Indoor Garlic Propagation: (Allium sativum)

Garlic after one week, todays date: January 16, 2011 - this garlic leaves is about 6 inches tall now.

Garlic cloves (2) in a 6 inch pot, marked and dated with sowing date Jan 10. 2012

two cloves of garlic, set aside for planting in a pot

Indoor propagation of common household spice: Garlic ( Allium sativum)

I swear there is no more window in my house without plant, or every corner in my house there is a plant, if not toys. Why i keep propagating another plant, because I am a mad gardener.

While chopping garlic this morning for my eggs, I found two of these cloves has scapes - i meant that green thingy that will eventually become leaves. instead of chopping it off, and fry it, i decided to set it aside. Ahem, you know what this green thumb of mine is up to, right?

Indoor soil. i always have indoor potting soil at home, i do have houseplants, and seeds which is a hobby of mine. Do not bother using garden soil, just save yourself the trouble. I found a 6 inch pot, fill it with potting soil mixed with play sand (grit and drainage), and put down the 2 cloves.

Notice that I did not totally cover the whole of garlic with soil. Base on experience, I remember Iris varieties with large rhizomes need to breath. So, as any bulbs from the Lilium family & allium(garlic belongs here). This might not be an expert village, but i am trying to find my grove here. Once the green shots come out full steam, then root formation starts. As roots grow, this will pull the garlic down, so eventually, this garlic will be totally buried under the soil.

Water. Another factor is watering. Since this is the propagation stage, and there are no roots present yet, bottom watering the container is useless. No root tips or hairs that can absorb water. And if ever i attempt to bottom water, I will have soggy soil that will rot my garlic. Plus, indoor environment does not have decent air circulation that will dry it out. Possibility of ROT is high! (and true, it happened to me before, and it does STINK, LOL).
So, i will water from the top, maybe 1/4 cup once a week, and make sure it drained properly and increase the amount as needed.

Location: I have no more space except the shelf beside my oven. I can closely watch this garlic grow everyday, and if in case it starts to show rot, the compost bin is not that far either.

Light & Heat: The amount of light depends on when my kitchen light is on, maybe a little bit more from the window, or heat when my oven is on. I know, this ain't an ideal environment, but who else can provide one in this frigging cold winter?

So, here you go, another herb growing in my kitchen, literally. And ops, I just called my the "mad gardener". Oh well, I hope that is original.

Photos are all mine, taken from my Blackberry. and of course, that garlic is mine too, I got it from Produce Depot last Sunday.




Angie
Zone 5B
Ottawa Ct, ON, Canada