How to Grow Garlic From Seed
Introduction
Garlic is also called ail and described “as the miracle plant” by American food experts. It is not a preferred food because it can lead to foul breath when consumed, but this adverse effect can not change the fact that it is a very healthy medical plant. This plant has been used as a cure for many illnesses and disorders. This plant is an alternative solution for some diseases thanks to its healing and appetizing features. There is even a proverb in English referring to the healthy effects of garlic: “A clove of garlic a day keeps the doctor away.”
According to research in the USA, the consumption of ails known as allium sativum in the botanic language has dramatically increased since 1980 in America, and awareness about this plant’s benefits has been raised worldwide. The increase in popularity and consumption rate of this plant raises a question in some minds: “How are these unique plants cultivated and grown from seed?” or ” How to grow garlic from seed?” In this article, we’re going to answer those questions by elaborating on the plantation, cultivation, and harvesting of garlic.
Preparations Before Planting Garlic Seed
Garlic is one of the most difficult plants to cultivate because it requires too much maintenance. Therefore, there must be some preliminary preparations before planting it. The first step in this process is to find out the right time for planting. In general, the most appropriate time for planting is the last days of autumn or the first days of spring. Ails can be cultivated efficiently in diverse climates. On the other hand, the regions with high degrees of temperature and humidity are not convenient for planting this plant.
The second step for preparation is to choose a planting area and to prepare the earth for plantation. Ails require too much sun, but they can endure shadow during a day or a season on the condition that it is not a long time. The earth needs to be dug and molded correctly. Sandy soil is the best earth type for this plant. We should know what is in the soil and even do a soil test. They must assure that there is no problem with water evacuation of plantation soil. Finally, fertilizers and compost are indispensable for the cultivation of this product, so human beings should use them.
The last step for preparation is to supply fresh garlic. Contrary to what is believed, this plant is not planted for cultivation. Instead, a clove of garlic is planted and is grown for being garlic. So, the only thing to do at the beginning of the process is to get fresh ails. Human beings should buy garlic from a grocery or preferably greengrocery. Agriculture experts advise organic ails, so it would be better to use organic garlic if there is any chance to find it for human beings.
Plantation of Clove
As we mentioned in the upper paragraphs, garlic is not cultivated with a seed. The clove of this plant is planted for cultivation. Human beings should extract the clove by peeling the plant. They should be so attentive as not to harm the plant’s root because it will not grow if it is harmed. Besides, humans should plant bigger cloves because small cloves produce a smaller harvest, although they cover the same place.
After extracting the cloves, Humans should suppress them into the pit they dug for planting. The cloves must be planted about 5 cm deep, and there should be a 20 cm distance between the cloves for better cultivation. By the way, the cloves’ points must be upright to improve the harvest. After planting, the cloves should be covered by mulching, composting, or rotten grasses. Then, the cover must be composted since planted ails need composted fertilizers when connected with the soil.
Maintenance of the Plant
For its root development, a newly planted garlic should be kept wet and humid. However, the amount of water should be arranged carefully since less water could dry the plant, and too much water can also be very harmful to this plant. Therefore, it must be irrigated considering seasons and temperatures. Ails do not like rain and water too much. Thus, it needs hot and dry weather and summer to grow ripe. It would be sufficient to water this plant once a week if it does not rain.
Some living things, including mice and insects, can intend to eat the cloves. Human beings should be conscientious about these living things. I want to give some information about these harmful live creatures. For example, mice and some tiny animals can nest on mulch. This might be a problem for some people. I suggest those people use plastic mulch. Apart from these creatures, some aphids can harm the seeds. Aphids are tiny creatures that can harm garlic leaves. Keeping them away is not difficult; there is a pesticide for these living things.
Harvesting of the Plant
As the cloves grow, the plant stems emerge. These stems are long and green. Planters can eat a few pieces if they would like to eat. The most delicious part of this plant stem is its sprout which is very tender and thin. By the way, cutting off a piece of the plant can harm the head of the plant. Therefore, planters should not do this action for all plants. Last but not least, planters should not touch the stem of this plant without wearing gloves. Otherwise, their hands will smell garlic for at least a week.
Some signs indicate that it is time for plants to be harvested. Planters should pay attention to these signs. For example, a sign for garlic plants to indicate that it is ready to be harvested is that their leaves’ color turns brown. Besides, when the plant is grown enough to be harvested, the cloves of the plant can be felt on the head of the plant. It is very crucial to harvest crops after the coverts begin to dry. Otherwise, the head of the plant can be splintered, and the coverts can be separated. The harvest begins at the end of the summer, and it continues in autumn, too.
