The spring period is considered important for any plant due to the beginning of the vegetative process. The normal development of young shoots is the key to obtaining a generous harvest. Particular attention in spring care is given to voracious crops, which include garlic.
Winter varieties are planted in the fall. A suitable place for the crop is first selected, which eliminates shading and strong drafts.
Predecessors in an open area can be: cucumbers, early cabbage, onions, zucchini, pumpkin, squash. After potatoes, it is not worth planting beds under spring or winter garlic, there is a high probability of infection with nematodes and fusarium.
Correct planting scheme in open ground
Correct diagram:
- spacing between rows – 25-30 cm;
- distance between teeth in a row – 15-20 cm;
- depth of planting of cloves – 10-15 cm.
The period of work is the end of September, beginning of October.
You should not violate the interval between the cloves when planting. Thickening interferes with crop care and reduces yield. And shallow immersion leads to freezing of the planting material.
Pay attention and preparation of seed material. It needs to be sorted out, removing damaged cloves. It is also recommended to disinfect by soaking the garlic in a solution of copper sulfate (1 tablespoon per 5 liters of water). A weak solution of potassium permanganate or Maxime is suitable as a disinfectant.
After planting, the beds are mulched with a layer of peat (sawdust and humus can also be used). This will help the seedlings survive the harsh winter. In the spring, the mulch is removed, why, so that the shoots are not blocked.
The need for fertilizers and processing when growing garlic
Garlic is gluttonous, so it pulls from the soil a large amount of micronutrients necessary for vegetation. After harvesting, such an area should be generously enriched with fertilizers, and it is recommended to replant it in 3-4 years.
The culture responds well to organic matter and minerals. It is better to use them in combination to prevent rotting of planting material or developing heads.
The soil is being prepared a month before planting. It is dug up and humus or compost is introduced. Also, to increase soil fertility, add superphosphate (30 g) and potassium chloride (20 g) per 1 m2. In the presence of an acidic environment, wood ash is used.
After the snow melts (about a week), the first complementary foods are introduced. At this stage, it is appropriate to use urea (7-10 g per 1 m2) or ammonium nitrate (10-15 g per 1 m2). The procedure should be repeated in the second half of May, when the heads begin to form.
Do not use fresh manure as fertilizer for garlic.
Loosening and weeding in spring
To ensure normal air circulation, it is necessary to loosen the soil. The first time this should be done is after shoots appear above the soil surface in April. Rakes or light harrows should be passed (3-4 times) across the rows, plunging the tool 8-10 cm.
This procedure Maximum retains valuable moisture in the soil, which accumulated at the dacha over the winter period. At this stage, weed shoots are manually removed.
After 2-3 weeks, weeding is carried out with deep removal of weed roots. During the growing season, proximity to them is extremely undesirable, since there is a high probability of rotting of the developing bulb. Clearing beds of weeds is preventing the spread of diseases and pests.
The absence of dense thickets does not attract insects, because they look for secluded places to deposit larvae. When performing work, you should rake the soil away from the garlic stalks to form holes. This provides plants with good access to moisture from precipitation or irrigation. In total, at the first stage of the growing season, 2-4 loosening and weeding are carried out.
Gardeners often mulch the soil to reduce the amount of weeding and loosening. peat or rotted manure. The crop is additionally enriched with nutrients, and weeds are less likely to break through the mulch layer.
Rules for watering with water and saline solution
Garlic belongs to moisture-loving plants, therefore, at the first stage of the growing season and during the formation of heads, it is necessary to carry out regular irrigation with water.
Adjust the amount of liquid depending on precipitation and soil conditions. Approximate standards:
- in moderate heat and rain - water 10-12 liters per 1 m2 (once every 10 days);
- in dry weather, the norms remain the same, but the frequency of watering increases to 1 time in 5 days;
- in rainy weather there is no need to water the plant.
3 weeks before harvesting root crops, irrigation stops.
The soil after watering should be moistened to a depth up to half a meter. Irrigation activities should be completed by harrowing to ensure deeper penetration of moisture into the soil.
Saline or salt water is practiced to create protection against onion flies. The procedures should be carried out at the stage of formation of 3-5 leaves. To prepare the solution, use a glass of table salt in a bucket of water.
According to the advice of experienced gardeners, this processing method should not be abused, because excess sodium and chlorine contained in the product inhibit the growth and development of plants. In addition, such a mixture is dangerous for the soil, it destroys its structure and provokes the leaching of useful microelements from the nutrient layer. You need to carefully monitor how much mineral is added, and if anything, drain off the excess and dilute with plain water.
Common mistakes when caring for garlic
The unpretentiousness of the plant relaxes many inexperienced gardeners who violate the rules of care. Ardent care, garlic, is also considered unnecessary does not require abundance of watering like many other cultures.
Excess moisture causes the heads to rot, which shortens the shelf life.
It is worth taking into account the mistakes that gardeners often make when growing garlic.
- Planting garlic in the same place leads to a significant reduction in yield. The optimal time interval is 3-4 years.
- Shading of beds by tall trees, bushes or buildings is unacceptable. Lack of sunlight affects the growing season.
- A good harvest cannot be grown on devastated soil. In autumn and spring, planned activities should be carried out to feed the plantation.
