Brits can do one handy job with their store-bought garlic this week in their gardens. As the summer comes to a close, many UK households might think that most of the major gardening jobs are over as we move into autumn. However, there are a number of gardening jobs we can do in August to keep our outdoor space in use all year round, including vegetables to start growing this time of the year.
When it comes to garlic, we can actually start growing it now, so we will have it ready for picking in the early summer weeks next year. Garlic is really simple, with no seeds needing to go into the ground. One gardener and TikTok user has shown how they use their store-bought garlic in their garden, a method that some have called “brilliant.” She takes the cloves from her garlic bulb, which she got from the supermarket, and simply pops them into her soil, but she has some advice for gardeners who are thinking of doing the same this week, before August ends.
TikTok gardener @gardenwithju shared her method in a viral video that has been saved more than 500 times by other users on the app. She shares one vital tip, telling viewers to make sure they get the biggest garlic bulbs they can.
“The bigger the garlic clove that you purchase, the better,” she said. “Because it’s got to do less work.”
She says that the bottom end of the garlic clove should be facing down, while it should go deep enough to cover it with around an inch of soil.
“I wouldn’t bother putting a tiny skinny garlic clove in,” she adds. “So when you go to buy your garlic, just get the biggest cloves you can.”
Once they are in the ground, with the skins still on the cloves, she waters them. Planting them now should bear great results for around June or July next year.
Responding to comments, they added: “You’ll know your garlic’s ready to pick when the leaves start to turn yellow and flop over usually around late June to July if you planted in autumn. Don’t wait until all the leaves are dead though once the bottom few are brown but the top ones are still green, that’s your window!”
Many were impressed with the simple hack and useful advice. One commenter wrote: “This is brilliant. This is definitely going to be my first project.”
Others suggested placing a garlic bulb in some water to let it sprout before placing it in the soil. One person suggested: “Let the garlic bulb sit in a cm of water for a few days before you do this. It’ll grow roots in the water.”
As well as bearing great results, garlic is good for keeping pests away from your garden due to its strong smell.
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