[Beginners Tips] How to Grow Garlic in Nigeria

Join Us on WhatsApp

Garlic is a herb related to the onion that is highly used for cooking and other purposes primarily because it has lots of health benefits.

Growing garlic in Nigeria is not difficult as growing other types of plants. One of the advantages of growing garlic is that it requires little attention and produces a great yield

Growing garlic in Nigeria is not a simple task, there are a few things that you need to know and some of them include the carryout research, choosing a location, preparing a nursery, land preparation, buying your garlic cloves, planting, garlic care, and management, fertilizer application, harvesting your garlic.

Here we will cover some of the many options for growing garlic in Nigeria so that you can acquire all the needed information.

How to Grow Garlic in Nigeria Step By Step

Table of Contents

To start growing garlic on your farm, make sure you follow the steps below from beginning to the latter.

Step 1: Carry out Research

First thing first, you need to make findings concerning garlic farming to have sufficient knowledge about the venture.

You can take advantage of the internet by visiting websites and media handles that related content. Also, you can read books or visit an expert for hands-on experiential training.

Step 2: Choose a Location

You have to get land in a preferred location where you plan to plant and grow garlic. The land should have appropriate soil properties, and fair weather among other factors to look out for before choosing farmland.

Know that garlic prefers a location with semi-high temperature and soil that holds moderate water. So, consider these factors when choosing a location.

Step 3: Prepare a Nursery

The best way to plant garlic is to transfer already sprouted plants from your nursery to the prepared farm bed. So, you have to prepare a nursery farm where you will pre-plant your garlic cloves to grow.

Doing this requires you to make compost, pour it into a sack, or planting container, ensure the compost is moist, and then plant the garlic cloves.

Step 4: Land Preparation

Acquire farmland in a secure area where you will plant the garlic to germinate to maturity. Land preparation activities include:

Farmland Clearing

The land should be cleared of all existing trees, shrubs, grass, and other unwanted plants. These wastes should be raked together and disposed of.

Spray the Farmland

After clearing the farmland, spray the land with herbicides and pesticides to make it resistant to pests, insects, and re-germination of weeds before planting begins.

Make Farm Beds

Make farm beds where the garlic cloves will be planted. The ideal farm bed for this type of plant should not be tall but have low ridges that are not too far from the ground.

Manure Application

You may want to add manure to the soil before planting the garlic to enrich the soil content. Chicken dung or cow dung will do. Make sure the manure is dry before applying it to the farm.

Step 5: Buy your Garlic Cloves

Buy quality garlic cloves from trusted farmers, agro-shops, and the ministry of agriculture.

Step 6: Planting

The already sprouted plants should be transferred from the nursery to the prepared farm beds on the farm. Make sure the soil is moist before planting.

You must plant your garlic where it will have access to plenty of sunshine daily to help it grow appropriately.

Step 7: Garlic Care and Management

While your garlic is germinating, there are several activities you need to carry out to ensure it grows to maturity. These are:

Routine Watering

You must continue to water your garlic plants daily. You can do this using watering cans for small farms or nurseries, however, if it is a large farm, you have to make provision for irrigation which is the best way to water the farmland.

Note that you should be careful not to overflood the farmland because garlic doesn’t thrive on farms with excess water.

Weeding

You need to keep your farm clear of unwanted plants. You have to remove weeds by hand or spray herbicides to do the job.

Pest Control

Ensure you spray pesticides that are not harmful to the garlic plants but can kill and drive away pests and insects capable of causing plant disease.

Step 8: Fertilizer Application

Fertilizer application is important to help your plants grow properly. It is best to fertilize at intervals, especially as the plants grow to provide the soil with sufficient nutrients that will aid germination.

Step 9: Harvesting Your Garlic

When you observe that the stem has changed color from green to brown or yellow, and if you feel the individual cloves formed within a bulb of garlic, know that it is time to harvest your garlic.

To harvest, use a hoe or trowel to loosen the soil around the garlic and pull the garlic from the ground.

How Many Months Does It Take For Garlic To Grow?

Typically, it takes about 8 to 9 months for garlic plants to grow to maturity and produce edible garlic buds.

What Are The Steps To Planting Garlic?

If you are interested to plant garlic, ensure you follow the simple steps outlined below. The steps include acquiring farmland, soil preparation, purchasing your preferred variety of garlic cloves, planting a clove, fertilizing and water, and finally, harvesting carefully.