- Nitrogen fertilizers are undoubtedly useful and important for crops, but their excess leads to a decrease in shelf life. It is not at all appropriate to introduce them at the beginning of the head formation period.
- Abundant watering is appropriate only at the initial stage of shoot development. Further, the norm is reduced, and before harvesting, 20-25 days before harvesting, irrigation stops altogether.
- Some owners practice growing garlic from cloves and bulbons (seeds) in the same bed. This cannot be done, since the planting technology has different conditions and terms.
- Planting material must be sorted. When separating the cloves, you should not damage the scales, because they prevent rotting.
- There is a misconception that there is no need to rush into harvesting, as the heads will gain more volume. This is a misconception; delay threatens the disintegration of the cloves. After the leaves turn yellow, the root crop is ready for harvesting and drying.
Garlic is not difficult to grow, but you still have to put in some effort and care to get a rich harvest. For convenience, gardeners draw up a schedule of mandatory activities, which allows them to provide the plant with nutrients in a timely manner and carry out prevention against diseases and pests.
No garden is complete without a bed of garlic. This is not only a necessary seasoning, but also an invaluable assistant in the fight against flu and colds. Growing garlic and caring for it can be done by any gardener; you just need to know its preferences well and follow all agricultural techniques.
To get a good harvest of this crop, not much is required:
- high-quality and healthy planting material;
- loose fertile soil;
- timely landing;
- proper watering and fertilizing;
- compliance with cleaning deadlines.
Selection of planting material
If you plant cloves from your own harvest from last year, then you need to choose only the largest heads for seeds. They should not have double teeth or double tips - these are signs of degeneration. Teeth with external damage and traces of disease are not suitable for planting. Before planting spring garlic cloves, they need to be prepared: vernalized and germinated.
- vernalization - kept in the refrigerator (not in the freezer!) for a month;
- germination - place in a damp cloth, wrap in a bag and keep in the vegetable section of the refrigerator until the beginnings of roots appear.
The yield from prepared planting material will be higher. To disinfect it, the heads with the rudiments of the roots, disassembled into cloves, are soaked in an ash solution or in a solution of potassium permanganate. To prepare an ash solution, boil 400 g of ash in 2 liters of water for half an hour. The teeth are placed in the cooled solution for 2 hours.
To prepare a solution of potassium permanganate, a teaspoon of the drug is diluted in a ten-liter bucket of warm water. Exposure time – 10 hours. The prepared cloves are planted on the beds.
Planting spring garlic in open ground
Prepared and germinated seed of spring garlic is planted in the ground in early spring.
Soil and site preparation
Growing garlic begins with preparing the soil. This procedure is carried out in the fall. The place for the plants needs a sunny place; in the shade the leaves will also grow, but you won’t get a good head. Spring garlic prefers loose fertile light or medium loamy soils with sufficient humus content. The soil reaction should be neutral or slightly acidic.
In the fall, when digging, they add it to every square meter. m:
- 0.5 buckets of humus or well-ripened compost;
- 2-3 cups of ash;
- 15 g of complex mineral fertilizer.
Immediately before planting, the bed is loosened, but not dug up. It should have a flat surface so that all planted teeth are at the same level.
Then plant garlic
The correct precursors for spring garlic are very important. Plant health largely depends on them. It is best to plant spring garlic cloves after any pumpkin crops. They do not have common pests and diseases, and after harvesting the beds remain well manured, the soil is loose and fertile. Good predecessors are grains, greens or legumes. But you can return garlic to its original place or plant it after onions only after 4 years. The proximity of beds with garlic and peas and beans is undesirable. Their secretions do not like each other, and the yield of all crops will be low.
How and when to plant
Spring garlic is planted only in spring. When planted in winter, it can easily freeze. However, this representative of alliums is not afraid of frost, so it is planted as soon as the earth has warmed up to 5 degrees, but has still fully retained moisture after the snow has melted. Spring garlic grows roots better at low temperatures, so you can’t be late with planting dates. They depend not only on the growing region, but also on the weather.
Planting method: form grooves about 4 cm deep in the bed, into which the cloves are carefully placed with the roots down. They cannot be pressed into the ground - the fragile root primordia are easily damaged, and then you will have to wait a very long time for seedlings. Ideally, the orientation of the rows will be from west to east - this way they will receive the most light.
Planting scheme
The cloves are planted shallowly, sprinkled with a 2 cm thick layer of earth. The distance between small cloves is about 8 cm, and between large cloves - up to 12 cm. The row from the row should be at a distance of 25 cm. It is good to mulch the plantings with a layer of humus 3-4 cm thick It will provide additional nutrition to the plants and protect the soil from drying out.
Winter garlic: nuances of cultivation
This type of garlic boasts large heads. In some varieties, the cloves weigh 12 g or more. Even from the name it is clear that it is planted before winter. After planting, the cloves should have time to take root before frost, but not sprout. Usually they need 1-1.5 months for this. Therefore, planting dates are calculated based on the onset of a frosty period in a given region.
What does winter garlic prefer:
- light sandy loam soil, rich in humus and retains moisture well;
- location with lighting throughout the day;
- a bed prepared in advance, for each square. m to which a bucket of humus, 25 g of nitrophoska and superphosphate are added.
