Winter is such a headache for every gardener. You’d hardly find a vegetable or any plant to cultivate during this season.

But luckily, Garlic makes an exception – you can grow it anytime, especially during winter.

The vegetable is not only perfect for the winter but also, its ease of growing is one of the key drivers compelling people to explore it. With its vegetative propagation, producing new garlic plants can be so seamless. 

Can You Grow Garlic in a Greenhouse?

Yes, you can easily grow garlic in a greenhouse. You’d only need to set the soil temperature to the optimum 40 to 50°F, keep the soil wet while maintaining a pH of about 6.8 and allowing plenty of sunlight. 

However, the success of this effort banks heavily on various constraints. These include the nature of the hydroponic environment, the type of garlic you’re considering, and the limitations and strengths relating to the growing structure you own.  

By getting these right, you can be sure you’re on the right path to a bounty harvest. 

Requirements to Grow Garlic in a Greenhouse 

The beauty of growing garlic in a greenhouse is the freedom to tweak and optimize various external factors. To help you in this regard, here are some key considerations. 

Optimum soil requirement 

Loamy soil makes the most suitable habitat for garlic. But this is not enough, you’d typically need soil with a wealth of organic matter and optimum drainage. 

While combining organic compost and loamy soil will work just right in this regard, you may as well turn up at the nearest garden store or order garden soil from your preferred online store. 

Again, be sure to keep the temperatures at about 40 and 50°F, which is approximately 5 to 10°C, especially if you’re looking to grow the garlic in winter. Do this for the first 2 months. 

Keep your pH around 6.8. Besides, be sure to do a soil test for clearer insights into the nutrient the soil has before planting. 

While you typically won’t be needing a fertilizer, nitrogen-based fertilizers can be helpful in maximizing your yield. 

Getting the lighting right

Garlic doesn’t demand a lot in terms of lighting. It only needs a lot of sunlight. So, make sure nothing prevents the vegetable from getting enough sunlight. 

In essence, a place near a window or wherever you think they can get enough light. If this is not possible, buying a LED grow light can as well suffice. 

Watering requirements 

Your watering interval and frequency should be just enough to keep the plant wet and thriving. You’d want to ensure you’re neither overwatering nor underwatering. 

As a rule of thumb, only wet when you notice dry soil or follow a routine of 8/4 (I.e, apply 8cm of water with a 4-day interval). 

Also, note that the intervals are flexible and you can always tweak them to fit your bill.

However, be sure to reduce everything by almost half when the plant stops producing fresh leaves. While applying the water, make sure you’re watering the base and not the crown. 

Climate requirements 

Garlic can grow all year round, regardless of the weather or climatic condition. However, for the best result and minimal effort, be sure to plan your efforts against winter.

Container requirement 

When considering a pot, opt-in for one with roughly 20cm of depth and a diameter of 15cm. Also, put your potential harvest into consideration. 

Whether container choice you make must be big enough to accommodate the bulbs. But remember to plant those cloves with at least a 5cm distance difference to make it all easier. 

How To Grow Garlic in a Greenhouse 

• Separate the cloves by dividing the head of the fresh bulb. This is something you can typically do with your hands. 

However, as easy as it may seem, it’s very easy to get it wrongly. Ensure you’re not tampering with the clove’s skin to guarantee optimum growth. Also, be careful so you’re not breaking the clove’s center. 

Maintain the base of every clove as will either make or break your entire effort. Strive to maintain the health of the bulb as well as its husk for the best result. 

• Get your hands dirty. Now, it’s time to plant your cloves roughly 5cm deep into the soil. While doing this, be sure that the pointy side faces up. Also, maintain a reasonable distance of about 2 to 8 inches between each plant, depending on their size. Pinch the surrounding soil softly to fully immerse the plant. 
• Now, all you have to do is cover with organic matters. This will help with the insulation and maintaining the optimum growth factors. You may as well fertilize subsequently to upscale your produce. 

How Long Does it Take Garlic to Grow in a Greenhouse?

Provided that you maintain the optimum nutrient and condition requirements, you may notice faster growth. But generally, you’ll start noticing the greens within 2 weeks. 

Around 3 to 6 weeks, you’ll also start seeing scapes getting formed, which make great flavoring ingredients. If you wait for about 6-10 months, the garlic bulbs should be ready for harvest. 

One surefire hack is checking for yellow checking for brown or yellow leaves and foliage. If you notice this, then it’s time to harvest. 

At this point, watering is not advisable. Once you’ve stopped watering, keep this soil for about 3 weeks till at least half of the leaves’ colors have turned brown. 

Now, observe the bulb size and see if they’re matured enough for harvest. If yes, simply dig into the soil around with a scoop or fork to remove the garlic. Subsequently, dry and enjoy your fresh garlic. 

Does Garlic Grow Better Indoor or Outdoor?

Growing garlic is very flexible and relatively straightforward. Not only they’re perfect for every weather but they also grow ell whether you’re looking to grow it indoors or outdoor. 

As long as there is sufficient sunlight and you cater to the requirements indicated in this guide, growing garlic indoors is equally as rewarding as growing it outdoor.