How To Turn Supermarket Garlic Bulbs Into Garlic Plants

Garlic is something that many people rely on and want to grow. Did you know you can sprout organic supermarket garlic and turn them into viable garlic plants?

If you are looking to grow your own garlic, then you may have noticed that gardening stores don’t sell seed garlic all year round. When I wanted to plant my garlic this year, none of the gardening stores sold them, so I had to find an alternative. And that I did.

Did you know…?

• …that you can grow garlic in pots?

• …that one clove turns into a bulb as it grows?

• …that you can preserve your harvest and enjoy it all year?

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1. Decide where to buy the bulbs

I made a list of all the local supermarkets and I checked each one to see what kind of garlic they sold and at what price. I knew I wanted organic garlic, and since I needed several bulbs, the individual price couldn’t be too cheap. Now, I must admit that over the years, I have grown garlic from sprouted garlic cloves that were not organic. So it can be done. However, whenever I buy something to deliberately turn it into a plant – and not because I am minding my food waste – I like to go organic.

I found a good deal and purchased a few varieties of garlic.

2. Sprout the cloves

I keep a few plastic containers with attached lids that close. Fruits and berries from the supermarket are packed and sold in such containers. I use them for harvesting, for growing plants and for sprouting garlic every year.

I took each bulb and separated the cloves. You must do this carefully, because you don’t want the cloves to lose the outer layer of peel. It protects them and helps prevent rot as they grow.

After that, I placed the bulbs in the plastic container and kept it in the refrigerator until at least two thirds of the bulbs have sprouted. This is called stratification. Some plant need to go through a cooler season to be able to sprout. By placing them in the refrigerator, you are mimicking that.

You could also place the bulbs in a little bit of filtered water. Change it every day and keep them in a warm place. Soon enough, the cloves will sprout and grow roots.

3. Plant the cloves

Garlic wants quite a bit of sun as it grows. One usually covers the garlic plants to protect them during winter. Being in the sun will also make sure the soil doesn’t remain soggy after rain, which could cause the cloves to rot.

This year I decided to take the simplest route. I took two soil bags and cut a number of holes on the bottom of them. I flipped them over and cut a line an inch from the edge on three sides. The upper part of the soil bag could then be flipped to the side. The soil in soil bags can be quite hard and compact, so it is important to break it up well.

The distance between each clove

After the soil has become loose, it is time to plant the cloves. I usually plant mine about two knuckles down, and depending on when I plant them, I may cover them with straw as well. Based on the size of the bulb, I find out how close together I can get away with planting them. If I consider the clove to be at the centre of a future bulb, I then place two to three fingers between the likely edge of that bulb and the edge of the next one. On average, one can expect that the bulb will be two fingers wide on each side of the clove.

Therefore, an even simpler way to do it would be to plant a clove, lay down five fingers on top of the soil next to it, and plant the next one there. Keep going while making sure there are five fingers between each bulb in each direction.

I’m more than sure that there are other schools of thought and that there are gardeners out there with completely different tactics, but this is what has worked for me.

How long does it take to grow garlic?

Garlic has a long growing season. You could grow a human baby in the same amount of time. That’s right. It takes between eight to nine months for a garlic clove to grow into a garlic bulb. However, you can still harvest the garlic greens and even the scopes and use them in your cooking. Though I suggest waiting a few months before you start harvesting the greens. You don’t want to shock the plants or attract pests to them.

How do you know when they are ready to harvest?

When the tops are turning brown, die back and fold over, it is time to harvest your garlic.

How do you preserve the harvest?

There are a number of ways to preserve garlic. Here are a few:

• Peel and freeze the cloves

• Ferment the cloves

• Add the cloves to your kimchi

• Use the cloves in canning projects

• Bake garlic bread for Samhain

• Dehydrate them and turn them into garlic powder

• Braid them and hang them to dry

• Cut off the stems and let them dry

Good luck!