Garlic sprouts are easy to grow, and once you learn how, you will never need to buy them again
Winter is almost here, and it is once again the best season for eating garlic sprouts. Garlic sprouts are actually green garlic, and the truth is that the method for growing garlic sprouts is quite simple. You can grow them right at home without going to the supermarket to buy them, which not only saves money but also lets you experience the fun of growing vegetables. Below, let us share some simple and practical tips for growing garlic sprouts.
1. Soil preparation for growing garlic sprouts
Whether growing in pots or in open ground, before planting garlic sprouts it is best to prepare the soil so that it reaches the ideal condition for growing garlic sprouts.
1. First prepare some ordinary garden soil and sun it under direct sunlight for about 2 days to sterilize it.
2. Add some fully decomposed organic fertilizer to the sun-dried soil, then dig it deeply so the soil and fertilizer are mixed evenly, then spray a little water to keep it moist. Be careful not to water too much; it is enough if it feels damp to the touch.
2. Sowing and management for growing garlic sprouts
1. Sowing
First spread a layer of sand over the soil, then arrange the purchased garlic seed cloves evenly in the sand, keeping the exposed length of the garlic cloves roughly even and the plant spacing at about 3 cm. Recommended garlic varieties include Zhongnong No. 1, Zhongnong No. 3, and Quanzhou Meat Garlic; their garlic sprouts have strong stress resistance and comparatively broad, thick, sturdy leaves.
About 5 days after sowing, the garlic cloves will have rooted and will push some of the garlic heads out. At this point, press the garlic cloves across the whole soil surface with a board and then cover them with another layer of fine sand.
2. Management
After sowing the garlic cloves, water the soil once, making sure to water thoroughly. After that, leave them alone; once the emergence rate reaches more than 60%, water the soil once more to promote seedling growth.
Garlic likes fertilizer, so you can usually apply some farmyard manure to the garlic to promote its growth.
3. Harvesting garlic sprouts
Why is it said that garlic sprouts are suitable for growing at home? Because the growth cycle of garlic sprouts is relatively short; about 1 month after sowing, the garlic sprouts can grow to about 30 cm and can be harvested for eating.
When harvesting, be careful to remove the old leaves. You can directly pinch them off by hand 3 cm above the garlic roots, or cut them with a knife. Generally, each kilogram of garlic seed cloves can yield about 2 kg of garlic sprouts. After the first harvest, a second harvest can be done after about 15 days.
In addition, after harvesting, apply fertilizer once; urea or organic fertilizer is fine, and remove the weeds from the soil.
Overall, garlic generally has few pests and diseases and is a very easy vegetable to grow. It can be grown all year round and is relatively heat-tolerant and cold-tolerant, but when growing in winter, be careful to take good insulation measures. You can add some plant ash to the soil, or build a small arched shed, so the garlic sprouts can grow more healthily.