How to recognize spring and winter garlic: differences between varieties by external characteristics, taste and other characteristics
Garlic is a controversial vegetable. Some people don’t like it because of its pungent and pungent taste, while others cannot imagine dishes without adding this product. In any case, garlic takes pride of place in beds and fields. It is grown by both amateur gardeners and large farms.
In nature, this crop is usually divided into two large groups - spring garlic and winter garlic. Let's look at the differences between spring and winter garlic.
Which garlic is better: winter or spring?
There is no definite answer to this question: everyone chooses the type of culture depending on their personal preferences.
There are several principles that will help you make your choice:
- If you have a small plot, then it is better to choose winter varieties, as they give a better harvest and do not take so long to ripen. Large farms prefer spring varieties.
- Winter crops have a powerful root system, which develops even during planting - in the fall. When it gets warm, garlic immediately begins to grow. The first harvest is harvested at the end of July - beginning of August.
- If the summer turns out to be cool, then there is a high probability that spring garlic will produce poor fruit. While winter is distinguished by excellent resistance to bad weather. For example, to severe frosts or prolonged drought.
- If safety is a priority, choose spring varieties.
How are they different from each other?
Let's look at the criteria by which winter crops are distinguished from spring crops, and also look at photos of different varieties.
By appearance
How to distinguish varieties by appearance? First of all, it is worth noting the shape of the head and the number of teeth. Winter crops usually have 6 or 8. They are large and almost identical in size.
In spring varieties, the number of cloves reaches 20 pieces, they are all different in size. Arranged in a spiral - the closer to the middle, the smaller.
Winter garlic has arrows with bulbs. Because of them, the head becomes smaller in size, since the arrows take a large share of the nutrients, so they need to be removed. Spring varieties do not have arrows. The husk of winter crops is harder and denser, while that of spring crops is soft.
Taste
Most gardeners note that spring varieties have a softer and more piquant taste. While many winter varieties are distinguished by their sharpness and pungency.
By composition and properties
The arrows (leaves) of winter varieties contain many vitamins and useful elements: ascorbic acid, vitamins B1, B3, provitamin A. Garlic heads contain polysaccharides, vegetable protein, fats (essential oils).
After ripening, the cloves produce a lot of fructose and glucose. They are well absorbed by the body and are of great value for human health. In addition, winter varieties boast a high content of fiber, starch, and organic substances.
Vitamins are represented by carotene and nicotinic acid. It is worth mentioning separately about thiamine – it is found only in garlic. All of these microelements are beneficial for the human body: they participate in redox processes, have an excellent anti-inflammatory effect, and act as natural bactericides. In addition, winter crops contain phosphorus, potassium, copper, sulfur, selenium, zirconium, sodium, and calcium.
As for spring varieties, they are not inferior to winter varieties in terms of the amount of nutrients. Iodine is of particular importance: 1 kg contains 0.94 mg. Garlic also contains amino acids, including lysine. Essential oils are characterized by high antibacterial properties.
Important! The chemical composition of both spring and winter garlic depends on the variety, soil, climatic conditions of the region, storage conditions, and the composition of the applied fertilizers.
According to ripening period
Spring crops ripen in the second half of summer, so the harvest is harvested in August. Winter crops ripen much earlier - at the beginning of summer. Determining whether the bulbs are ripe or not is very simple: The leaves of the plant should turn yellow and dry out.
By landing time
This is the main difference between the two cultures. Winter crops are planted about a month before the first frost. As a rule, this is the end of September - beginning of October.
Winter has excellent frost resistance and tolerates harsh climatic conditions well. Spring tree does not tolerate changes in weather well, so it is planted in early April. – it is necessary for the earth to warm up at least a little.
By keeping quality
Spring garlic stored better than winter. It does not lose its taste and presentation for up to 1 year. Some varieties can be stored at low temperatures for up to 2 years.
The main thing is to store the vegetable in a dry, dark and cool place. Most winter varieties are stored for a maximum of about six months.
Care
Spring needs more careful care, it needs fertile soil. The variety also “loves” fertilizing, which gives the plant the necessary minerals.
Winter crops are more unpretentious, they need to be fertilized 2 times less. Both varieties require regular watering and weed removal.
Other differences
A few words about the culinary purpose of the varieties.
If you wish to use a vegetable for canning and pickling, then it's better plant spring garlic. It is more compact and more convenient to use for workpieces.
If you use the plant for making sauces and seasonings, then winter garlic is more suitable. It has a sharper and brighter taste. It makes excellent adjika and ketchup.
Which garlic is best stored?
Winter garlic retains its usefulness only for 5-7 months. Some varieties barely survive until the end of winter - they lose their taste, aroma, and appearance.
Spring is stored much better and does not lose its advantages until spring. Cold rooms are well suited for storing winter crops - a balcony, a basement, a garage. Spring crops are also perfectly stored in city apartments.
What type do gardeners prefer?
Gardeners in the southern regions of our country love spring varieties. The warm climate and fertile soil give garlic everything it needs, resulting in a rich harvest.
If you live in central Russia, we recommend winter varieties. They withstand bad weather better and are resistant to frost.
If you use the vegetable as a seasoning for dishes, choose spring varieties. If you want to get as many fruits as possible, choose winter ones. The choice of variety depends on your goals and desires.
We'll tell you about the top 36 best varieties of garlic and help you with your choice. this article.
The best spring varieties
The top 3 best spring crops look like this:
- Elenovsky. The rounded white bulbs appeal to many gardeners. The weight of one head ranges from 30 to 40 g. The cloves are soft pink, there are about 25 of them in one bulb. Elenovsky is stored for a long time - about 2 years.The variety is characterized by high yield and resistance to fungal diseases. Maintenance does not require special knowledge, the main thing is to water and remove weeds on time.
- Aleysky. Late-ripening variety, stored on average about 9 months. The best predecessors for planting are cabbage, cucumbers, and potatoes. Disadvantages: It is easily susceptible to onion flies, which is why it is necessary to apply fertilizing and fertilizers on time. Widely used in cooking and canning.
- Flavor. This variety came to us from France and won the attention of many gardeners. Resistant to fungi and parasites. The heads are medium, the flesh is dense, medium-spicy. It is characterized as a fertile variety, excellent for growing in the middle zone of the country.
The best winter varieties
Top 3 best winter crops:
- Alekseevsky. One of the most popular winter varieties is also called Alekseevsky giant. The weight of one head reaches 200 g, the husk is white. The head contains 4-6 large, even teeth. The smell is pungent, the taste is spicy-sweet, piquant. Resistant to diseases.
- Lyubasha. Weight - about 150 g, the husk is white and pink. It is characterized by high productivity and tolerates both high humidity and prolonged drought. Widely distributed in central Russia. Does not require special care.
- Titanium. The variety ripens within approximately 110 days after the appearance of the first shoots. The height of the plant is about 35 cm, the heads are large, weigh about 150 g, each with 4-6 cloves. The head is round with purple-white scales. Titanium is perfectly stored for six months and does not lose its beneficial properties.
Conclusion
Garlic is used in cooking, as a medicine, and even in cosmetology.Both spring and winter varieties are rich in a huge amount of vitamins and microelements - thiamine, fiber, essential oils, keratin, vegetable protein.
Before choosing a variety, carefully study its characteristics and properties. Varieties differ in terms of planting, appearance, and taste. For some regions, spring varieties are better suited, for others - winter varieties.