Winter garlic is planted 2-3 cm deeper than spring garlic; the technology and planting scheme do not differ significantly. But there are differences in the preparation of planting material. Like spring garlic, the largest cloves are selected for planting, but they do not need vernalization. It is also not necessary to germinate it, but it is necessary to treat it with a solution of potassium permanganate or an ash extract. This is done in the same way as with spring garlic cloves. It is best to mulch the plantings with peat or humus in case of severe frosts without snow.
In the spring, the first thing to do is loosen the beds with hatched seedlings. To prevent the tips of the leaves from turning yellow, loosening can be combined with foliar fertilizing with a solution of nitrogen fertilizer at the rate of st. spoon per 10 liters of water. In cold soil, roots do not work well and do not absorb nitrogen. Rapidly growing foliage lacks it, so the tips of the leaves turn yellow.
Winter varieties are divided into bolting and non-bolting. The first ones release a flower arrow, but do not form seeds, but airy bulbs. If they are not needed for subsequent propagation, the arrows are broken off as soon as they begin to curl, leaving a stump of 1 cm. 1-2 arrows should be left as beacons. Cracking of the cover on the formed bulbs will serve as a signal for harvesting.
Outdoor care
Like onions, garlic has not lost the habits it acquired while growing in its natural habitat: spring and early summer, rich in moisture from melting mountain snows, contribute to the formation of green mass. The dry period coming in summer is a signal for the formation of a bulb or head. The mode of watering garlic in the beds should take this feature into account.
Watering
In the absence of rain, watering should be regular. It is done as the top layer of soil dries to a depth of 2-3 cm. The root layer should be completely wet. Stop watering 3-4 weeks before harvesting, allowing the head to gain weight appropriate to the variety.
Fertilizer and feeding
If garlic grows on fertile soil, and the bed was well filled with nutrients before sowing, then a good harvest can be obtained without additional nutrition. Otherwise, you can’t do without fertilizing. At different stages of development, the nutritional needs of garlic are different.
- When growing green mass, plants need nitrogen most of all. It can be given in the form of root dressings with solutions of ammonium nitrate or urea. The fertilizer is diluted in accordance with the instructions, usually Art. spoon on a bucket. Most often, two feedings are practiced: the first at the emergence stage, the second when 3-4 leaves are formed. Per sq. m of bed, 2-3 liters of solution is enough. If the soil is fertile, one feeding is enough.
- The third feeding is carried out 2 weeks after the second with a complete complex fertilizer - Art. spoon on a bucket of water. Per sq. m of bed, pour 3-4 liters of solution.
- The last feeding is carried out at the stage of bulb formation. At this time, plants most need phosphorus and potassium. It’s good to pour ash under them and loosen them. To enrich the soil with phosphorus, dissolve 2 tbsp. spoons of superphosphate in hot water. When it cools down, pour it onto the square. m 3-4 l of solution.
Each liquid fertilizing is combined with watering with clean water. The next day the beds are loosened.
The following agrotechnical technique will help to obtain larger heads: 3-4 weeks before harvesting, the soil from the bulbs is carefully raked into the aisles, exposing them completely. This creates freedom for growth, which increases the yield.
Harvesting garlic
It is better not to delay harvesting the garlic, otherwise the heads will crack and will be stored worse. The signal for harvesting is lodging of shoots and yellowing of the lower leaves. A cracked cover sac on the left beacons will also tell you that it’s time to harvest the crop. You cannot dig up garlic ahead of schedule. Unripe bulbs will not only be smaller in size than they could be, but will also be stored worse. After harvesting, the garlic is dried in the garden for several hours, and then dried in the shade in a well-ventilated place.
The harvesting period for winter garlic is July, and spring garlic is September. It is removed after the leaves have completely yellowed.
Features of reproduction
Spring garlic reproduces only vegetatively - by cloves. You can also propagate winter garlic. But bolting varieties also have one more opportunity: sowing aerial bulbs, the so-called bulbs. They are formed at the end of each arrow. When growing garlic from bulbs, the seed material becomes healthier. In the first year, they grow into single-toothed bulbs - bulbs consisting of one tooth. They are used for autumn planting along with traditional cloves and produce a good harvest of large and healthy bulbs.
Sowing winter garlic bulbs
They can be sown in autumn or spring. Sowing time depends on the size of the bulbs. Large aerial bulbs can be stored in the room until spring, small ones will simply dry out, and in the soil they will survive the winter well. The bulbs are collected when they acquire the appropriate color for the variety and the seed sac bursts. For planting, it is better to select the largest specimens. Prepare a bed for sowing in the same way as for winter garlic. Sowing dates are the whole of September and the beginning of October. Sowing pattern: 10 cm between rows and 2-3 between bulbs. They are laid out to a depth of about 3 cm. To prevent the crops from freezing, it is better to mulch them. The easiest way is to sprinkle the beds with a 2-3 cm layer of humus. Caring for crops in spring and summer is no different from that for winter garlic.
Diseases and pests: control methods
Despite the large amount of phytoncides, this plant is also susceptible to disease and can be attacked by pests.
