We welcome you to garliccare, here we try to answers all you question about garlic and how to grow garlic, plant garlic, and garlic recipes. But this article or guide we will talk about how to grow elephant garlic in a garden anywhere to grow well.

HOW TO GROW ELEPHANT GARLIC IN A GARDEN

Elephant garlic is more closely linked to leeks than garlic, despite the fact that it looks and tastes like garlic. Elephant garlic is substantially larger than regular garlic; a single clove might be as enormous as an entire garlic bulb! Elephant garlic, as a result, has certain unique growing requirements. It’s easy to grow, and the products are wonderful, particularly when roasted.

Read Also: ELEPHANT GARLIC CARE

THINGS YOU WILL NEED

You’ll also need;

• one elephant garlic bulb
• well-draining soil.
• Fertilizer high in nitrogen and
• Mulching with straw (optional, for cool climates)

HOW TO PLANT ELEPHENT GARLIC

1. Elephant garlic bulbs can be found in a nursery or farmer’s market. The bulbs are the “seed,” and once divided into cloves, they can produce multiple garlic plants. As long as the garlic is labeled “organic,” you can use it from the grocery store.

• Check that the bulbs are firm and wrapped in dry, papery wrappers. Any cloves that are bruised, rotting, or loose should be avoided. If your local nursery or market doesn’t have them, you can get them online.

2. Remove the cloves from the stem but keep the casings. Separate the cloves from the bulb’s base gently. To do this, you’ll need to remove portion of the papery wrapper. However, don’t peel the garlic cloves themselves; after all, you’re not going to consume it.

• Double-check your cloves for bruises, damage, or disease, and eliminate any that appear bruised, damaged, or diseased.

3. Fill a plot with well-draining soil and place it in broad sunlight. Use soil with a pH of 6.0 to 7.0 for the best results. Add some well-rotted compost or manure to the mix as well.

• You don’t have to plant the garlic at the same time as you prepare the plot; instead, you’ll plant it later in the fall.
• Consider constructing a planting bed that is 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) in height. This will aid in the removal of pebbles and weeds from the planting area.

4. In the fall, plant the garlic 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) deep. Dig a 4 to 6 in (10 to 15 cm) deep hole and place 1 clove in the bottom. To hide the hole, run your palm over it. This procedure should be repeated for each clove you want to plant. To allow the garlic to develop, space the holes at least 12 inches (30 cm) apart.

• If you’re planting a large amount of garlic, consider planting it in multiple rows. Maintain a distance of about 3 feet (0.91 m) between rows. Harvesting will be easier as a result of this.
• A garlic clove’s bottom end is smooth and blunt. The top is pointed and spiky.

5. Water the soil until it is wet to the touch. If you touch the dirt, it should feel spongy and stick to your finger. If you press down on it, it should not start to puddle. It’s not a good idea to use too much water when growing garlic because it can cause the bulbs to rot.
6. If you reside in a cold region, mulch is a good idea. Straw is an excellent mulch for garlic since it protects it from the cold and frost. Mulch in the range of 1 to 3 inches (2.5 to 7.6 cm) will enough.

• If you live in a hotter region, you don’t need to use mulch because the purpose is to keep the soil warm, not damp.

CARING FOR THE ELEPHANT GARLIC

1. During the growing season, water the soil whenever it feels dry. Again, you want the soil to feel damp and spongy, but not waterlogged. The frequency with which you do this is determined by how hot and dry it is where you live. However, it will need to be watered at least once a week.

• When the leaves begin to dry out towards harvest time, stop watering the garlic; otherwise, the bulbs will rot.

2. During the growing season, fertilize once or twice. A nitrogen-rich fertilizer will suffice, but only when used sparingly. Stop using the fertilizer once the cloves begin to multiply and form bulbs, as this may influence the bulbs’ development.
3. Any blossoms should be removed. You should be able to pinch them off with your fingers, but clean scissors or pruning shears can also be used. The flowers will absorb the energy that would otherwise go to the developing bulb if you leave them on the garlic.
4. As soon as you notice weeds, pull them out. If you built a planting bed, this should not be an issue, but it’s still a good idea to double-check. If you leave the weeds alone, they will deplete all of the nutrients required for the garlic to flourish.

• If you used mulch, be sure to check underneath it for weeds.
• Weeds can be reduced by adding well-rotted compost to the mulch. This is something you should do in the spring.
• If weeds are becoming a problem, consider using a herbicide that is safe for food plants.

5. Keep an eye out for pests and diseases, and treat them right away. Pests aren’t a big problem because garlic is produced in the winter in warm climates, but they can still show up in the spring when the weather warms up. Because of the moist, humid conditions, bacterial and fungal infections are more prevalent. To cure this, use sprays and chemicals designed specifically for crops.

• Rust and white rot are common problems with elephant garlic.
• Elephant garlic pests include onion flies, stem and bulb eelworms, and stem and bulb eelworms.

HOW TO HARVEST ELEPHANT GARLIC

1. In the middle to late summer, check the bulbs. The stalk will have turned yellow and begun to dry out at this stage. Examine the papery wrappers and dig into the soil until you discover one or two bulbs. The garlic is ready to harvest when the wrappers are 3 to 5 layers thick.

• Garlic takes approximately 180 to 210 days to completely develop.
• Keep in mind that in rainy climates, the stalks may not get brown and dry.
• Harvest the garlic as soon as possible; otherwise, it will split in the ground and spoil.

2. Remove the garlic cloves from the soil. If the soil is dry and crumbly, you may be able to just yank the garlic out by the stalk. If the garlic is firmly embedded in the soil, though, you should lift it out using a trowel or potato fork.

• Be cautious when removing the garlic from the soil so that it is not bruised or damaged.

3. Remove the stalks and roots. Cut the stalks using scissors or shears until they are about 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5.1 cm) length. Trim the roots as near to the bulb’s base as feasible after that. With scissors, you should be able to complete this task.

• Don’t rip the roots or stalks off the garlic or it will be ruined.
• Make sure your scissors and shears are in good working order.

4. Before removing the filthy wrapping, allow the garlic to dry. Allow 1 to 2 hours for the garlic to dry out in the sun. Peel off the outside 1 or 2 wraps of the garlic once it has dried to make it look clean again. [15]

• Only remove the soiled papery wrappers, not all of them.

5. Cure the garlic for 2 to 3 weeks in a shaded environment. Elephant garlic can be treated like any other garlic once it has been harvested. Cut the roots and stalks off, then spread them out in a shady location to dry and cure for 2 to 3 weeks.

 GROWING ELEPHANT GARLIC TIPS

• Once the garlic has been cured, keep it in a cold, dry area.
• To evaluate your soil’s pH, use a pH kit.
• Elephant garlic is said to have a milder flavor than normal garlic. It’s ideal for roasting because of this.
• Tailor your watering and fertilization regimen to your plant’s specific requirements. It’s possible that you’ll need to water more or use less fertilizer.
• If elephant garlic cloves are left in the ground, they may grow into a new bulb with numerous cloves. You’ll have more to plant the following season as a result of this.
• In the right temperatures, elephant garlic can be cultivated as an annual for harvest or as a perennial. Perennials must be dug out and divided on a regular basis.

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