If you have big indoor gardening dreams but live in a small apartment, it may seem like the options of what you can grow are far too limited and there is no chance to grow garlic and onions indoors. The truth is, there are a lot of plants and vegetables out there that can be catered to your needs and customized to the space you have available. Two of those vegetables are garlic and onions.
With just a bit of planning, wise space usage, and this guide, you can ensure that you will never have to buy onions or garlic again.
First up is the enemy of vampires everywhere.
Garlic
The recorded history of garlic cultivation dates back more than 4,000 years in Mesopotamia. It also dates back thousands of years in China and Egypt. Amazingly, well-preserved garlic was found in the tomb of King Tut. In English cuisine, garlic usage dates back to the mid-1500s. Today, garlic is used widely worldwide as a seasoning and condiment. It’s a central component used across Asia, the Middle East, northern Africa, southern Europe, and Latin America.
China currently produces about 76% of the world’s garlic supply.
Health Benefits of Garlic
Medicinally, garlic has been used traditionally in Egypt, Japan, Greece, China, and Rome. Today, science has shown many benefits of garlic, including:
High in Nutrition/Low in Calories
One clove of garlic contains just 4.5 calories, .2 grams of protein, and 1 gram of carbs. It also contains vitamins C, B1, B6, manganese, selenium, fiber, calcium, copper, potassium, phosphorous, and iron.
Combats the Common Cold
In one study, garlic reduced the number of colds and helped the study group recover from cold symptoms quicker.
To Reduce Blood Pressure
Multiple studies have shown that garlic supplements (equivalent to about four cloves per day) significantly reduce blood pressure in people with high blood pressure.
Improves Cholesterol and Lowers the Risk of Heart Disease
LDL is considered the “bad” cholesterol, and garlic has been shown to lower it.
And Many More…
Garlic is considered quite the power food, offering many health benefits.
Planting Preparation – Choose Your Variety
Most common garlic comes in two different varieties. Each offers a unique flavor profile and slightly different growing conditions.
Softneck Garlic
Softneck garlic is what you find most commonly at the store. It grows best in warm climates. It has a mild flavor and typically smaller cloves. You can identify these varieties by the number of paper layers wrapped around the bulbs. To grow softneck varieties, you do not need to chill before planting.
Hardneck Garlic
Hardneck garlic grows best in colder climates and has a more robust flavor. The bulbs are often bigger and don’t last as long in storage. To grow hardneck varieties, chill the bulbs by placing them in a dark location at 40 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 to 45 days before planting. Your refrigerator will work for storage.
If you’re unsure which you want to grow, grab one of each from the grocer and give them a try to see which flavor you like best. Or try them both!
How to Grow Garlic
You can grow garlic directly from the bulbs. But, there is a catch when you try to grow garlic and onions indoors. Some garlic producers spray a chemical on garlic to stunt its growth. They do this because people are less likely to buy produce that has started producing shoots. Because garlic (and other produce) sits in storage for a long time before making it on the shelves, not stunting their growth will cause them to be less desirable.
Unfortunately, for home gardeners, this growth stunting prevents them from propagating. So, you’ll want to purchase organic garlic or seeds from a supplier.
Container
Because the roots are shallow, you won’t need a deep container. One that is about 6 to 8 inches deep will do. The container should have drainage holes.
Soil & Fertilizer
Your soil should be light–vermiculite or perlite will allow good drainage. Potting soil should have some compost or a balanced fertilizer (10-10-10) in it. Use liquid fertilizer like seaweed, fish emulsion, or diluted liquid from a worm bin for best results.
Light
Garlic does best in a bright, sunny spot, though it can tolerate some shade. Roughly every plant will need about 6 to 8 hours of sun per day or under 12 hours under grow lights.
Water
Keep soil moist, but do not overwater.
Steps to Growing Garlic
- Depending on your variety, your garlic bulbs may need at least 40 days in a 40 degree Fahrenheit spot (like a refrigerator). If you’d prefer to grow baby garlic or garlic leaves, you do not need to chill.
- After chilling is complete, prepare the soil in a pot or planter.
- Gently separate the cloves from the bulb. Do not peel the cloves.
- Plant each clove about 3 inches deep and space them 4 to 6 inches apart.
- You can fit up to 4 garlic bulbs in a 1’x1′ box.
- With a little more upkeep, you can maximize your garlic growth by placing them 2 inches apart and plucking immature “green garlic” as it develops. This will allow four plants in a smaller 8″x8″ container.
- When planting the cloves, put the pointy side upward.
- Cover the bulbs with soil and tamp down to prevent them from pushing the soil up as they grow.
- Water the soil until moist.
- Water consistently, but poke your finger into the soil to test its dryness. Don’t judge moisture by the top surface only. Overwatering will cause your garlic to rot.