Table: diseases and pests of garlic.
| Pest or disease | How it manifests itself | How to fight |
|---|---|---|
| Root and quadruped mites | Lagging of the bottom of the onion and its rotting, ulcers on the cloves | Maintaining crop rotation, heating garlic at 40 degrees after harvest, careful selection of seed |
| Onion fly | The larvae eat away some of the cloves, the tips of the garlic feathers turn yellow | Joint planting with carrots, dusting the beds with ash and tobacco dust or ground hot pepper, watering with a salt solution of 1 glass per 10 liters of water, watering with mullein infusion or urea solution |
| Nematodes | The green stem is bent, the heads are loose, the integumentary scales lag behind | Maintaining crop rotation, disinfection of planting material |
| Fusarium | Caused by a fungus, the stems lose leaves that dry out. Pale pink or white traces of mycelium on the bulb and stem | Treatment of seed material and soil with fungicides: Hom, Fitosporin, Maxim |
| Rust | Rusty spots on leaves, developmental delays, meager harvest | Treatment of seed and beds with fungicides |
| Downy mildew | The upper part of the stem turns yellow and dries out, growth slows down | Warming up the harvested crop and seed material in bright sun at a temperature of about 40 degrees, treating with fungicides: Thiram, Polycarbacin |
| Bacteriosis | Yellowish-brown wounds on teeth | Do not harvest the crop until it is fully ripe; treat the beds with Hom. |
Types and varieties of garlic
Garlic is divided into two groups, which differ not only in shelf life, bulb structure and growing season, but also in planting time. Spring garlic is characterized by lower yields, but it is stored almost until the new harvest. Its teeth are smaller and arranged in a spiral. Winter garlic has a central core around which the cloves are grouped; spring garlic does not have one.
Winter varieties
Gribovsky anniversary.
There are 11 cloves in the onion. Its average weight is about 40 g. The taste is pungent. Ripening time is later. The variety is bolting. The color of the covering scales is purple.
Gribovsky - 60.
An early ripening variety that produces shoots. The onion with a pungent taste consists of 11 cloves and weighs 40-60 g. The covering scales are reddish with a purple tint.
Komsomolets.
The variety is bolting, the covering scales are pink-violet. There are from 7 to 11 cloves in the bulb. It has a pungent taste.
Danilovsky local.
Doesn't give an arrow. In a large onion with purple covering scales, the number of cloves ranges from 6 to 11.
Spring varieties
Gulliver.
Produces very large bulbs weighing up to 115 g. The scales are gray, the taste is sharp, and ripening is late.
Elenovsky.
The variety is frost-resistant, the heads weigh 35 g. Ripens in the middle period. Can be stored for up to 2 years.
Sochi.
The variety ripens early. Bulbs weighing up to 45 g with white scales, excellent taste. Can be stored for 1.5 years.
Victorio.
The taste is semi-sharp. An onion can have up to 13 cloves, weighs about 40 g, and has a shelf life of up to 8 months.
Garlic has a long tradition of use, both as a spicy seasoning that complements the taste of many dishes, and as a preventive and therapeutic agent for many diseases.
The high healing properties of garlic are due to its exceptionally rich chemical composition: it contains more than 26% carbohydrates, 6.5% protein, up to 20 mg of ascorbic acid, and arsenic compounds that have a healing effect when consumed raw. Garlic also has a strong phytoncidal (bactericidal) effect. Young leaves and teeth are used for food. Garlic is used for salting and pickling vegetables and mushrooms.
There are three types of garlic: winter bolting, winter non-bolting, spring non-bolting. The names “winter” and “spring” determine the timing of planting planting material.
LizPopular varieties of garlic
Gribovsky anniversary. Winter, cold-resistant, bolting, pungent. The weight of the bulb is up to 40 g, the number of cloves is 11, the covering scales are purple.
Gribovsky-60. Winter, bolting, sharp. The bulb is large, the number of cloves is 7 - 11, the covering scales are reddish-purple.
Komsomolets, Winter, cold-resistant, bolting, sharp. The bulb is large, the number of cloves is 7 - 11, the covering scales are pink with a purple tint.
Otradnensky. Winter, cold-resistant, bolting, pungent. The bulb is large, the number of cloves is 4 - 6, the covering scales are pink with a purple tint.
Danilovsky local. Winter, non-shooting, spicy. The bulb is large, the number of cloves is 6-11, the covering scales are purple.
Growing winter garlic
Winter garlic is planted in the fall. Winter varieties of garlic shoot, but there are also non-shooting varieties. In shooting garlic, in addition to the underground bulb, an inflorescence is formed on the shoot, in which aerial bulbs grow.
The main characteristics of winter garlic are the presence of the arrow, the size of the bulb, the number of cloves, the shape and color of the covering scales of the cloves.
hoffna Preparing a bed for planting garlic
Areas with fertile loamy neutral soils are allocated for garlic. The best predecessors for garlic are pumpkin, cabbage, legumes and green crops. Garlic cannot be grown on soils where onions and garlic grew earlier than 3 to 4 years later.
The bed is made in a sunny, dry place. Preparation of the bed begins in August, i.e. one to one and a half months before planting winter garlic.
For 1 m² of loamy soil add a bucket of humus or compost, a tablespoon of superphosphate and nitrophoska, as well as a glass of dolomite flour or fluff lime. In clay soils, a bucket of peat is also added.
