The Step-by-Step Guide for Growing Garlic Indoors

Picture this: You’re mid-recipe, craving that punch of fresh garlic—but instead of rummaging through a dried-out bulb, you snip a few vibrant green stalks right from your sunny kitchen windowsill. That’s the charm of growing garlic indoors. No backyard? No problem. With just a pot, some dirt, and a little patience, you can cultivate your mini garlic farm!

When to Plant Garlic Indoors

When growing garlic outdoors, cloves are typically planted in the fall because they need a cold period to develop properly. But indoors, you can plant garlic anytime by mimicking the right conditions to encourage growth.

Materials You’ll Need

Gather your gear before planting:

• Garlic bulbs 
• A pot or container with drainage holes
• Well-draining potting mix
• Watering can or spray bottle

The Step-by-Step Planting Manual

Now that you have gathered your supplies, let's walk through the complete planting process. Follow these steps carefully to give your garlic the best start for healthy growth.

1. Choose the Proper Varieties

Not all garlic varieties are cut out for life indoors. Steer clear of the cheap bulbs—they’re often treated to stop them from sprouting. Instead, go for organic garlic or pick up planting cloves from a local nursery. Softneck varieties are your best bet—they grow well in mild climates. Hardneck garlic, on the other hand, prefers a colder environment to form cloves.

2. Chill the Garlic 

To mimic nature's cycle, give your cloves a simulated winter. Place them in the refrigerator (not freezer) for 2-4 weeks before planting. This cold period mimics outdoor conditions and can lead to stronger growth.

3. Prepare the Pot and Soil

Select a container that's at least 6 inches deep with adequate drainage holes. Garlic hates wet feet, so fill your pot with a well-draining potting mix enriched with compost. For extra drainage, you can mix in a handful of perlite or coarse sand. The right soil setup prevents rot while providing nutrients for healthy growth.

4. Plant the Garlic

Gently break the chilled garlic cloves apart, keeping the papery skin. Then plant each clove pointy-end up, burying them about 1-2 inches deep in the soil. Space them 3-4 inches apart to allow room for growth. If you're using a wide container, arrange the cloves in a grid pattern. Cover them completely with soil, then gently firm the surface without compacting it too much.

5. Water the Garlic

After planting, give the soil a thorough but gentle watering until moisture begins to drain from the bottom. This initial deep watering helps settle the soil around the cloves. Going forward, maintain consistent moisture by watering when the top inch of soil dries out.

Care Tips for Garlic Indoor

Growing garlic indoors successfully comes down to mastering four key elements: proper watering, adequate lighting, balanced feeding, and maintaining the right climate. Let's break down each factor to build your indoor garlic growth heaven.

Watering

Keep the soil consistently moist but never waterlogged. Garlic prefers a "damp sponge" level of moisture—water when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch. In winter, when indoor air tends to be drier, you may need to water slightly more frequently, while in humid conditions, reduce watering to prevent bulb rot. 

Lighting

Garlic thrives with plenty of bright, direct light. Place your pots in a south-facing window where they'll receive at least 6 hours of sunlight daily. If natural light is insufficient, supplement with an LED grow light positioned 6-12 inches above the plants for 12-14 hours per day. Rotate your pots a quarter turn every few days to prevent the shoots from leaning toward the light source. 

Feeding

While garlic isn't a heavy feeder, occasional fertilization promotes lush growth. Use a balanced, water-soluble organic fertilizer diluted to half strength every 3-4 weeks during the growing period. Alternatively, mix a slow-release organic fertilizer into the soil at planting time. Stop fertilizing about a month before harvesting bulbs to allow the plants to naturally mature.

Climate Setting

Maintain an ideal growing environment between 60-75°F (15-24°C). Garlic grows best in consistent, moderate temperatures. Avoid placing plants near drafty windows, heating vents, or air conditioning units. If your home is particularly dry, especially in winter, consider using a pebble tray with water beneath the pot to increase humidity around the plants. 

When to Harvest Garlic

For garlic greens, you can start snipping once the shoots are about 6 to 8 inches tall. These tender greens are flavorful and perfect for tossing into salads, stir-fries, or scrambled eggs. Just be sure not to cut more than a third of the greens at once so the plant can continue to grow.

For garlic bulbs, patience is key. Growing full bulbs indoors typically takes between 6 to 8 months. You’ll know it's harvest time when the lower leaves begin to turn yellow and dry out while the upper leaves remain green. This signals that the energy has moved down into the bulbs, and they’re ready to be pulled.