How to growing garlic in your backyard

Sep 25, 2017

Your soil should have a lot of organic matter added to it, as garlic grows better in rich soil that are soft enough for the bulbs to develop well and reach their full potential.

AGRICULTURE | FARMING

Garlic is one of those herbs you should have in your backyard. Not only does it have wonderful medicinal qualities, but it is also easy to grow and spices up any dish if added.

Garlic is also one of those herbs that can be used for companion planting. It is also a useful plant for using as a natural pesticide.

Twaha Kakooza a garlic farmer in Kayunga says you can grow it in a container or a sack. According to Kakooza garlic is one of those herbs that you can recycle when you have been shopping at the market. When you keep garlic for too long it starts to sprout. Instead of throwing it away, just plant it!

"If you want to plant garlic that you purchased from the market, make sure that it has begun to sprout first before you plant it", he explains.

This is because some garlic, especially, that imported from China has been treated so that it will not sprout.

You can also ask the market vendors to specifically give you garlic for planting purposes. They usually have some in stock, or know where to get it from.

 



He advises people to start small and keep on replanting. After a season or two, you will have both the experience and quantity necessary for a moneymaking enterprise.

Plant to a depth of about 5cm deep in good free-draining soil that is under sun

Your soil should have a lot of organic matter added to it, as garlic grows better in rich soil that are soft enough for the bulbs to grow well and reach their full potential.

Each clove should be planted about 15cm apart, when planting your garlic make sure that the shoot is pointing upwards.

Water it but do not over-water them as they will rot. If you get a lot of rain, only water during the dry spells.

After growing garlic for a season, you can start harvesting after eight or nine months of planting.

As they approach maturity, the garlic leaves will start to turn yellow. Reduce your watering as soon as you see this. Wait for the leaves to wilt, although not completely.

Harvest when there are about four green leaves still on the plant. Pull up the bulbs and dry them out by hanging them in the sun for about two weeks.

Make sure that they do not get rained on while you are drying them. Your garlic can be stored for up to seven months.

Remember that when you are growing garlic during one season, you need to keep some bulbs so that you can plant them next season.

Alice Kalema a trader at Nakasero says most garlic can be stored well at room temperature. "Temperatures of 34F to 40F will lead to sprouting. Temperatures at 30F are best for table stock but planting stock should not be stored very long at cold temperatures as they will begin sprouting", she says.

 

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