How to Troubleshoot Garlic Growing Problems

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By eHow Contributing Writer

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Garlic is one of the easiest plants to grow. But as with any plant, you may run into problems during the growing season. Sometimes it is difficult to determine the root of the trouble and it is helpful to have a troubleshooting guide to help pinpoint the problem. For healthy garlic plants it is important to find and correct the trouble before it becomes a real danger to your plant.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Step 1

Buy your bulbs from a greenhouse or garden catalogue. Most garlic bulbs bought in the grocery store have been treated with a sprout inhibitor, which will keep the plant from growing once you have planted it.
Step 2

Watch the watering. Over-watering may cause white rot or basal rot. If you notice the leaves of the garlic plant turning yellow or dying back, pull up a few plants and determine if the plants are rotting from the bottom. If so, or if soil seems too damp, cut back on watering your plants.
Step 3

Hand weed your garlic plant, as using a hoe may damage garlic plants. Garlic bulbs bruise easily, and this will cause the plant to die or fail to thrive.
Step 4

Check for bulb mites. These grow under the roots of the bulb and result in stunted garlic plants.
Step 5

Do not expose your plants to extremes of temperatures. The freeze-thaw cycle will kill the plants, and the frost can cause the soil to tear the roots from the bulb.