How to choose garlic for planting
Ideally, it is best to start with garlic from a farmers' market or from a gardener you know. In ordinary stores, garlic bulbs may be treated in such a way that they cannot grow or sprout.
Next, you will choose between softneck and hardneck garlic. The main difference between these two types lies in the «neck»: softneck garlic usually has several flexible leaves, while hardneck has a central stem (or scape) that hardens over time.
Softneck varieties are usually better suited to warm regions, hardneck – to cold ones. Hardneck garlic bulbs tend to form a smaller number of cloves and often have a more complex flavor. The advantage of softneck garlic bulbs is that they mature faster and store better.
How to plant garlic
First, keep the bulb in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks to simulate a cold period. After all, when grown outdoors, garlic really does need a cold dormancy period in order to flower and form bulbs.
That said, in cold weather you can plant the garlic right away and keep it away from the radiator, by a slightly open window or on a glazed balcony.
Stick the cloves into a pot of soil with the pointed tip down. Then water generously and leave the pot on a brightly lit windowsill. Important: you need a well-drained potting mix – standard garden soil does not provide sufficient drainage.
Another growing option is to first root the garlic cloves. To do this, you need to take a clear cup, place the unpeeled cloves in it with the root end down, and fill the cup with water so that it covers the garlic halfway. After a week, green shoots should begin to form, and that is when you can transplant the clove into soil.
How to grow garlic indoors
Give it as much direct natural sunlight as possible. If sunlight is in short supply – take care of a grow light. Feed the garlic twice a month, water it as the soil dries out. Trim or pinch off the green scapes as they grow, in time, to help the plant focus on growing the bulb.
Growing garlic will take several months. The bulbs can be harvested when half of the leaves have turned brown. At that point, stop watering, let the soil dry out for a week – and dig up the mature garlic.
