Growing garlic in water bottles is a method known as “hydroponic” or “water culture” gardening. While it’s not the traditional way to grow garlic, it can be a fun experiment, and you can indeed get lots of roots quickly. However, please note that you won’t achieve full garlic bulbs using this method, but you can grow garlic greens (also known as garlic scapes) or garlic shoots, which are flavorful and edible. Here’s how to do it:
Materials you will need:
- Garlic cloves (make sure they are healthy, firm, and not sprouted)
- Clean and clear plastic bottles (2-liter soda bottles work well)
- Scissors or a utility knife
- Water
- Optional: Liquid plant fertilizer suitable for hydroponics
Steps:
- Prepare the bottles: Cut the top part of the plastic bottle (the neck) off, leaving the bottom section. You can discard the top or use it for other purposes.
- Prepare the garlic cloves: Select healthy garlic cloves. These should be firm and not sprouted. Cut the base of each clove, leaving a small portion of the basal plate (the flat end) attached to the clove.
- Fill the bottles with water: Fill the bottom section of each bottle with water, leaving a small gap at the top to prevent overflow when inserting the garlic cloves.
- Plant the garlic cloves: Insert one garlic clove into each bottle so that the basal plate is submerged in water, but the rest of the clove is above the waterline. The water should cover the bottom portion of the clove.
- Place the bottles in a sunny location: Set the bottles in a sunny spot where they can receive at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight each day. You can also use grow lights if natural sunlight is insufficient.
- Change the water regularly: To prevent mold or bacterial growth, change the water in the bottles every few days. Make sure to keep the basal plate of the garlic clove submerged in water at all times.
- Optional fertilizer: You can add a diluted liquid plant fertilizer suitable for hydroponics to the water to provide essential nutrients to the garlic. Follow the product’s instructions for the correct dilution rate.
- Harvesting garlic greens: After a couple of weeks, you’ll notice that the garlic clove has developed a lot of roots, and green shoots will emerge from the top. These shoots are edible, and you can cut them as needed to use as garlic greens or garlic scapes. They have a mild garlic flavor and can be used in cooking.