If you want to know how to grow large garlic in your garden, follow useful tips from experienced gardeners
The question of how to grow garlic in large heads interests all summer residents. The healing properties of this wonderful vegetable crop are widely known. It is tasty and nutritious, indispensable in the fight against garden pests, and resistant to adverse external conditions. Therefore, it is difficult to imagine a summer cottage or garden plot without garlic. And most of his admirers hope to put large heads of garlic into their winter bins.
Our article will tell you the secrets of growing large garlic from experienced gardeners.
Choosing a variety: spring or winter
Each of them has both advantages and disadvantages. The choice of a gardener is determined by an understanding of these features.
Winter varieties:
- winter well under snow at low temperatures (down to -40° on the surface);
- disease resistant;
- have a rich, pungent taste;
- are characterized by high productivity;
- they bring large onions with neat, even teeth;
- harvest in late July - early August;
- Shelf life – up to 4 months.
Spring varieties:
- at the planting stage, preliminary germination is required;
- the yield is low compared to winter crops;
- large heads are obtained only from special varieties (for example, Gulliver);
- teeth of different sizes;
- reaches maturity by the end of August;
- Storage duration is up to two years.
How to grow large winter garlic
Concerns about the well-being of winter garlic begin in late autumn and last until the end of the summer season next year.
Site selection and preparation
Garlic loves the sun, so choose an open area. The soil on which vegetables (except onions, potatoes, eggplants and garlic) and legumes previously grew is favorable for plant development. If, when harvesting, signs of trouble were already observed in this area (sick plants, for example), sowing mustard or calendula in advance will improve the health of the land.
Digging of soil for winter crops begins in early September two weeks before the expected landing. Garlic needs loose soil with neutral acidity. If it is clayey or sandy, add peat. Acidic soil is treated with an ash solution (a glass in a bucket of water) or lime (250 g per m²).
The next step is fertilization. Experienced summer residents do not use fresh organic matter, which becomes a source of fungal infection of plants. Humus from last year's cut oats, buckwheat, clover, and alfalfa (a bucket per m²) is considered an ideal feed for young bulbs overwintering in the ground. Mineral fertilizers include superphosphate (30 g/m²) and potassium salt (20 g/m²).
Preparing for sowing
The sowing season begins with the processing of planting material. Disinfect by placing the teeth for 45 minutes in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate (10 g per 10 l of water) or by immersing them in a solution of copper sulfate (1 g per 10 l of water) for 15 minutes. All liquids are at room temperature. The procedure is completed with abundant rinsing with running water.
Important! Protection against infectious and fungal diseases is provided to the plant only by thorough disinfection of planting material.
Features of planting garlic
In the case of winter crops, the issue of timely planting in the ground is at the forefront of the entire process. A mistake can result in loss of up to 30% of the harvest.
Choice of dates
Traditionally, planting is carried out in September–October. Garlic planted too early in prolonged warm weather will sprout and die from the first frost. The winner will be the gardener who monitors the patterns of seasonal weather changes in his region from year to year.
Knowing the approximate timing of the onset of sustainable cooling, calculate the most favorable moment for planting - three weeks before the expected frost. This is exactly how much time a plant needs to strengthen its root system - the main condition for its well-being during the winter cold.
Landing rules
Actions are aimed at creating the most comfortable wintering conditions for the plant:
- the beds are prepared high (up to 8 cm) with grooves at a distance of 25 cm from each other;
- Large cloves are chosen for sowing;
- place them vertically in grooves every 10-12 cm to a depth of at least 15 cm, sprinkled with earth;
- dry soil is watered after planting;
- the soil is covered on top with straw, leaves, rotted sawdust (they will protect the crops from the cold until the snow falls).
Important! To avoid freezing, it is necessary to deepen and reliably insulate the sown garlic.
Planting garlic with large heads
Gardeners are increasingly using this unique method of sowing whole heads. “Lazy” or bush planting has a number of undeniable advantages before traditional sowing with individual cloves:
- saves the gardener’s time;
- beneficial when there is a shortage of space on a summer cottage;
- convenient for spot planting, for example, among other crops or around fruit trees.
The pre-sowing preparation procedure is the same. The heads are carefully selected and disinfected in saline solution (2 tbsp.per 2 liters of water). Immediately before planting in the ground, carefully peel off the top skin and cut off the roots protruding from below. Immerse in the prepared hole and sprinkle with earth.
This kind of garlic grows in a bush, under which several young heads ripen at once.. It is believed that these heads are predominantly small. However, practice does not confirm this opinion. Dacha experimenters confidently demonstrate large garlic grown in such an unusual way.
Read also:
How to prepare beds for garlic before winter
Growing technology
Caring for sprouts involves creating a reasonable watering system, soil fertilization and pest control.
Proper watering and fertilizing
As soon as the ground dries out from the spring floods, the irrigation campaign begins. The main criterion that determines the frequency of watering is the condition of the soil. It shouldn't be dry. Hence the approximate frequency: 2-3 times a week during the dry period. It is better to water with water heated in the sun. Subsequent weeding solves two problems at once: it rids the bed of weeds and provides oxygen access to the roots.
Important! A month before harvesting, watering is stopped.
Regular moisturizing and fertilizing are especially important during the period of active plant growth.. Fertilizers for winter crops begin in early spring, as soon as the melted snow melts. Monthly treatment with urea solution (200 g/10 l of water) will provide the plant with the necessary nutrients for the entire ripening period. Poor soils are enriched with potassium sulfate or ammonium nitrate (50 g/m²) twice a month.