- Fertilize lightly when your garlic shoots are about 6 inches high. Repeat every two weeks until the plant is mature.
How to Harvest Garlic
After a week, you should begin to see shoots which means you are on your way to growing garlic and onions indoors. After 2 to 3 weeks, the shoots will produce leaves. If you are growing full bulbs, do not pick the leaves. But, if you are growing for the leaves or growing baby garlic, you may start harvesting the leaves anytime. As the plant grows, more leaves will grow on the outside and can be used in cooking. If your plants produce a curved scape, cut it off and use it in cooking. Allowing this to grow will make it flower and reduce the energy going to your bulbs.
After a few months, you can tell when your garlic is mature by half of its leaves turning brown. At this point, stop watering for a week and let the soil dry out. This prevents bulbs from rotting. To harvest the bulbs, dump out the container and pull out the bulbs.
Keep some of the larger bulbs to start your next batch.
Cure Your Garlic
Hang the garlic bulbs in a cool, dry, and well-ventilated place for a few weeks. This is a crucial step to ensure that your garlic stores well. You’ll know the garlic is cured when the leaves and roots are dry, and the outer wrapper feels papery. Large bulbs take longer to finish curing.
Remove the outer layer of paper to clean, but don’t remove too much of it. Cured garlic can last for months in a cool, dry, and dark place.
Ways to Use Garlic
Depending on how much garlic you’ve grown and how much you use, you may need to find additional ways to use your garlic. You can chop your garlic cloves into “small pucks” of 1 to 2 tablespoon portions and store them in the freezer.
Garlic can be dehydrated and turned into a powder with a food processor or grinder.
Need more garlic? Skins can be used for stock and broth. Simply keep them in a bag and in the freezer until you need them.
Once you’ve harvested, use the box again to start a new plant.
How Many Boxes or Pots of Garlic to Grow
Ultimately, deciding how much to grow garlic and onions indoors depends on how much garlic you need or want in your life! One garlic clove will grow into one garlic plant–which will give you multiple cloves, 5 to 10, depending on the variety. Since the growing pots or boxes are shallow, you can go with a tiered stacking method to save space and grow multiple garlic plants at once. You can even stagger your production to ensure you never run out.
Growing garlic can take about 7 to 9 months. This sounds like a long process, but once you have it up and running, you’ll be producing fresh bulbs in no time.
To decide how many boxes or planters to use, consider how many cloves you need per week. Suppose you use 3 to 4 cloves weekly, and each container holds about 20 to 30 cloves. In that case, you’ll need about one container (3 to 4 bulbs) every 8 to 10 weeks. If you stagger your growth, you can have garlic all year long with just 3 to 4 boxes on rotation. Also, garlic stores for a long time, so if you guesstimate incorrectly, simply adjust.
Onions
Onions have changed dramatically over the centuries. The origins of onions are unknown, but traces have been discovered dating back as far as 5,000 BC in China. Onions were used in Egyptian burials, and traces were found around the eyes of Ramesses IV. Onions were first taken to North America by European settlers, but they discovered that native Americans were already using them.
As of 2019, 4.5 million tonnes of onions and shallots are produced worldwide, with China producing 22%.
Different Types of Onions
Common onions come in three color varieties; yellow/brown, red/purple, and white. Yellow or brown onions are sweeter and often used in European cuisine. Red or purple onions offer a sharp pungent flavor and are used widely in Asian cuisine. White onions are mild-flavored onions that turn sweet when cooked and used traditionally in Mexican cuisine.
Of course, there are many more types of onions than these. Green onions, scallions, Spanish onions, cipollini, Vidalia, shallots…the list is endless.
For the sake of this guide, we’ll go into the bulb onions (yellow, red, and white), and we’ll even explain how to grow green onions from store-bought ones.
It’s important to note that onions are toxic to dogs, cats, guinea pigs, and many other animals.
The Health Benefits of Onions
Without getting too in the weeds, onions offer several health benefits:
- They are high in nutrients and low in calories
- Some studies show that onions fight inflammation
- They are loaded with antioxidants
- Onions contain some compounds that are said to fight cancer
- They help control blood sugar
- Onions have antibacterial properties
- They may boost digestive health
And more! Another great benefit of onions is that their flexibility makes adding onions to your diet really easy. You can add onions to soups and stews, cook as a side dish, and add to a wide range of cuisines. Like garlic, you can even dehydrate your onions and crush them into a powder for more extended storage and even easier application to meals.
How to Grow Yellow, Red, and White Onions
Even in a small apartment, you can grow big bulb onions. Here’s what you’ll need:
Container
Choose a container that is 6 to 10 inches deep. It doesn’t have to be especially wide.
