Society garlic has edible leaves and rhizomes and can be used just like regular garlic. In addition, its flowers are edible and can be used for garnishing. The plant is quite easy to grow and doesn’t need much maintenance.
Still, it needs proper pruning to grow, as it includes trimming the dead flowers and leaves. However, many new plant owners don’t understand the correct pruning techniques, which is why we are sharing the simplest techniques!
How To Prune Society Garlic
Society garlic can withstand harsh environmental conditions and doesn’t need constant attention. However, it’s important to remove the dead parts of the plant to encourage the growth of new flowers and branches.
The real problem is that there are multiple stems in the plant, which makes it challenging to remove them one by one.
For this purpose, it’s recommended that you use a sharp garden tool, such as sheers, as it helps remove the foliage’s edges. The trick is to make a bunch of stems and remove the top foliage mass by trimming out the top edges. As a result, it will take only a few hours to prune the plant.
Deadheading Or Pruning The Society Garlic
Society garlic tends to grow clusters of purple flowers on the end of the stems during the summer and spring seasons. The plant is deadheaded once the flowers are dried and sharp secateurs are used. The garlic grows from the bulbs, which is why the plant is deadheaded closer to the base.
Deadheading includes trimming off the dead and old flowers. It tends to grow six to eight clusters of purple flowers and last for over two weeks before they die.
Trimming the flowers from near the plant’s base will allow the plant to focus on growing more stems and bulbs. The plant owners can let the plant seed, but it’s more reliable and easier to grow more garlic by separating and lifting the bulbs.
As a result, the society garlic will multiply to four to five bulbs from one within six months (if maintained well). For this purpose, you’ve to lift the clump of garlic from the soil and pull apart the bulbs.
Deadheading the garlic will allow the plant to focus its energy on growing more bulbs, roots, and leaves rather than setting the seeds. When the old flowers aren’t plucked from the plant, the plant will focus on growing more seeds rather than growing flowers or leaves.
This is why deadheading is recommended to grow a bright green and high-yield plant. Some tips to deadhead the society garlic include;
- Use Secateurs
First of all, you should use sharp secateurs as it’s important to ensure clean cuts to remove the stems or flowers. A clean cut is important to prevent plant infections.
In addition, it’s recommended that you clean the secateurs with the help of warm and soapy water (you can also add some tea tree oil or eucalyptus oil as well). Once the secateurs are cleaned, use a paper towel or rag to dry them.
- Trim Near Plant’s Base
To begin with, you’ve to wear gloves as it will help protect the hands while pruning and make sure that the hands don’t smell of garlic. When it comes down to deadheading, you’ve to trim the stem near the plant’s base as it helps remove the flower head as well as the stem.
It will ensure that the plant looks neat and prevents the poking of dry stems. When the flower head is removed, the stem will start drying and become brown. For this reason, it’s recommended that you cut out the entire stem to create room for growing new stems.
- Composting The Stems & Flowers
The cut-out stems and flowers can be added to the compost as it breaks down quickly and mixes up with the organic matter. The compost can be used to feed the soil and improve plant growth.
The Right Time To Deadhead Or Prune Society Garlic
It’s recommended that you deadhead or prune the society garlic during the summer and spring seasons, especially after the flower clusters are dried. In particular, you should cut them when they are folded in themselves – the folding shows that the flower is finished and the stems are removable.
Also, if you keep removing the old flowers and stems throughout the season, you will get more flowers all through summer and spring.
Regular deadheading of society garlic helps grow a bigger plant with healthier roots and more leaves. This is because the plant’s energy will be focused on growing new stems and flowers that look amazing throughout the summer season.
During the winter season, the flowers will be finished, and the plants will keep growing new bulbs and undergo multiplication. By the spring season, the plant will be ready to grow new flower stems.
Care Instructions For Society Garlic
It’s recommended that you sow the seeds during the spring season, especially when there are no chances of frost and the soil has become warm. During this time, the seeds will germinate pretty quickly, and the plant will reach the flowering stage shortly.
When the plant establishes strong roots or grows to over 3-inch height, it’s recommended that you thin out the plant. In addition, you’ve to ensure that the final space is at least 18-inches apart.
The plant’s leaves have a pungent garlic-like smell, which is why it’s recommended that you plant it in a low-traffic area. In addition, when maintained properly, it can grow pretty vigorously but stay low to the ground, which is why it’s recommended that you use them as a groundcover.
This plant can be grown in partial shade but will flower in sunny spots only. As far as the soil is concerned, you should use sandy soil that has a pH range of 6.8 and 7.5.
Growth Conditions
The plant grows well in moderately fertile soil that has an abundance of organic matter but makes sure the soil is well-drained. During the summer and spring seasons, it’s recommended that you water the plants deeply and slowly to make sure the plant is not overwatered.
In particular, you should water the plant when the top three inches of soil are dry. However, it’s recommended that you don’t water the society garlic during the winter season.
Keep in mind that the plant’s tubers are prone to rotting, especially when the soil is wet or soggy. The society garlic grows properly when it’s watered regularly during the growing season, but make sure it dries out during the blooming phase.
To improve flowering and drainage, you should add two inches to three inches of all-purpose fertilizer, slow-release fertilizer, or organic compost into the plant soil.
Also, the fertilizer or compost should be added once a year, particularly during early spring, to make sure the soil is ready to support the plant growth. The fully-grown society garlic plant can thrive in moderate frosts, light freezes, and droughts.
Also, if frost damage the foliage, it must be removed. Lastly, you must mulch the soil to make sure the plant doesn’t freeze during the winter season.
Using The Society Garlic
Maintaining and caring for society garlic is pretty easy. These plants are great if you are growing an herb garden or if you want to create a border as they grow quickly but stay low on the ground.
For this reason, they are a great addition to flowerbeds and vegetable gardens. Also, their fresh flowers can be used as a garnish, and their leaves are edible as well.
The Bottom Line
The society garlic plant has various stems, and using sheers is the most convenient way of pruning the stems. You can use sheers to trim the plant’s top edges and use the dead parts to create compost, as it helps add nutrients to the soil.
In addition to pruning and deadheading, it’s important to focus on the fertilizer, sunlight, water, and soil, as these factors can directly impact plant growth.