Important! Fertilizer is better absorbed if you combine fertilizing with watering.
Little secrets of an experienced gardener
Some tips:
- Garlic does not tolerate both drought and waterlogging.. It is difficult for a beginning summer resident to find a middle ground. The solution to the problem is to mulch the beds. Sawdust, straw, shavings, expanded clay, laid at the base of the plants, will protect the soil from excessive drying and provide a comfortable level of humidity. And you will be spared the need to frequently water and loosen the soil.
- Helps increase the size of garlic heads regular shortening of growing arrows to 5 cm from the surface. Be vigilant and you will reap a large harvest of garlic in the fall.
Diseases and pests
The appearance of a gray powdery coating on the stem and leaves indicates infection with a fungal disease.. White rot, neck rot, bacterial rot, and downy mildew penetrate into plant tissues and destroy them. Only preventive measures are effective against these diseases: treating planting material with septic tanks.
Significantly reduces the risk of infection by adding superphosphate to the soil in early spring. (100 g per 10 liters of water). Diseased plants are removed from the garden beds as soon as possible and burned. And healthy ones are treated with fungicides or sprayed with a solution of soda ash and grated laundry soap (40 g of each per 10 liters of water).
Stem nematodes, centipedes, mole crickets, onion flies and aphids more often than other insects damage young garlic shoots. The nematode feeds on the juices of the plant and slows down its growth: the leaves curl, the roots rot. Its danger is enhanced by the ability to remain in the soil for many years in a state of suspended animation, waiting for favorable conditions.
In this case Treating the soil with a solution of table salt before planting will help. (20 g / 3 l water per m²). The onion fly chews the inside of garlic cloves. Pollination with a mixture of ash (100 g), ground pepper and tobacco (5 g each) helps against the pest.
Important! Crushed fresh mint leaves scattered between the rows are a universal remedy for repelling most pests.
Harvesting and storage
Timely removal from the beds is extremely important for garlic: too early or late harvesting will equally negatively affect the quality and shelf life of the crop.
The following signs of cultural maturity serve as a guide:
- calendar (end of July – beginning of August);
- duration of the growing season (100-110 days from emergence);
- yellowed lower leaves creeping along the ground.
Important! Ripe aerial bulbs (bulbs) are considered the most reliable guideline for starting the harvest season.
The next stage is preparation for storage. To protect against root mites, the heads, cleared of soil and tops, are dried in the open air or in a warm, well-ventilated room for 7-10 days. Garlic stored for storage needs regular ventilation. Therefore, boxes or boxes with holes, as well as nets, are preferable for packaging.
Important! The largest heads will serve as excellent seed material for winter crops next year.
Features of growing large spring garlic
If winter garlic is genetically determined to bear large fruits, then spring crop requires adjustments to the technology of its cultivation:
The soil for spring crops is prepared not in spring, but in autumn: dig up, fertilize, disinfect with a solution of potassium permanganate and leave to winter under a film.- The choice of variety ensures 80% success in obtaining large garlic. The spring variety Gulliver has proven itself well.
- Planting material, placed in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks before sowing, will produce seedlings that are resistant to the vagaries of weather and disease.
- Treated with potassium permanganate solution or copper sulfate, the cloves are either soaked for 12 hours in a growth stimulator or germinated in a damp cloth.
- Planted in the ground in the first half of Aprilas soon as the snow melts.
- Measures to stimulate plant growth and early sowing dates are aimed at accelerating the formation of heads before the onset of the hot period. In this case, spring garlic will grow large.
- Planting depth may not exceed 5 cm.
- Sown beds are mulched straw, sawdust, peat until sprouts appear.
- Harvest falls at the end of August-September.
These are the most important recommendations from experts on growing large spring garlic.. Otherwise, the above rules for caring for winter crops also apply to spring crops.
Good to know:
Popular questions
How to choose slices for planting?
In order for the crop to please you with an abundant and high-quality harvest, Only bulbs with large segments are selected for sowing. Sick, small, fused ones are subject to discarding.
What is the difference between spring and winter garlic?
It is important to know the characteristics that distinguish the seed of winter and spring crops. The heads of winter garlic have an even number of cloves of equal size, which are grouped around the stem. Spring varieties are distinguished by an arbitrary number of lobes of different sizes and the absence of a stem.
Why do they break out the arrows?
It is believed that systematic shortening of the above-ground part to 5 cm enhances the nutrition of the bulb and promotes the formation of larger heads.
Tips for getting a large garlic harvest
A few more tips from experienced gardeners:
- Responsible approach to variety selection: Seed material from a fine-toothed variety will not bring the desired result.
- Compliance with crop rotation rules: prepare the site in advance, plant and harvest in a timely manner, water, fertilize and mulch.
- Growing garlic in one area no more than three seasons in a row, otherwise the culture will begin to degenerate.
- Updating planting material every three years.
- Systematic cutting off of arrows will provide the bulbs with additional nutrients.
Conclusion
Successfully growing any garden crop requires understanding its unique characteristics. The correct choice of variety, skillful preparation of the land before planting and knowledge of all the intricacies of caring for a ripening plant allow you to obtain results in accordance with your expectations.
But sometimes this is not enough. An observant experimenter is always one step ahead of his more conservative neighbors in the country. Using the latest agricultural achievements in combination with existing experience can work wonders. And the recommendations of experienced gardeners will help you enjoy a bountiful harvest of large garlic in your summer cottage from year to year.