A detailed guide to growing garlic on a balcony, easy enough for beginners to pick up

Garlic is a commonly used spice and seasoning, and garlic is also a seed that can be used to grow garlic sprouts, so what exactly is the method for growing garlic on a balcony?

1. Growth habits of garlic

Garlic is the underground bulb of plants in the Liliaceae family and Allium genus. The garlic bulb is rich in protein, oligosaccharides and polysaccharides, and also contains fats, minerals and more. Long-term consumption can help prevent disease and support health.

The bulbils of garlic are also called garlic cloves. Botanically, they are lateral buds on the shortened stem disc, and they are the nutrient storage organs and reproductive organs of garlic. A bulbil is composed of two layers of scales and one young bud.

According to the number of whorls in which the garlic cloves are arranged on the stem disc, garlic can be divided into 2 types: one type has a single whorl of garlic cloves alternately arranged on the stem disc, generally 4~15 cloves, and these garlic types are mostly large-clove varieties, such as purple-skin garlic; the other type has two or more whorls of garlic cloves arranged on the stem disc, generally 20~35 cloves, and these are mostly small-clove varieties, such as dog-tooth garlic.

2. Method for growing garlic on a balcony

You can choose two methods: water culture and soil culture:

Water culture of garlic is relatively simple. Just prepare some healthy garlic that has not moldered, then soak 2/3 of the garlic in a container filled with water, and place it in a spot with sufficient light to grow;

For soil culture of garlic, you need to choose fertile, loose soil for planting. Break the garlic into cloves and insert them into the soil about 2cm deep, then water, and the garlic can grow normally.

3. Garlic storage methods

Garlic that is not eaten for a long time tends to sprout. To prevent garlic from sprouting, storage must be done well:

1. You can put the garlic in the sun to dry off part of its moisture. Generally, after drying for 2~3 days, use a knife to trim off the fibrous roots, then move it to a cool place to dry. During this period, pay attention to ventilation to prevent internal heating and mold.

2. After the garlic is dried, sort it, remove mechanically damaged, rotten or shriveled garlic heads, and braid them into strings. Between summer and autumn, place them in a temporary drying shed, cold room or ventilated storage warehouse. In winter, avoid moisture and freezing.

3. You can also choose a plot with higher terrain, dryness, firm and thick soil, and a low groundwater level to dig a cellar. Install ventilation channels in the cellar. During cellar storage, check regularly and remove rotten or deteriorated garlic heads at any time.