Looking for something easy to plant and grow in a decorative patio
pot, something healthy to eat, wonderful to smell, and looks good in a garden
planter? GARLIC!
If you have never tried to grow garlic in a garden container and watch it grow
so you can harvest it, then you are missing out for sure. It’s really so easy and fun to do. Great for kids and older adults alike. Just follow a few easy tips and you can have great success growing your potted garlic.

As we all know, garlic is one of the most popular herbs you can
grow. It’s used in almost all recipes
from spaghetti sauce, to stir fry and everything in between. Garlic is
reported to be a wonderful medicinal plant owing to its preventive
characteristics in cardiovascular diseases, regulating blood pressure, lowering
blood sugar and cholesterol levels, effective against bacterial, viral, fungal
and parasitic infections, enhancing the immune system and so much more.

The first thing to consider is the
right type of garlic to plant in your flowerpot. If you live in a cold climate purchase Hard
neck. The Soft neck kind is better for warmer climates. You can google this for more
information. The second thing to
consider is where you will place the garden containers once they are
planted. The best place to locate your
pottery is where they will get full sun.
A patio area or yard and garden area where they can get direct sun
without an overhang or awning.

When selecting the container to grow
the garlic in you will need one that is at least 6 inches (15 cm.) deep and has
excellent drainage. The garden container also needs to be big enough
to leave 6 inches (15 cm.) of space between cloves. We recommend a terracotta planter, window box,
or garden bowl because the clay breathes and is healthy for the soil and
garlic to get good air circulation. But
most any garden container will yield success.

Start with fresh potting mix. Don’t reuse mix from year after year in any
of your flowerpots, because the garlic will deplete the nutrients in the soil. Separate the cloves carefully and set them
into the mix pointy side up about 4 to 6 inches into the soil. Space apart.
Top with soil and mulch the planter.

Don’t overwater these planters. Allow the soil to dry a bit between watering
but never dry out completely. Feed each
flowerpot with fertilizer during the active growing season to help things
along. Stop fertilizing the potted
garlic mid-summer when the leaves begin to turn brown and die back. You will know when to harvest when half or
more of the leaves have died. That is
the time to dig up the bulbs.

Dig them up being careful not to
bruise or cut them. Lay them out to dry
for 2 to 3 weeks in a shady area or in a garage. When the roots feel brittle, rub them off
along with excess dirt, but leave the papery skins intact. You can now store them in bunches, braid them
or cut off the stems a few inches above the bulb. Store on a screen or shelf where they will
get good cool, dry air.
See how simple this all is. You just do a few things the right way and
the garlic will reward you with healthy, plentiful amounts of cloves for use |