In peat soils, add a bucket of loamy soil. In sandy soils, add a bucket of clay soil, peat and everything that is recommended for a loamy bed.
Everything is dug up to a depth of 18 - 20 cm.
After digging, the bed is leveled and lightly compacted. Then they are treated with a solution of copper sulfate (40 g diluted in 10 liters of water) at the rate of 1 liter per 10 m? beds. The bed is covered with film before planting the garlic.
Planting dates for winter garlic
Winter garlic is planted 35 - 45 days before the cold snap. During this time, the planted cloves should take root and form a good root system, penetrating to a depth of 10 - 12 cm, but leaves should not sprout from them.
The cloves are planted in cold areas from September 20, in more southern areas - from October 15. Early planted garlic germinates, but late planted garlic freezes.
Preparing garlic for planting
For autumn planting, freshly harvested winter garlic is used. Healthy, well-dried bulbs are selected for planting. They are separated into teeth, preventing mechanical damage. The cloves are calibrated by size into large and medium and washed in a solution of table salt (3 tablespoons per 5 liters of water) for 1-2 minutes. Then they are transferred to a solution of copper sulfate (1 tablespoon per 10 liters of water) also for 1 minute. After this, the cloves, without rinsing with water, are planted on the ridges.
Kristy with a K Garlic planting scheme
Along the bed, grooves are made 6 - 8 cm deep at a distance of 20 - 25 cm from each other. The cloves are planted in the grooves so that there is 4-5 cm from the soil surface to the clove, and the clove is at a distance of 6-8 cm from the clove. When planting, the cloves are placed vertically with the bottom down or placed on their side.
After 2 - 3 weeks, peat or humus is added to the bed in a layer of up to 2 cm for better overwintering of the garlic.
Caring for winter garlic
Shoots appear in early spring. They need to be loosened to a depth of 2 - 3 cm.
Garlic is watered during May, June and the first ten days of July, and watering is stopped 20 days before harvesting. The rate of watering depends on the air temperature. Approximate doses: per 1 m2 10-12 liters of water once every 8-10 days. In rainy summers, watering is not done. In very hot times, water the garlic every 5-6 days. Watering can be combined with fertilizing.
First feeding done when 3 - 4 leaves are formed. 1 tablespoon of urea is diluted in 10 liters of water or watered by sprinkling from a watering can, using 2 - 3 liters of solution per 1 m2? .
Second feeding carried out two weeks after the first: 2 tablespoons of nitrophoska or nitroammophoska, liquid fertilizer "Agricola" (3 - 4 liters are used per 1 m2) or organic fertilizer "Fertility" (2 tablespoons per 10 liters of water) are diluted in 10 liters of water , consumption of 4 - 5 liters per 1 m?).
Third and final feeding carried out approximately in the second decade of June, when the bulb is forming. In 10 liters of water, dilute 2 tablespoons (preferably crushed) superphosphate, consume 4-5 liters of solution per 1 m2.
Lucy Growing winter garlic from aerial bulbs
In June, winter garlic forms flower arrows, at the end of which, instead of inflorescences, aerial bulbs (bulbs) develop. If gardeners are interested in obtaining large underground heads of garlic, then soon after their appearance they break off the flower shoots (do not pull them out!) or cut them obliquely, leaving a small column, up to 2 - 3 cm.
When planting winter garlic cloves, a lot of it is consumed, which not everyone can afford. Therefore, on the best garlic plants, arrows with inflorescences are left and, after waiting until the inflorescence wrapper bursts and the aerial bulbs acquire the color characteristic of the variety, the plants are completely pulled out of the soil and dried.
Before sowing, aerial bulbs are released from the inflorescence, the largest ones are selected and sown before winter from September 5 to October 10. In July, from one small bulb a decent single-claw grows, which will be the best material for planting a large garlic bulb before winter.
Small bulb bulbs are planted in the garden bed.
Preparing the bed
The height of the bed can be 12 - 15 cm, the width - no more than 90 cm. For 1 m? add 3 kg of humus or compost, a tablespoon of superphosphate and dig, level and make grooves 2-3 cm deep across the bed at a distance of 10 cm from each other. The bulbs are laid out in a groove at a distance of 1-2 cm. Then the grooves are covered with soil and left until winter.
If the winter promises to be cold, then mulch the beds and cover them with sawdust in a layer of 2 - 3 cm. This sawdust is removed in the spring, as soon as the soil begins to thaw.
Caring for plantings during the spring-summer period is the same as caring for garlic when planting cloves.
Airy bulbs of garlic. Garlic. © H. Zell Harvesting and storing garlic
The harvesting period for winter garlic is the end of July - beginning of August. Signs of ripening of winter garlic of bolting varieties are cracking of the inflorescence wrapper, and in plants on which the shoots were cut, complete yellowing and lodging of the leaves.
If you are late in harvesting the garlic, the covering scales will begin to burst, and the bulb itself will disintegrate into cloves. This garlic is not suitable for storage.
After digging with a pitchfork, the garlic is dried for up to 12 days under a canopy or in an open sunny place; in cloudy weather, it must be removed indoors.
