Growing garlic in containers

[redser]

Hi - I've been given a couple of polystyrene boxes and was wondering what to plant in them. I'm thinking of trying some overwintering garlic. The boxes are 21 inches x 14 inches and 6 inches deep. Do you think that would work out? Would 6 inches be deep enough?
Thanks a lot

[Likac66]

I would think 6" might be a little bit shallow based on what I've read as apparently they like to put down deep roots but the container in this video doesn't seem much deeper. So give it a go. You could plant quite a lot in just one of those containers. You could plant some now then some more in about 6 weeks so they don't all come at once.

Here's a youtube video from Thompson and Morgan.

How to grow garlic in containers video with Thompson & Morgan - YouTube

[horticultural_hobbit]

There are some grapes who start off garlic in smaller, shallower containers before transplanting either in to deeper containers or open ground. Personally, I would hypothesis that 6 inches should be okay. I don't recall my garlic having roots that long.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Garlic throws out very slender long roots, certainly mine in 4" deep fish boxes failed. I am going to try again this year but will give them about 8".

I grew a good crop of standard onions in 6" deep fish boxes this year but found I had to put extra drainage holes in the bottom. The existing holes just blocked up to easily.

Colin

[BUFFS]

you should be okay with that size container,i grow mine in plastic builders buckets,approx £1 - £1.50 at the big diy store ,works fine..

[redser]

Thanks a million folks. I might just build up the edges a bit with some thin wood or something to give them a couple of extra inches depth. Cheers