Practicing planting garlic in the autumn before winter, I am attentive to the preparation of the selected site. This culture requires the presence of nutrient compounds important for further development in the soil, which determines the use of a variety of fertilizers.
Optimal timing
In the fall, I apply fertilizers at the stage of preparing the ridges for planting garlic. This allows you to get a loose nutrient substrate necessary for the qualitative development of a spicy vegetable crop at the onset of the spring period.
I choose the planting time approximately 23-25 days before the predicted onset of stable frosts. This allows the garlic cloves to take root, but no shoots appear until winter.
Types of fertilizers for autumn application under garlic
From my own experience, I use a variety of nutritional formulations.
Organic fertilizers
If possible, I bring in safe and effective natural substrates (the indicated rates are calculated for 1 m2):
- high-quality well-ripened compost - 10-11 kg;
- loose forest humus - 10 kg.
I also use hay, weed green grass without ripe seeds as organic matter. I cover plant residues in the ground. They not only saturate the soil with useful compounds, but also improve its structure and increase air permeability.
Organic-mineral complexes
In order to increase efficiency, I also use mixtures consisting of organic matter and minerals necessary for the development of large, high-quality garlic. In the examples, the calculation is per 1 m2:
- humus (5 kg) + superphosphate (20 g);
- well-rotted manure or matured compost (5 kg) + granules of double superphosphate (35 g) + potassium salt 25 g;
- humus (5 kg) + superphosphate granules (30 g) + potassium salt (10 g), and I also add crushed peat (10 kg) with a clay structure of the soil;
- humus (10 kg) + ash (0.5 l) + potassium sulfate (2 tbsp. l.) + double superphosphate (1 tbsp. l.);
- compost from rotted grass with leaves (3 kg) + ash, combined with nitrophosphate and superphosphate (1 tbsp. l.).
Mineral fertilizers
If I use hay as an organic fertilizer, then I definitely add nitrogen fertilizer, but in limited quantity, since with its excess, growth processes are activated, which are not required during late autumn.
Usually I use a mineral complex, choosing a variety where nitrogenous substances in the composition are 2 times less compared to phosphorus and potassium. I draw your attention to the label, where the mark "Autumn" should be.
Soil deacidification
If there is acidic soil in the area that I select for planting garlic in the winter, then before digging, I sprinkle the surface with dolomite flour, crushed chalk or slaked lime.
You can use 1/3 ash bucket per m2. This substance will serve as an additional source of potassium, which is necessary for the formation of large heads.
The use of green manure
"Green fertilizers" successfully saturate the soil with various elements useful for the spicy culture.
I practice sowing siderates as soon as the site is vacated after harvesting early ripening crops (onions, early cabbage, radishes). I dig up the earth, choosing the rhizomes of the weeds. I scatter the green manure seeds evenly, and then gently loosen the surface with a rake. This operation is necessary to embed the seeds in the soil. I water from a hose with a nozzle that allows you to finely spray water.
By the time the garlic is planted, a powerful green mass is formed, which I mow. I am carefully digging the site.
I plant the garlic cloves in the prepared grooves, between which I leave a gap of 25-30 cm. Planting depth - 5-8 cm. I maintain the interval between individual slices in the range of 6-10 cm. Sprinkle with dry earth. Before the winter season, I cover the ridges with hay or chopped straw.
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