How to Plant Garlic in a Pot

Reasons to Plant Garlic in a Pot

Space Saver

Pots are a compact use of space and soil. If you are an urban gardener or otherwise limited on “in-ground” planting space, then pots are a great option.

2. Edible Landscaping

Pots are also decorative! Garlic, especially hardneck varieties with their graceful spiraling tendrils, are worth growing just for the visual appeal. Make your HOA happy with your cute porch plantings and grow food besides.

3. Keeping it Dry

Garlic is in the ground over the winter when waterlogged soil can be a problem. While garlic does need consistent moisture, it cannot grow in standing water. If you do not have access to well-drained soil or raised beds, then pots may be your best option for keeping your garlic seed high and dry.

4. Experimental Gardening

If this is your first-time growing garlic, pots can be a simple way to experiment with the crop without the investment of raised beds or other more complicated growing spaces.

…And Reasons Not To Plant Garlic in a Pot

Cold Exposure

While garlic needs cold to grow, the seed should not freeze solid, especially before root-development begins. In more northern climates, the extremes of temperature that cloves can experience in an uninsulated pot may reduce or eliminate your harvest. For growers in Zones 2-6, garlic should not be grown in a pot without a plan for winter insulation.

2. Too Much Space

Garlic takes a lot of space to develop a large bulb—at least 36 square inches per bulb. While some potted plants, like tomatoes, can yield a large quantity of produce in one small pot, garlic is can only yield one bulb per 6”-8” pot. And since one bulb of seed garlic will yield 4-10 cloves for planting, so the required square footage can add up quickly.

3. Too Little Yield

Too little space equals too little yield. If you are wanting a serious supply of garlic for food and replanting, you may need a larger growing space. Since we aim to grow a year-round supply of all our produce on our farm, we generally prefer raised beds and rows for their larger production capacity.

**Best Containers for Growing Garlic**

The best container for growing garlic is one that allows for root growth. The clove of garlic may look small at planting time, but it will be yielding a bulb the size of a tennis ball, not to mention a heavy stalk up to 3 feet tall. To support all that mass, an extensive roots system is required. For maximum size and yield, I recommend a minimum of 8”x8” cube of growing space per clove of seed garlic.
A 5-gallon bucket is an inexpensive growing container. Thanks to their depth, one bucket can produce up to three bulbs. These buckets can also be set up as wicking pots (see online articles about how to make wicking pots out of 5-gallon buckets). These have better moisture and nutrient retention, helpful for garlic’s long growing season.
Trough-shaped containers (usually sold as herb gardens) are another good option for garlic. Depending on their length, they can accommodate multiple bulbs. Some herb garden containers have bottom-watering options also, which is helpful for potted garlic.

Preparing the Pot

Garlic needs good drainage, so use a pot with drain holes. A small layer of pebbles or gravel at the bottom of the pot allows for further drainage. Use a mix of high quality potting soil and active compost. Garlic has a very long growing period and needs a rich soil base.

**How to Plant**

Plant garlic in the fall after first frost. For garlic planting dates by USDA zone, get our free download below. If you live in the deep south, you may need to artificially vernalize—or chill—your seed.
To plant, break your seed bulb apart into cloves. Plant cloves with the pointed side UP and the root side DOWN. Cover the clove with 2-3” of soil. Mulch thickly with about 6” of lightweight mulching material, such as chopped straw, leaves, or peat moss. Water deeply.

**Garlic Growing Needs**

1. Sunlight
Garlic needs at least 6 hours of sunlight a day. While garlic planted in the ground can take full sun, in warmer climates some dappled shade later in the growing season is helpful for potted garlic to reduce moisture loss. Leave the garlic in full sun from fall planting time until spring temperatures reach over 75 degrees in the afternoons. Move the garlic to dappled shade until ready for harvest in late spring or early summer.
2. Watering
The soil should stay moist but not saturated. Over-watering in a pot will speed up nutrient loss. A good layer of mulch is the best way to retain moisture. Do not leave the pot outside during heavy rains to avoid damage to the plant and soil.
3. Fertilization
Garlic grows slowly through the winter months, focusing mainly on root growth. With increased daylight hours in the spring, it develops foliage. Bulb size happens at the very end of the growing season, often not until the last two or three weeks before harvest. If you start with a rich soil base, garlic should grow well until spring. In the spring, layer active compost on the top of the potting soil, water with compost tea, or use foliar sprays. The smaller the pot, the more fertilizations will be necessary to give the garlic what it needs to produce the largest bulb.
Note: Garlic leaves will yellow the last few weeks of growth as the bulb gets close to harvest (for us, this starts about mid-May). Earlier yellowing may indicate nutrient deficiency.
4. Chill Hours
Garlic needs adequate chill hours to grow, at least six weeks of temperatures in the 40’s. If you do not have these temperatures reliably in your zone, then artificial vernalization may be required (see the Guide). Potted garlic should be kept wherever it receives the most light and the coolest temperatures. For extreme south growers, this may be indoors rather than outdoors. Otherwise, garlic is an outdoor potted plant.
5. Freeze Insulation
On the other extreme, garlic should not freeze solid during the growing process. A potted plant is more likely to freeze than a plant insulated by ground warmth. If temperatures are in the 20’s or below for enough time to freeze the potted soil, the plant should be moved indoors or heavily insulated by burying it at ground level or in straw.

The Harvest

Garlic is ready for harvest in early summer. Watch for the leaves to begin to yellow and die back. The garlic bulb should be left in the ground long enough to reach full size but not so long that the wrappers holding the bulb together decay. When only 5-6 leaves are still showing green, the bulb is ready to harvest.

Pull the bulb, and strip off the outer layer of wrappers to clean. Trim the roots and hang the bulb for 2 weeks in a cool, dry, well-ventilated space to dry. Your bulb is now ready to store long-term. Eat some bulbs now and save the rest to replant in the autumn!

Let me know if there are questions I did not answer here, and thanks for visiting Southern Seed Garlic!

Planting Dates (Free Download)

Get detailed information on artificial vernalization for deep-south growers, as well as all you need to know to grow a lot of garlic sustainably, naturally, and for low cost. On sale now!

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