Grow Garlic at Home

By Kor Rassad

Allium sativum, (more commonly known as Garlic) is a member of the onion family and can be grown very easily at home in your open garden, in a cold green house, in a pot or even a window box. Garlic will grow all year round in mild climates although in colder climates, like in the UK, planting Garlic is best around autumn so the plants will grow slowly throughout the winter frost and start to flower around spring. Garlic is a Perennial with long green flat leaves and white flowers.

Garlic is available in two varieties, hardneck (also known as 'top-setting') and softneck. Hardneck Garlic is well suited to growing in cold climates and the bulb produces one layer of cloves which is much larger than those of softneck. The cloves of hardneck garlic also have a stronger flavour and are easier to peel than softneck. However, they do not keep as long in storage. Softneck cloves last much longer in storage and are more readily available.

Planting your Garlic

Garlic seeds can be rare so it is more common to grow garlic from the bulb segments (cloves) which you can obtain from a specialist garden centre or even from your local supermarket. Before planting your garlic cloves you should prepare the soil by working in compost and make sure the area of your garden has good drainage as cold wet cloves will rot. To improve drainage you should consider constructing a raised bed to grow the garlic in. Since garlic has shallow roots you will only need a 5 inch high bed.

You should split the bulbs just before you intend to plant and discard any damaged or small cloves, and try to use the biggest clove as this will produce a bigger bulb. When planting the cloves it is better to use a planting drill because pushing the cloves into the ground may inhibit root development. In cold climates the cloves should be planted to a depth of 4 inches whilst milder climates will be fine with a depth of 2 inches.

Spacing is important to properly grow garlic; you should plant your cloves in a row setting them 6-8 inches apart for softneck and 4-6 inches apart for hardneck. If you plan on setting additional rows leave 12 inches between rows. After planting, water your crop thoroughly and mulch with leaves if available.

Care for your Garlic

Depending on the weather, after planting your crop in autumn you may not need to water again until Spring. From spring onwards you should water your crop regularly but don't over water or allow your crop to become soggy or else your bulbs will rot. If you applied mulch when planting your crop there should be few weeds. Be sure to check your mulch is not retaining moisture, if so reduce the mulch and cultivate the soil as needed to keep your crop free of weeds.

Harvesting your Garlic

You can expect to harvest your crop in late spring/early summer. A sign that your crop is ready for harvesting is when the leaves begin to turn yellow and bend over. When you see that a quarter of the leaves have dried up you should pick a couple of bulbs to check them. Ripe bulbs should have a firm skin and the inner cloves should be fully separated. Don't delay if your crop is ready - you should harvest right away. Use a garden fork to gently loosen the bulbs out of the soil.

After picking all your bulbs you need to cure your crop - this can be done in a greenhouse, shed or even a garage, and curing normally takes one to four weeks. Fully cured garlic plants will have a completely dry outer skin. Once your garlic is fully cured you should clip and gentle brush off any excess soil. When clipping leaves and you find any moisture then your bulbs have not fully cured.

You can store fully dried bulbs in baskets, string bags or sacks in a frost-free dark shed or garage. - 32616

About the Author:

For more great tips and advice on how to grow Garlic, visit http://www.rassad.co.uk/grow-garlic-at-home.

9 Home Hydroponics Advantages

By Charlie Jackson

Building a home hydroponics system has various advantages on top of traditional soil based methods. Capture a peek at the following advantages you acquire while using home hydroponics.

1. You don't need to water your plants! A key mistake that novice gardeners make is either over or under water their plants which can be hurtful to them! This dilemma is eliminated, as well as being a time saver!

2. Plant life grown by home hydroponics mature up to 50% quicker. This is for the reason that you are in full control of their setting which you will have manipulated to be optimum.

3. You don't need a garden to raise hydroponic plants, so if you dwell in a packed town centre apartment building then this is no barrier for you!

4. As there is no soil, no soil borne diseases are passed on to your plants. The result is much improved plants that you could advertise for revenue.

5. There is no necessity to use pesticides as there'll be no earth devoted vermin anyplace close to your plant life. This will cut down on cost and you'll have much better looking vegetation.

6. As soon as your home hydroponics arrangement is put up, you will save on average 20% on outlay owing to the decreased sum of maintenance needed.

7. Hydroponic plants take up less breathing space as the roots are smaller. This in spite of the plants being bigger on average! You will be able to fit extra into your growing trays which equals more profit or produce for you.

8. Maintenance time is to the highest degree reduced! No watering, no weeding and no pesticides. All you'll ever in fact have to do is select your fruit or vegetables once they're complete. Easy!

9. The crop is year round so you will always have a source of whatever you're growing. While it's off season, you could retail them for an improved yield margin!

I trust you've liked learning about the advantages of Home Hydroponics and why you really ought to give it a go! You must study more regarding growing Home Hydroponics plants and enjoy a novel and thrilling pastime! - 32616

About the Author:

I hope you've liked learning about the advantages of Home Hydroponics and why you really must give it a go! You should find out more about growing Home Hydroponics plants and get pleasure from a novel and thrilling hobby!

10 Hydroponic Fruit Advantages

By Charles Jackson

Here are some of the chief reasons why you should raise your own Hydroponic Fruit as opposed to using time-honored soil based techniques!

1. There is no requirement to water them! This will of course save you time, but as well over or under watering is one of the key mistakes that learner gardeners do which can be damaging to your plants.

2. Hydroponic fruit grows up to 50% quicker than customary soil grown fruitl This is for the reason that you will have totally manipulated the growing conditions to be optimum for whatever it is you're growing.

3. You don't need to possess a garden. So if you reside in the desert, the arctic or in a full town centre apartment block then this is no barrier.

4. No earth borne infection can be passed on if they are not being grown in earth.

5. No earth living vermin will be able to get in the vicinity of your fruit so you will retain greatly healthier looking foodstuffs! You will as well save cash on dear pesticides.

6. Upkeep time is intensely reduced. There is no necessity to water hydroponic fruit and there is no weeding. In fact all you'll really have to do is pick your fruit as soon as they are complete.

7. The yield is year round. You will always have access to all the fruit you need. As soon as it's off season, you will be able to trade your crop for an improved profit margin.

8. You can grow them wherever; basement, conservatory, garden, greenhouse, garage, window ledge, corridor or attic.

9. They will develop up to 40% better as they will always have access to all the nutrients they need. You will have made their growing setting to be ideal for them, they will adore it and will be healthier looking as a consequence.

10. You will be able to fit more into your growing trays as the roots don't grow as big. This is because they don't need to swell out to obtain nutrients as they are so readily accessible. - 32616

About the Author:

So if you're wanting to study extra concerning growing your own Hydroponic Fruit then you ought to look further into it! Growing Hydroponic Fruit is an stimulating hobby that you can potentially get a lot of cash from!