Growing Garlic Indoors

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Garlic is a delicious and important crop. A member of the lily family, many farmers plant garlic alongside other crops because it can help fend off pests and bugs. Moreover, garlic is known to be a disease-resistant plant, so growing it can be fairly easy.

TIP: Our expert gardening advisor, Susan Patterson adds, "Although garlic does produce seeds, they are not generally true seeds, therefore, it is best to grow from individual cloves. Garlic can be grown outside in a sunny garden spot or, if put in a sunny window, indoors for leaves only. Garlic leaves are a good substitute for green onions and are commonly used in stir fry, on baked potatoes, or in soups."

Use Only Ideal Garlic Heads

To grow garlic chives indoors, all you need is one good garlic head that you can get in a grocery store. Choose a bigger head as it is ideal for indoor conditions. When planting, break the head or bulb into cloves. Then, simply make a 2-inch hole into the prepared planting container and drop 1 clove into the hole. Make sure that the pointy end of the clove faces upward. Cover the hole with soil.

Find a Good Place for the Plants

Location plays an important role in growing garlic indoors. This plant loves plenty of sunlight, so put them in areas where they get direct exposure to the sun. The porch or window sills are perfect locations for your prepared planting beds.

When planting several cloves in one big planting bed, provide 5 to 8 inches allowance between each hole.

Water Your Plants as Needed

Garlic does not require too much water. To maintain your planted cloves, you can water them every other week. An indication that your plants need watering is when the soil in the planting bed feels too dry to the touch.

Cut as Sprouts Appear

As sprouts begin to appear you can cut and enjoy them. Eventually, no more leaves will appear.

TIP: Susan advises, "You really cannot grow garlic inside for new garlic bulbs, but you can get their leaves or garlic chives. It is too difficult to mimic the conditions inside that garlic requires to produce bulbs."