Drooping/Floppy Garlic Leaves

[MegaDinosaur]

Hello everyone,

I started gardening recently so there is a lot I do not know. I planted some garlic that I was not using from my kitchen. I am concern with one of my garlic plants as the leaf looks really floppy. I do not know if this is normal. I have them primarily growing indoors under a grow light.

Any advice would be really helpful.

 

[Jewell]

Garlic bulbs are traditionally planted in the fall outside and mine are sprouted already. You can use the garlic leaves like green onions or chives minced if they haven’t gotten too tough.

Since you are growing garlic as an indoor plant I guess you will need to decide whether it is for the garden or as a decorative inside plant. The leaves will flop because of lack of light or too much water when kept inside. They require more light than traditional house grow lights provide. I grow elephant garlic throughout my yard and their leaves will flop. No big deal since I am only interested in growing the bulbs. Have fun and play with the possibilities.

 

[MegaDinosaur]

Garlic bulbs are traditionally planted in the fall outside and mine are sprouted already. You can use the garlic leaves like green onions or chives minced if they haven’t gotten too tough.

Since you are growing garlic as an indoor plant I guess you will need to decide whether it is for the garden or as a decorative inside plant. The leaves will flop because of lack of light or too much water when kept inside. They require more light than traditional house grow lights provide. I grow elephant garlic throughout my yard and their leaves will flop. No big deal since I am only interested in growing the bulbs. Have fun and play with the possibilities.

Thanks for the information! I will try and see if changing to a better grow light will help. If not I'll move the plant outside and see if it improves.

 

[marlingardener]

Your garlic looks fine to me. If you can get it outside, please do. Garlic is a very sturdy vegetable and likes lots of sunlight and neglect. The leaves naturally "flop" as they get older, but as long as new green shoots are coming from the center, don't worry. The shoots will stop and the leaves will start to yellow and wilt when the garlic is ready to harvest.
I know you are growing indoors in a pot, but here is a photo of our garlic bed in late winter, and some of the harvest.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

I see you say you are growing spare store bought cloves, have a look at the 'Garden myths' thread. There is a relevant discussion there.