Growing spring garlic
Spring garlic is grown in the same way as winter garlic, in a fertile area, with the application of organic and mineral fertilizers in the same doses and according to the same predecessors. Spring garlic cloves are planted at a distance of 6 -8 cm with row spacing of 20 - 25 cm. The depth of planting of the clove is 2 - 3 cm from the soil surface to the top of the clove. It is not recommended to embed the cloves deeper, otherwise the garlic will ripen later.
Zia Mays Spring garlic is planted at the earliest date - April 20-25. Spring garlic cloves are slightly smaller in size compared to winter ones. Before planting, the bulb is divided into cloves, they are immediately calibrated by size and large, medium and small ones are planted separately. Plant garlic in moist soil. When planting, do not press the cloves into the soil, as this will compact the soil and inhibit root growth. You need to make a groove of the required depth in the garden bed and place the cloves in it.
When seedlings appear, they are fed with nitrogen fertilizer. A tablespoon of urea and a glass of mullein are diluted in 10 liters of water, 3 liters of solution are consumed per 1 m². This feeding is repeated 10 days after the first. Further care consists of weeding and loosening to a shallow depth (1.5 -2 cm). During May and June, the soil is kept moist and watered once every 5-6 days.
During the period when bulbs begin to form, plants need phosphorus-potassium fertilizing. In 10 liters of water, dilute 2 tablespoons of double superphosphate and a tablespoon of potassium sulfate or potassium chloride. The feeding rate is 5 liters of solution per 1 m². This feeding is also repeated after 10 days. Between feedings, add wood ash to the plants at the rate of 1 cup per 1 m².
Spring garlic is harvested when the leaves of the lower tier dry out massively, as well as when the leaves of the upper tier turn yellow and lodging - from August 20 to September 10. Garlic is selected from the soil and laid out on a bed to dry for 6 - 8 days. Then they are collected and trimmed. The length of the left neck after trimming is 4-5 cm.
After drying well, the garlic bulbs are stored. It can be stored warm (17..18°C) or cold (1..3°C).
Materials used:
- Encyclopedia of the gardener and gardener - O. Ganichkina, A. Ganichkin.
Winter garlic shoots appear very early, immediately after the snow melts. It is at this time that the foundation is laid for the future harvest of this healthy and unpretentious vegetable - an aromatic seasoning and a storehouse of vitamins and microelements necessary for our body.
Spring garlic care
The success of growing garlic lies in timely and proper care. The first thing to do in early spring is to remove the protective cover from the beds. You cannot be late for this event, otherwise the young green feathers of the plant may be damaged and the seedlings may be damaged.
Beds with winter garlic are covered for the winter in order to protect the plant from the cold and prevent it from freezing
First feeding and pest control
When growing garlic, it is important to provide the plant with the necessary nutrients from the very beginning of the growing season. In the spring of the growing season, the crop needs nitrogen fertilizers, which will have a positive effect on leaf growth. For the first feeding, it is best to use urea, 1 tablespoon of which is diluted in 10 liters of water. The solution is used for root feeding at a rate of up to 3 liters per 1 square meter. m. Watering with nitrogen fertilizer is carried out early, as soon as the plant produces 3-4 leaves.
In rainy weather, it is better to use a granular composition rather than an aqueous solution of urea to fertilize garlic.
Dry fertilizing of garlic is carried out in furrows up to 2 cm deep, which are then sprinkled with earth.
For the second spring feeding, which is carried out 2-3 weeks after the first, experienced gardeners recommend using nitroammophoska, 2 tbsp. spoons of which are dissolved in 10 liters of water. The solution consumption rate is the same as when adding urea. Fertilizing with phosphorus fertilizer significantly affects the beginning of the formation of the garlic head.
Garlic also responds well to fertilizing with organic fertilizers, with the exception of fresh manure.
- watering with Fitosporin, Maxim, 1% copper sulfate solution will protect garlic from fungal diseases;
- treatment with Epin and Zircon activates the protective functions of the plant and increases its immunity;
- Sprinkling the beds with ash and tobacco dust is good protection against insect pests.
The ash will not only repel pests, but will also nourish the garlic with essential microelements.
Loosening and weeding
Garlic responds well to loosening the soil, which is necessary for good air circulation. This procedure must be carried out regularly, after each watering or rain, avoiding the formation of a dense crust on the soil. The first loosening is organized early, in April, as soon as young shoots appear on the surface of the soil. Its depth should be no more than 2–3 cm. During subsequent treatments, the loosening depth is increased by approximately 1 cm, reaching a maximum of 10–12 cm - this is the level where the formation of garlic heads occurs.
On light sandy and sandy loam soils, where the roots are provided with oxygen, loosening can be carried out less frequently, and on heavy loamy soils it is necessary after each moistening
For young garlic shoots, an equally important procedure is the removal of weeds, which begin to grow rampant in the spring. Weeds, which grow very quickly, not only obscure the garlic shoots, but also take away the necessary nutrients from them and contribute to the spread of diseases and pests. The beds are cleaned manually, removing both the above-ground part of the weed and its roots.
Garlic does not like weeds and weeding has to be done several times as soon as weeds begin to appear.
In clean beds, garlic heads grow larger and healthier, as they receive enough nutrition and light.
