Planting garlic, it would seem, is not at all difficult, because it grows in almost every summer cottage. It turns out that the size and quality of the future harvest depends on the correct planting. How to plant garlic correctly, how to care for and when to pick ripe bulbs? I'll talk about this further.
Spring or winter
Varieties of spring and winter garlic differ from each other, first of all, in terms of planting. The first is planted with the arrival of spring, the second in the cold autumn period. These varieties also differ in appearance. Winter bulbs are larger, fleshy slices, each head has 5 to 8 teeth. In spring garlic, the bulb is smaller, the number of cloves is larger. The advantage of this variety is its long-term storage capacity.
Pros and cons of spring sowing
Depending on climatic and weather conditions, planting of spring garlic takes place from March to early May. The optimal time when the earth warms up to + 7- + 9 degrees. Spring planting benefits:
- The ability to select the highest quality planting material.
- Sprouts appear in 2-3 weeks, germination is high enough.
- Plants are more robust, less likely to get sick, so the harvest is generally healthy and has a longer shelf life.
The disadvantages of spring garlic include low resistance to cold weather and the risk of death during recurrent spring frosts. In addition, the harvesting takes place later, in contrast to the subwinter harvest.
Planting spring garlic
Step 1. Cooking the garden
The soil for garlic must be prepared in the fall, so that the soil has time to shrink. The place should be chosen bright, sublime. Add mineral fertilizers to the soil: potassium, phosphorus, nitrates. And organic fertilizing: humus, ash, low-lying peat. Dig up the soil. In winter, green manures can be planted to improve the fertility of the land.
We observe the principle of neighborhood
I do not recommend planting spring garlic after onions and carrots. And vice versa, I advise you to set up a garden bed in the place of cultivation of zucchini, cucumbers and squash.
Model bed
Garlic will do best in elevated areas as moisture stagnation is minimal. The soil is preferable sandy loam or loamy. An ideal bed would be 25-30 cm high and no more than 1 m wide.
Step 2. Preparing the material
For planting, choose only the most selective and healthy slices. Do not use deformed, doubled, dry cloves. First of all, the material prepared for sowing should be kept in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks, after which it should be warmed up in warm water for at least 12 hours. This stimulates the rapid emergence of sprouts. Before placing in the ground, treat the slices with a solution of copper sulfate 1%.
Step 3. We plant
With the arrival of a favorable period for planting, the bed must be leveled with a rake and shed well. You can plant garlic in furrows or separate holes. The depth of the embedding of the cloves is no more than 3-4 cm. Make a distance of 10 cm between plantings, and 25-30 cm between rows. Sprinkle the planting with fertile soil on top. Try not to press the wedges into the ground or tamp them from above. Water the garden well. You can mulch the rows with sawdust or peat.
Step 4. Further care
Caring for a garlic bed after planting consists in regular watering, weeding, loosening, feeding and processing from diseases and pests. Water the garden without letting the topsoil dry out completely. Loosen soil between rows regularly. You need to feed the plant 2-3 times per season. We carry out processing as needed.
You can harvest the finished crop when the bulbs are covered with purple husks, and the slices are easily separated from each other. Keep the harvested crop in the sun for a while, after which the garlic can be sent for storage. Hopefully these guidelines will help you grow a great crop.
Read also: Let's figure out whether it is worth leaving the polycarbonate greenhouse open in winter or not.
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