How to Grow Garlic in Containers
A deep pot over winter is all you need for a row of homegrown garlic.
Garlic is an easy and rewarding container crop. It takes up a pot for a long stretch, but needs almost no attention while it grows, and homegrown garlic is far better than most you can buy. A deep pot on a sunny balcony over the cooler months does the job.
Container and mix
Use a pot at least 25 to 30 cm deep with good drainage. Garlic rots in waterlogged soil, so drainage matters more than for most crops. Fill with a free-draining potting mix enriched with compost. A wide pot or trough lets you fit more cloves.
Planting
Plant in autumn for most regions, breaking a bulb into individual cloves at planting time and choosing the biggest, firmest ones. Push each clove in pointy end up, about 3 to 5 cm deep, and space them around 10 to 15 cm apart. Use seed garlic or a healthy bulb from a grower or market rather than imported supermarket garlic, which may be treated and is often a poor variety for your climate.
Care
Put the pot in full sun and keep the mix lightly moist but never soggy. Feed every few weeks through the leafy growth with a balanced or nitrogen-rich liquid feed, then ease off as the bulbs mature. Keep on top of weeds in the pot, as garlic hates competition. Stop watering once the lower leaves start to yellow and dry.
Harvest and curing
Garlic is ready when about half the leaves have yellowed and dried, usually late spring to early summer, six to eight months after planting. Lift the bulbs carefully, do not pull by the leaves. Cure them by hanging in a dry, airy, shaded spot for a few weeks, after which they store for months.
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Open the App →Frequently Asked Questions
Can you grow garlic in a pot?
Yes, garlic grows well in a deep container. Use a pot at least 25 to 30 cm deep with good drainage, plant individual cloves in autumn, give it full sun, and harvest in late spring to early summer.
How deep should a pot be for garlic?
At least 25 to 30 cm deep so the bulbs have room to develop, with good drainage holes. Garlic rots in waterlogged soil, so a free-draining mix and a pot that drains well are important.
When do you plant garlic in containers?
Autumn for most regions. Garlic needs a long, cool growing period to form good bulbs, so an autumn planting matures over winter and spring for a late spring to early summer harvest.
Can I plant supermarket garlic?
It is best not to. Imported supermarket garlic may be treated to stop sprouting and is often a variety poorly suited to your climate. Use seed garlic or a healthy locally grown bulb of a variety that suits your region.
How do I know when container garlic is ready?
Harvest when about half the leaves have yellowed and dried back, usually six to eight months after planting. Lift the bulbs gently rather than pulling the tops, then cure them in a dry, airy, shaded spot for a few weeks.
See also: How to Grow Garlic