Mulching the soil
Weeding and loosening are labor-intensive procedures. To reduce their number, it is recommended to mulch garlic plantings with peat, rotted manure, straw, sawdust, and dry grass. In addition to the fact that it is more difficult for weeds to get through the mulch, this procedure has a number of other positive aspects:
- when peat and humus are used as mulch, the crop receives additional nutrition;
- if mulching is carried out after the first loosening, then the moisture from the bed will not evaporate so quickly, and therefore a hard crust will not form on the surface, preventing good air exchange;
- The mulch will rot over the season and become an excellent fertilizer for new cultivated plants.
When mulching with straw, its layer should be about 10 cm
Mulching will have a positive effect only if the features of using various compositions for covering the soil are taken into account:
- the thickness of the layer when mulching with mown grass should not exceed 2 cm. A thicker layer can lead to the formation of a slimy mass;
- straw used as mulch can attract mice and slugs;
- dry grass contains a large number of weed seeds;
- sawdust, as well as pine needles, have an acidifying effect on the soil, so they are recommended to be used only on soils with a neutral or alkaline reaction.
Rules for watering and treating with saline solution
Garlic loves moisture. If it is deficient, it does not die, but forms small heads and begins to turn yellow and dry out ahead of time. It should be taken into account that excess moisture leads to the development of putrefactive diseases, deterioration of the taste of the cloves (they will be watery), as well as poor keeping quality of the heads. When organizing irrigation, you should focus on the weather and soil conditions. The need for soil moisture can be determined as follows:
- dig a hole about 10 cm deep in the garlic bed;
- Take a handful of earth from the bottom of the hole and squeeze it in your palm;
- If the lump of earth does not crumble when squeezed, the garlic does not need watering. A crumbling handful signals the need for hydration.
The need for watering is not determined by the condition of the top layer of soil; it should not be allowed to dry out at the depth of formation and growth of heads
Watering is best done in the evening. During the day, the moisture partially evaporates, and during the night it will all be absorbed into the soil and moisten it as much as possible. An approximate watering scheme may look like this:
- if the spring is rainy and damp, then there is no need to water the plantings;
- in moderately hot weather with small amounts of natural precipitation, watering is carried out once every 7–10 days;
- In hot, dry spring, watering is organized every 4–5 days with a consumption rate of at least a bucket of water per 1 square meter. m.
Frequent watering with small amounts of water is undesirable for garlic, since moisture, having wetted only the top layer of soil, quickly evaporates
In spring, the flight of the main garlic pest, the onion fly, begins. To repel it, preventative spraying of garlic plantings with saline solution is carried out:
Additional treatments with saline solution are carried out only if signs of pest damage to the garlic are observed: the seedlings begin to turn yellow, become brittle and stunted. In this case, spraying is carried out twice more with a break of 10–15 days, and the concentration of the solution should be the same as during preventive treatment.
Please note that sodium and chlorine contained in salt water can disrupt the ecology of the soil, deplete it, and inhibit the growth and development of plants. A saline solution can destroy and repel not only pests, but also beneficial insects, so it must be used carefully. If after two or three treatments no positive effect is observed, then other methods of pest control should be used.
Video: spring garlic care
If the garlic has not sprouted
Sometimes in a garden bed with garlic, instead of the expected friendly shoots, only individual sprouts appear. In this case, experienced gardeners advise digging up several planted cloves and assessing their condition:
- If the clove is alive, strong, and its roots begin to grow, then you should water the garden bed, add fertilizer, and after a while the garlic will sprout. The reason for the delay is most likely that the planting was too deep or too late;
- If the dug clove has become soft, has no root buds and shows signs of rotting, then it has frozen and will not sprout.
Garlic freezing can occur for several reasons:
- winter garlic was planted early (in September-early October). In the fall, it managed not only to take root, but also to germinate;
- the landing was too shallow (less than 5 cm);
- the garlic bed is organized in the shade, so during severe frosts the ground froze earlier and deeper;
- the plantings were not covered for the winter with spruce branches, fallen leaves or other available material.
In this case, planting spring garlic, which is carried out at the end of April, will help save the situation. Winter garlic planted in the spring most often produces a one-toothed onion, which will not be stored for long and should be immediately processed.
Spring care of garlic is standard and simple, but in order not to forget to carry out all the required measures, it is recommended to draw up a schedule of fertilizing and treatments. It will help you provide the plant with nutrients in a timely manner and prevent diseases and pests.
Even novice gardeners are very well aware of the benefits of garlic. This plant is rich in substances that strengthen human immunity (allicin, phytocides, protein). In addition, garlic lowers blood cholesterol and is even used to prevent cancer. Today it is widely used both in folk medicine and in cooking for its characteristic piquant taste and expressive aroma.
As a garden crop, this plant is extremely hardy and unpretentious, which is a huge plus for the gardener. Garlic easily withstands the low temperatures of winter and the stifling heat of summer, humidity and deadly drought. But if you want to get large and juicy heads, you should pay attention to how to properly care for garlic.
What kind of garlic is there?
There are two varieties of garlic:
- winter;
- spring.
This classification is due to the period of its landing.
Winter garlic is planted in the fall. It is distinguished by a large onion and high yield compared to other varieties, but is unsuitable for long-term storage. The teeth are from 6 to 10, they are located in one row. Winter garlic can bolt, resulting in the formation of bulbous bulbs.
