Here’s a simple guide:
Materials Needed:
- Garlic bulbs with sprouts (green shoots)
- Small pots or containers with drainage holes
- Potting soil
- Sunny windowsill
Steps:
- Choose Garlic Bulbs:
- Select garlic bulbs with sprouts (green shoots). These are often available at grocery stores or farmer’s markets.
- Prepare Pots:
- Use small pots or containers with drainage holes to prevent waterlogging. Fill them with well-draining potting soil.
- Plant Garlic Bulbs:
- Plant each garlic bulb with the sprouts facing upward. Plant them about 1-2 inches deep in the soil.
- Watering:
- Water the pots thoroughly after planting, ensuring the soil is evenly moist but not waterlogged.
- Place on Windowsill:
- Place the pots on a sunny windowsill where the garlic will receive at least 6-8 hours of sunlight per day.
- Watering Routine:
- Keep the soil consistently moist. Water when the top inch of soil feels dry. Be cautious not to overwater.
- Fertilize (Optional):
- If you want to encourage faster growth, you can feed the garlic with a diluted, balanced liquid fertilizer every few weeks.
- Harvesting Greens:
- As the garlic greens grow, you can harvest them by snipping the tops with scissors. This won’t harm the bulb’s growth.
- Transplant (Optional):
- If you want to continue growing the garlic to full bulbs, you can transplant them outdoors once the weather is suitable.
- Patience:
- Growing garlic on a windowsill may not produce full bulbs, but you can enjoy fresh garlic greens, which have a milder flavor.
Remember that growing full garlic bulbs typically requires outdoor planting, but cultivating garlic greens on a windowsill is a simple and rewarding way to have fresh, homegrown garlic flavor.