want to grow garlic from grocery store garlic, look for organic garlic bulbs with roots as they will give you the best chance of growing a good healthy bulb full of garlic cloves.
There are plenty of reputable sellers of organic natural garlic bulbs as well, which are usually the better choice.
Two Types of Garlic: Softneck and Hardneck
Garlic grows well in zones 3-9, as it prefers cooler temperatures. There are two different types of garlic: hardneck and softneck. Beyond these two types, there are also different varieties of each.
Softneck
Softneck garlic is generally considered to be easier for home planting because it grows well in containers. It’s also more tolerant of different climates than hardneck garlic. And if you want to grow a bunch of garlic for cooking, it’s usually the preferred more versatile type plus stores longer.
Softneck garlic varieties tend to grow better in warmer climates.
3 Softneck varieties that grow in pots: Inchelium Red, Silverskin, Nootka Rose
Hardneck Garlic
Hardneck garlic looks different than softneck, in that it has a hard stem (versus soft stem) in the center of the bulb. Also, hardneck garlic generally produces larger, but fewer cloves per bulb.
Hardneck garlic varieties tend to grow better in northern colder climates.
3 Hardneck varieties that grow in pots: Music, Chesnock Red, German Red
Each of these varieties is common for use in container gardening and adaptable for different climates and soil conditions. However, it’s always best to check with your local gardening experts on which varieties grow best in your region, season and growing conditions.
7 Easy Steps to Growing Garlic on a Patio in a Pot
- Choose a sunny spot with at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day, using a container that’s at least 8″x8″ or bigger
- Start with bulbs that are large, plump and healthy looking with no signs of mold or rot, and with roots for best results
- Break bulbs apart, separating into individual cloves (keep papery skin on)
- Stick each clove into soil 1-2 inches deep with pointed root side down, with each clove approximately 4-6″ apart
- Water well after planting, and daily as needed to keep soil moist
- Fertilize every month or so with a healthy compost amendment and/or an organic fertilizer
- In 7-9 months (depending on variety and conditions) watch leaves for yellowing, as this will indicate when the bulbs are about ready to be dug up and harvested
A few things to watch for:
Garlic is fairly resistant to common garden pests and diseases, but watch for aphids.
Garlic likes moist soil, but make sure the soil is a good quality (not too heavy or compacted) so it drains well allowing bulbs to grow properly under the surface without any rotting.
Best time of year to plant garlic is the fall for most locations. Garlic plants prefer a succession of 30-40 days of colder temperatures to develop a very healthy bulb and cloves.
Growing fresh garlic on a small patio in a pot is easy, as long as you understand the plant’s basic needs. If you cook at home, there is nothing better than being able to grow and use your own fresh garlic grown right on your patio! Yum!!