Spring garlic is sent to the soil on April 20–25. Its heads are smaller, as are the cloves, which are arranged in a spiral; there can be up to 30 of them. This variety has a lower yield, but high shelf life. It reproduces exclusively by teeth, since bolting is not typical for it.
Winter garlic: planting and care
bed
The best option is considered loamy neutral soil, on which garlic or onions have not been grown for 3–4 years. Good predecessors are beans, pumpkin, cabbage or greens. It is desirable that the site be flat, without hills or depressions, in an open area that receives a lot of direct sunlight.
It is advisable to fertilize the soil before planting. Humus or compost is perfect for this. Use a bucket of fertilizer per square meter. It is also recommended to add a tablespoon of superphosphate or nitrophoska and a glass of fluff lime or dolomite flour.
In case you are unlucky enough to have suitable soil, its quality can be improved with additives.
- If the soil is clayey, then a bucket of peat will save the situation.
- Peat soil is corrected with a bucket of loamy soil.
- Add a bucket of loamy soil, peat and all the necessary additives for the standard version to sandy soils.
Landing dates
Planting winter garlic 1–1.5 months before the first frost. In regions with a harsher climate - around September 20, in warmer climates - from October 15.
It is not advisable for the garlic to sprouted. This usually means he was dropped off too early. But this is not critical - it is important that the plant develops a strong root system. In this case, he is not afraid of any cold.
Planting scheme
In the garden before planting create grooves 6–10 cm deep. The depth depends on the size of the clove; larger ones are planted in deeper grooves. It is advisable to compact the soil: this promotes the development of larger bulbs.
After 2–3 weeks, peat is added for insulation, layer about 2 cm.
If severe frosts are possible, the bed must be thoroughly insulated. Straw, branches or grass are suitable for this. But before sprouts appear, it is necessary to remove any obstacles to the growth of the plant.
Caring for garlic in spring
The most important period for caring for winter garlic is spring.. When the temperature rises to just zero degrees, it throws out the first shoots. This is the first signal that it’s time to get to work.
As soon as the soil dries out a little, you need to loosen the soil a little - 2–3 cm, no more. This procedure will destroy the crust, which prevents normal growth. But it is important not to overdo it - at a distance of 6–8 cm there are not yet fully formed heads that can be damaged by careless actions.
Garlic during its spring growth needs a lot of moisture.
- If the weather is dry, watering should be done every 5-6 days, using about 10-12 liters of water per square meter.
- If there is a moderate amount of precipitation and the air temperature does not rise above 30 degrees, it is worth repeating watering with the same amount of water every 8–10 days.
- In rainy times, garlic does not need watering.
Stop moistening the soil no earlier than 18–20 days before harvesting.
An important element of garlic care is his feeding. After all, the amount of useful substances contained in a fragrant plant directly depends on the elements that are added to the soil during its growth and development.
Weed control
The high immunity of garlic to various external factors does not negate the fact that the necessary care consists of in regular weed removal. There will be a harvest in any case, but its quality directly depends on the efforts made.
It is worth recognizing that regular mulching of the soil significantly slows down the growth of weeds, which is a definite plus.
Another problem may be arrows, which winter garlic is prone to producing. They must be removed - broken off or cut off. You can leave a few of the strongest arrows and use them for growing in the future.
Growing winter garlic from bulbs
Before landing it is necessary to free the bulb from the inflorescence. The material is sown from September to October, depending on the air temperature. First, the soil is fertilized with 3 kilograms of humus or compost and a tablespoon of superphosphate, the bed is carefully dug up and leveled. Then, at a distance of 10–15 centimeters, grooves 2–3 centimeters deep are made. The prepared bulbs are laid out at intervals of 1–2 centimeters, covered with a small layer of soil and left for the winter.
Harvesting
Harvesting winter garlic late July - early August. The main sign by which its suitability for harvesting is determined is yellowed and fallen leaves. After digging, the heads must be dried for two weeks in the sun and not exposed to damp. This garlic is suitable for long-term storage.
Spring garlic: planting and care
The soil requirements of spring garlic are identical. Fertile loamy soil is required, into which mineral and organic fertilizers are applied before planting. You should not plant garlic where potatoes or tomatoes previously grew.
The soil must be moist. The dug up bed is dotted with furrows at a distance of 20–25 centimeters from each other. The cloves of spring garlic are noticeably smaller than those of winter garlic. They do not need to be buried deeper than 2–3 cm. The distance between the cloves is about 6–8 cm. You should also not press them into the soil - this does not contribute to stable and healthy growth.
Spring garlic is also very demanding when it comes to watering. The doses of water required for its growth are similar to winter garlic. Dry tips of leaves are evidence of insufficient watering. But too much water can have a bad effect on the safety and nutritional characteristics of the future head.
Feeding plays an important role in care.
To get a large bulb of spring garlic, it is necessary after each watering loosen the beds. It is also recommended to tie the leaves to reduce their feeding. In this case, all the beneficial substances will flow to the teeth, making them juicier and larger.
Spring garlic is harvested in late August - early September. The heads are dug up and left to dry for 6–8 days right in the garden bed. Then the leaves are collected and trimmed. After this it is suitable for storage.
Conclusion
Caring for garlic is not difficult, it’s just necessary follow certain instructions. This will allow you to grow large and strong heads that are full of benefits and essential minerals.
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