While harvesting, planters should use the shovel and garden fork tenderly. They should not harm the head of the plant underground. Another reason for the attention is that this plant is prone to rot easily, so even a slight shovel hit can destroy the plant. They should not be washed immediately after they are harvested, they need to be dried in a warm environment and hidden in a dry place. Washing this plant might lead to the rotting of the plants, and it can retard the duration of the desiccation process.
Storage Methods of the Plant
The storage of this plant bears great importance in the cultivation of garlic. They should be stocked in a dry and cool section of your place. Dried plants should be preserved in a storage container and can be eaten clove by clove when necessary. Another storage method is to prepare braids from dried plants, which can be hung in planters’ kitchens. This method is both convenient and ornamental. The last storage method for this plant is to conserve it in vinegar and oil. They can be put in vinegar and oil, but hiding them in a fridge significantly prevents bacteria from breeding.
Hard and Soft Neck Garlic
A writer named Ron L. Engeland suggested that garlic should be divided into two types: Soft neck and hard neck. However, many differences between these two types were discovered after this comparison. The first difference between these two varieties is related to garlic braid. Because a braid is only appropriate for a soft neck, hard necks find it difficult to get a braid.
Another difference between a soft neck and a hard neck is the number of their flowers. Hardneck is generally smaller than the soft neck, so they have fewer flowers. They have at least 4 flowers and, at most, 12 flowers. On the other hand, the soft neck type is bigger than the hard neck, so they have more flowers. They have at least 8 flowers and, at most, 20 flowers. The shape of these flowers on a soft neck may also be irregular.
The third and fourth differences between these varieties are related to peeling and climate. Hardneck can easily be peeled, unlike soft necks, which can be too demanding to peel. This feature of softness is beneficial for their storage because it retard the duration for the plant to endure. The last and the most important difference between these varieties is the climate in which they grow. Hardneck is more appropriate in cold climates, whereas a soft neck is cultivated more efficiently in warm climates.
How Long Does It Take to Grow Garlic
The cultivation of this plant is a long process, so planters should not expect a short-term harvest. The cultivation generally takes up 210 days which corresponds to 7 months. This plant is generally planted in autumn or spring. If they are planted in autumn, they can be harvested in spring, and if it is planted in spring, they can be harvested in autumn. This answer is a great question for answering how to grow garlic from seed.
Is It Hard to Grow Garlic From Seed?
As mentioned above, ails are among the most difficult plants to cultivate due to their demanding conditions. First of all, this plant is not grown from a normal seed. The clove of this plant is used as the seed of this plant. There is one way to cultivate it from a normal seed, but it is not efficient, and it has very demanding conditions. Therefore, cloves are used for planting and cultivating. This information shows us how the cultivation of this plant can be difficult.
Can You Plant Garlic From A Garlic Clove?
This plant is mostly planted from a clove as a seed because it is perfect for better cultivation. It is very rare for this plant to be grown from its black seeds because they are demanding and difficult to cultivate. When we search about the incidents and rates of the garlic plantation, we can see that a great majority of farmers and planters grow their garlic from cloves.
Should You Peel Garlic Before Planting?
The answer to this question would be “Absolutely!” This plant needs to be peeled attentively before planting because planters have to use the cloves of garlic located in the inner parts of the product. They also have to be very careful while peeling because any harm to the root of the plant could lead to a failure of cultivation. However, when the plants are harvested, it is better to preserve the crops without peeling them since it can retard the durability duration.
Does Garlic Need Full Sun?
This plant is generally cultivated in hot and dry regions, so we can say that the sun is an indispensable factor for this plant. They need too much sun, and they can not grow without sun. They can tolerate a little shadow during a day or a season, but it should not be too much. There is a detail about this question that must be stressed. As we mentioned above, there are two kinds of garlic: Soft neck and Hard neck. Even if it is an exception, the hard necks can grow in colder climates, unlike soft necks cultivated in warm climates.
Conclusion
All in all, we have given information about garlic propagation and answered this question: ” How to grow garlic from seed?” This question might be a complicated one for some human beings, but it is highly possible to understand the whole process for the ones who searched attentively. The desiccation process for this plant is too demanding, so planters should break a sweat on this work. In brief, this article is written with the intention of how to grow garlic from seed. The answer is given with elaborate information.
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