We adopt the wisdom of experienced gardeners - after what to plant garlic before winter and what predecessors can cause harm
If you plan to grow garlic, then you need to do this not in the spring, but in the fall, after harvesting the main harvest from the garden. Garlic planted before winter will have strong heads and large cloves.
First of all, you need to decide on the place where you plan to place the beds for this vegetable. In this article we will look at the basic rules for selecting soil and pay attention to some subtleties. They will help you grow and harvest a rich harvest of garlic.
What is crop rotation?
Crop rotation is the alternation of planting crops. Experienced gardeners do not recommend planting the same crops on the same piece of land for a long time. You also need to know after which plants you can plant your chosen vegetable.
Benefits of proper crop rotation:
- its fertility increases;
- the quality and productivity of grown crops improves;
- plants are less susceptible to diseases and pests.
It must be remembered that related plants absorb the same nutrients from the soil, and the roots release specific toxins into the soil, which can greatly reduce the quality of the substrate for closely related plants. When planted continuously in the same place, a similar crop will experience a lack of nutrition. This will negatively affect its vegetation and fruiting.
Then plant garlic
In order for garlic to grow well and develop properly, the soil must contain a certain set of substances. Cereal crops are considered one of the best predecessors of garlic when planting before winter., with the exception of barley and oats. Cereals have green manure plants. They have a well-developed root system, so the soil accumulates a sufficient amount of nitrogen compounds necessary to feed garlic.
Comfortable predecessors for this vegetable are also considered squash, zucchini And pumpkin.
Important. In the beds located next to the bushes of strawberries, currants, strawberries, there is a place with ideal soil for garlic crops.
All plants with long roots are favorable precursors for garlic. They absorb nutrients from the deep layers of the soil and cannot harm the bulbous crop.
Peas, beans, potatoes, and cabbage consume the same nutrients from the soil as garlic. Planting cloves before winter in the soil on which these vegetables grew is not recommended.
The most undesirable predecessor of garlic in the garden is its relative - onions. It has the same short root system, absorbing the same set of nutrients from the soil. The earth is being depleted, dangerous substances are accumulating in it. pests. For example, bulb nematode. Recommends disinfecting the soil before planting or allowing it to rest.
Soil preparation
Having studied all the intricacies of crop rotation, you can begin choosing a location and forming beds. Garlic loves sandy and loamy soils with a neutral acidity level. If the soil in your garden does not meet this criterion, then its “acidification” can be reduced by adding ash, chalk or slaked lime solution.
Attention. Failure to follow the rules of crop rotation and improper soil composition will lead to a decrease in the quantity and quality of the harvest of this vegetable crop.
The beds are formed 15-20 cm high and 1 m wide. They are allowed to settle so that the dug up earth settles. In dry autumn, to speed up this process, the soil is watered abundantly several times. It is recommended to choose a place near the fence. This will prevent snow from blowing out and allow the ice crust to remain on the soil longer.
To protect the future harvest from diseases, the formed bed is treated with a solution of copper sulfate with a concentration of 1%. Just before planting garlic, urea is spread on the soil and watered. 15-20 g of substance is enough for 1 square. m.
When preparing garlic for planting, it is necessary to disassemble large heads into cloves, identify and remove affected and damaged elements, and disinfect the material by soaking in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate for 24 hours.
Important. For planting, try to choose the largest cloves.
There are two ways to plant garlic before winter:
- Two weeks before the first frost to a depth of 2-3 cm. For warm southern regions this is mid-November, and for the middle zone - late September-early October.
- From the end of August until the onset of winter cold, the cloves are planted to a depth of 10 cm. This method is preferred by many summer residents. It is believed that the vegetable tolerates frost better and takes root more firmly.
Before planting in any way, the soil is moistened. It is not recommended to press garlic into the ground. This may disrupt the rooting process. In the prepared beds, holes are dug to the selected depth. The distance between the holes should be at least 10 cm, between the rows - 25 cm. The cloves are laid out in prepared places and covered with earth and compost.
Advice from experienced agronomists
For planting before winter, it is recommended to choose special varieties: Gribovsky, Petrovsky, Komsomolets.
Experienced summer residents advise mulching the beds with plantings during the cold season. For this, fallen leaves, conifer needles, and peat are best suited. The thickness of the covering layer is at least 10-15 cm.
As the weather warms up, the mulch is removed. After the first shoots appear, it is recommended to fertilize the seedlings with nitrogen. fertilizers. At the end of June, it is necessary to remove the formed arrows and feed the crop with ash.
Conclusion
By following the recommendations proposed in our article and observing the simple rules of planting and care, even a novice gardener will receive a decent harvest of garlic. The main thing is to choose and prepare the soil correctly and choose the appropriate variety for planting before winter.