My container garlic experiment is for my blogging friend Eva of Kitchen Inspiration. Eva has been trying to grow garlic for a number of years but without luck as she lacks suitable growing conditions. She does some rooftop container gardening so I got to thinking: Perhaps she could grow garlic in container on her rooftop.
But is it possible to grow garlic in containers? The only way to find out is to give it try.
Started the experiment November 2015. I stored a few heads of German Red garlic bulbs in my fridge over the winter (to mimic the cold months). Brought the garlic bulbs out of cold storage last week. Separated the cloves and planted them in a foam ice chest.
Planted 11 cloves (left photo), covered with soil (right photo), watered well and placed the ice chest in a sunny location. Now I must wait. Keeping my fingers crossed and hope my experiment is successful. Will keep you posted on its progress.
Thinking: German Red Garlic is a hard neck garlic, perhaps I should have also included soft neck garlic in my experiment for comparison. Too late now, next year. I do have perfect 20/20 hind sight.
∗ ∗ ∗
Started more seeds – celeriac, beets and more lettuce.
Also started 3 different varieties of onion – Wethersfield Red, Southport White Globe and Australian Brown. These 3 varieties were grown at Locust Grove Heritage Vegetable Garden last year.
Onion seeds were sown in clam shell containers that blueberries came in – 3 rows, 10 seeds to a row. Love these clam shell containers, just the right size for my need, have drainage holes and better yet come with their own dome covers.
All my years of gardening I have not been able to grow onions successfully and it is not from lack of trying. This year I am determined to succeed. Planning to read all I can find about growing onions. If the above 3 varieties can be grown successfully in LGHVG I should be able to also.
∗ ∗ ∗
Am pleased to report the celery seed I started and mentioned in my 2/29/16 post all germinated and are growing happily under grow lights with the other seedlings.
∗ ∗ ∗
Visit my 2/13/12 post for seed starting tip and visit my 3/5/12 post for tip on how to take care of cut worms.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
Copyright © by Norma Chang. All Rights Reserved. Do not use/repost any photos and/or articles without permission.
Do visit Dave at Our Happy Acres for more Harvest Mondays
Garden to Wok 
I have been growing green garlic in containers, but I harvest it before it is full sized. I used garlic that was already sprouting, and it took off quickly. It will be interesting to see how your experiment goes. You should do a book on container gardening!
Hello Dave,
Thanks for the compliment but I do not have sufficient information nor do I have adequate knowledge to write a container gardening book.
I’ve grown onions for 2 years in a row without much issue. This year, however, I’ve been struggling with damping off in several of the varieties I’m growing. I’ve resown and am crossing my fingers. Just goes to show that each year comes with it’s own set of challenges.
Hello Margaret,
Hope your resown onion seeds make it. Yes, each gardening year comes with it’s own set of challenges for sure.
I did grow some garlic last year, and harvested some garlic greens…no sight of garlic bulbs at all..
Hello Angie,
Did you plant your garlic too late?
Good luck with your onions and garlic! We don’t know what’s possible in the garden unless we experiment. I’m still searching for onion varieties that will grow in my strange climate, this year I’ve got 8 new varieties going.
Hello Michelle,
Thanks I need the good luck. If my onions failed to grow to a decent size this year I will give up.
Good luck with the onions and garlic Norma! If anyone can do it, you can. 🙂 I’d love to grow garlic someday. It’s a near-daily staple in our kitchen.
Hello Kristy,
Thanks, I hope so.
I think garlic would be the one thing my household would most love to see me grow, but for some reason, I just haven’t. Norma, I do wish you luck with your garlic and onions. I just know you’ll have great success.
Hello Anna,
Garlic is very easy to grow you really should give it a go, make sure to get your garlic from the farmers market or garden catalog not from the food market.
We use so much garlic at our house that I would have to plant a whole roof top to keep up. Looking forward to see how your little seedlings do…
Hello Bam,
Everything is so convenient and fresh in HK you are better off going to the market. Wish the seedlings would “hurry-up” and get big, but one just have to have patience and wait.
I plan to use these tips to get something growing in my container.
Hello Balvinder,
Looking forward to reading about your container crops.
Such a fun garlic experiment! I look forward to seeing your results 🙂
Hello Melissa,
I hope my experiment is successful but even it is not I would learn something.
I’ll be watching for those onions to behave for you this year! The garlic looks like it’s happy in their containers!
Hello Sandra,
I am keeping my fingers crossed.
Interested to see how your garlic turns out. We do rooftop farming and we haven’t had much success with garlic. The conditions change so quickly from being too cold, to being too hot, plus this weather has got it all confused. A few days ago we dug it up and it was another failure. Garlic is one of those tricky plants for us! We’ll be trying it on the land this year. Weirdly enough, we have great onion success on the rooftop, with last year picking close to a hundred onions. We just planted the seeds indoors a few days ago. Husband went a bit crazy with the amount of onions, but we dehydrate them to use on top of casseroles or soups.
Hello Pamela,
I am keeping my fingers crossed hoping my garlic experiment is successful. Garlic should grow well on your farm. The nice thing is once they are planted in the ground in the fall nothing else needs to be done just leave them alone, come spring enjoy green garlic, garlic scape and finally the big fat bulbs.
Hi Norma, I have not had any luck growing garlic either, will watch you garlic experiment. I’ve tried it both in the ground and it pots.
Hello Cheri,
Many are watching my garlic experiment hope I do not disappoint.
I am so touched Norma, thank you for the experiment and the shoutout. I still have my styrofoam cooler and if you are successful, I will definitely give it a go again (although I’m sure I’ve spent the equivalent of more than 10 years supply of garlic already!), can’t wait to see your results.
Hello Eva,
I sure hope I have positive results, checking everyday but nothing happening yet.
Can’t wait.
Hello Eva,
Will keep you updated.
I have the utmost confidence in you and your experiments, Norma, and I;ll be interested in seeing the results. I’d love to grow some garlic in some unused containers that I have in the yard. Thanks to you, I may finally be able to do it. 🙂
Hello John,
Hope I do not disappoint you 🙂 We all just have to keep our fingers cross and wait.
Your blog encourages me. I have sent for some Cherokee Purple Organic Tomato seeds, basil, thyme and lavender. Think I need to add some garlic to that!!!
Hello Wishfulthinking,
Cherokee Purple tomato is one of my favorites. Looking forward to reading about your harvests.
I should start growing my own garlic in a pot. Can’t wait to see the result of the ones you planted.
Hello Ray,
I too can’t wait to see the result of my experiment, but I must wait.
Pingback: Harvest Monday, March 21, 2016 – 1st Harvest + Onion Sets | Garden to Wok
Pingback: Harvest Monday, April 4, 2016 – Seedlings Update | Garden to Wok