How Many Days Does It Take For Garlic To Grow?

The number of days it takes for garlic to grow from planting to the time of harvest is typically around 240 days.

What Is The Secret To Growing Garlic?

There are two main keys to growing garlic so that it can produce as expected. The first main secret is to plant the garlic cloves in an area with plenty of sunshine, and secondly, it should be planted on well-drained soil that is not overflooded.

Does Garlic Need Full Sun?

The answer is yes. Garlic grows well in light, meaning they need to be exposed to full sun to help them grow well. So, when you choose where to plant your garlic, select an area that is exposed to a lot of sunshine.

Is Garlic Easy To Grow?

Garlic is easy to grow as it germinates easily and does not require much work compared to other plants. It can be homegrown, planted in the nursery, and on large farms.

How Do You Fertilize Garlic?

The best method to apply fertilizer to your garlic plant is through side-dressing fertilizer application which is to place the fertilizer by hand in between the rows of crops or; the broadcasting application method which implies spreading the fertilizer evenly over the soil surface with or without working it into the soil.

How Do I Know When Garlic Is Ready To Harvest?

You have to be observant of your garlic plant so that you will harvest them as soon as possible. You will know that your garlic is matured and ready to be harvested when the shoots or green stems turn brown or yellow and are dried out, Secondly, when the individual cloves are formed within a bulb of garlic.

What Kind Of Soil Does Garlic Like?

Garlic best grows in well-drained, moisture-retentive soil. As such, the best soil to grow garlic is the sandy-loam soil.

Should I Soak Garlic Before Planting?

You can soak garlic before planting, at best it should be between 15 – 30 minutes before planting. However, soaking garlic before planting is not mandatory and you will record similar or above success than when soaked in water.

How Can I Speed Up Garlic Growth?

The best method to speed up garlic growth is to apply fertilizer or manure to enrich soil nutrients to aid and boost garlic plant germination.

Do You Need To Water Garlic After Planting?

As you already know that garlic does not require excess water, yet it requires water to aid the germination process and continuous growth especially when the bud is grown. It is important to water garlic even after planting.

Can You Eat Garlic Immediately After Harvesting?

Garlic can be eaten fresh, even after immediately pulling it out of the soil during harvest. However, if you are not ready to eat the cloves, ensure you keep the plant intact.

Can You Eat Garlic Leaves?

The green tops of garlic are edible and can be eaten. There are varieties of ways it can be used to prepare food varieties.

What Happens If You Harvest Garlic Too Early?

Timing is crucial if you want to harvest a prolific yield from your garlic plants. Harvesting your garlic too soon will result in smaller cloves.

Does Garlic Need A Lot Of Water?

You need to water your garlic plant daily to help it grow as it ought to. However, be careful not to overflood the farm because garlic plants don’t thrive well when there is excess water in the soil.

What Does Baking Soda Do To Garlic?

Soaking garlic in baking soda can help prevent fungal diseases from developing on newly planted garlic cloves, by killing the fungi.

Where Is The Best Place To Plant Garlic?

The best place to plant garlic is an area with full sun so that it can germinate properly from planting to harvest.

What Do You Soak Garlic Cloves In Before Planting?

Garlic clove is commonly soaked in soda before planting takes place.

What Plants Benefit From Baking Soda?

It may interest you to know that baking soda is used as a fungus-fighting agent in crop planting. It causes no apparent harm and in most cases, it is beneficial to fruit and vegetable plants by preventing the bloom of fungal spores.

How Do You Apply Baking Soda To Plants?

There are different ways to apply baking soda to plants. You can apply it in liquid form or in a powdery form on the plant to help prevent insects and fungi infestation.

How Deep Do I Plant Garlic?

You can plant your garlic seeds within the range of 1-3 inches deep. Also, be sure to spread six inches of mulch or more.

What Happens If You Leave Garlic In The Ground Too Long?

If you leave the garlic in the ground for too long, there is the tendency that the bulb to become over-matured and then split open making them vulnerable to molds and dehydration.

Should I Trim My Garlic Leaves

You can trim your garlic leaves by cutting the scapes because it is edible themselves. However, it is not mandatory to trim your garlic leaves.

Conclusion

With the help of these tips on how to grow garlic in Nigeria, you will be able to create your own delicious and healthy garlic.