Soil
Choose nitrogen-rich soil with a pH level of 6.5 or higher.
Type of Onion to Plant
There are two important distinctions to be aware of when choosing which onions to plant. There are long-day and short-day onions. Long-day onion types require 14 to 16 hours of light per day. Short-day ones need 12 to 14 hours per day. Choose based on available sunlight or grow light area.
Growing From Onion Sets
Most people choose onion sets to start their onion plants. These small onion bulbs establish quickly and are sold specifically for gardening. They will grow into a full bulb in about 3 ½ months. The sets also protect from frost damage and offer a higher success rate.
Plant onion sets that are ¾ inches in diameter. Bigger ones may go to seed too quickly. They should be planted in soil to cover the entire bulb, up to the shoot or green of the top (less than one inch). Space onion sets about 4 to 5 inches apart.
Growing From Propagation
You can propagate store-bought onions or onions from a previous harvest very easily. Simply slice off about one inch of your onion from the root side. Place the sliced onion top, root down, in a container of water. Only the bottom of the onion and the roots should be submerged. Place the container in the sun or under grow lights. Replace the water every couple of days.
Once roots have grown about an inch or two (should only take 3 to 7 days depending on placement), use scissors to cut off the onion “meat” without damaging the onion roots or shoots. Place your onion, root down, into a pot of soil. Soil should reach the bottom of the shoots.
Growing From Onion Seeds
If growing from seeds, you can start your seeds in small containers or cells to get them started. You’ll want to use soil that is above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Plant two seeds per cell or small container about ¼ to ½ inches deep. If planting straight into a pot or planter, ensure that the onion seeds are at least 4 inches apart.
Maintain damp soil to promote germination.
Once onions are in their pots:
- Keep in an area that gets full sun.
- Water onion plants from the bottom up to avoid rot.
- Fertilize your onion plants every few weeks with nitrogen to encourage bigger bulbs. You can stop fertilizing when the onions have pushed the soil away and the bulbing process has started.
- Allow the bulb to emerge from the soil and place mulch or straw around the top to help retain moisture and allow air circulation.
How to Harvest Onions
Onions take 2 to 3 months to fully develop. As the onions grow, you can snip 3 to 4 inches from their shoots and use them as you would the shoots of green onions. But, be sure to leave plenty on the onion. Snipping the shoots also encourages more growth. When onions start to mature, the tops become yellow and fall over. Loosen the soil around the bulbs to promote drying.
When the tops are brown, you can harvest the onions. It’s best if they are very dry, and you should handle them carefully when harvesting.
How to Store Onions
Begin by clipping the roots back to 1 to 2 inches. Let the onions cure in a warm, dry spot for a few days. If you want to store your onions instead of using them right away, keep onions in a well-ventilated area between 40 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not store onions in the refrigerator, as this will encourage rot.
Onions should not be stored next to apples, pears, or potatoes. Check on your onions periodically, and remove any extra growth that may occur. Save the tops to start your next crop as you use the onions.
How to Grow Green Onions
Growing green onions from cuttings is very simple!
- Slice off the end of the green onion, leaving the bulb and a small piece of the shoot.
- Do not slice off or remove the roots.
- Place the bulb, root down, into a jar filled with water. Ensure that the top part is sticking out of the water.
- Place the jar in a windowsill and replace the water every few days.
- Once the shoots reach about 4 to 5 inches, you can use them in cooking.
- Or you can transplant these into nitrogen-rich soil to help them grow fuller and longer.
- Cut the stems all the way down to the soil when harvesting to encourage them to continue growing.
- If planting multiple green onions, space them 2 to 4 inches apart.
Using this method, you will never run out of green onions!
How Many Boxes or Pots of Onion to Grow
Onions are very versatile and can go in a lot of different foods. Deciding how many onion plants to grow in your apartment ultimately depends on you. While onion planter boxes need to be 6 to 10 inches deep, they do not need to be especially wide. In the case of green onions, the container can be even smaller!
Consider using a tiered or shelf system to place your onion pots on. You can even mix it up by placing the large bulb onion plants on the bottom and the smaller green onions on top!
Onions take roughly 100 to 175 days to mature from plant to harvest. Like garlic, this seems like a long time. Still, with careful planning and staggered growing, you can ensure that you always have some onions available. Onions can be stored for a long time, so if you notice your supply is running low, adjust your staggering.
If you use half a quarter of an onion a week, you should plant a new onion plant every four weeks. You’ll also want to produce roughly 6 to 8 small boxes of onions. Fewer boxes if using bigger ones with multiple onion plants in them. Of course, you can supplement that with smaller green onions, which pack quite a lot of flavor into tiny green shoots.
Hopefully, this guide has helped you understand exactly how fun and simple it is to grow garlic and onions inside your small apartment all year long.