How to plant and grow garlic?

The benefits of garlic for the body can not be overemphasized.In addition, this vegetable is quite unpretentious to the climatic conditions of our latitudes, it grows well both in the south and in the northern regions. Garlic is widely used in cooking, without it, cooking meat and vegetable dishes, pickles and pickles in the harvest of vegetables for the winter does not cost. It is often resorted to as a traditional medicine - garlic is able to resist bacteria, kill viruses, and disinfect.

Garlic stalks, arrows, heads, and even husks are used to prepare not only medicines, but also infusions necessary for giving pests and fungal diseases of plants.

That is why garlic is a traditional crop grown by summer residents, it can be found on almost every garden plot.

But like every cultivated plant, garlic needs proper care. Compliance with the basic rules of agricultural technology will allow you to get a good full harvest, which until next season will cover all the "garlic" needs. General rules for planting and growing will provide:

• increased vegetable yield - enough for salting and fresh storage;
• good keeping quality, which directly depends on the timing of ripening and harvesting.

In order to understand and visualize the whole process of growing, consider in detail every aspect of working with this vegetable.

Despite the fact that garlic culture only on our continent has more than 70 varieties, garlic is divided into only two main types: spring and winter. The name of each species speaks primarily about the methods, and more precisely, the timing of planting and cultivation. Winter garlic is planted in autumn, “before winter”, and spring garlic - in spring, like all other vegetables. Therefore, before planning the planting of garlic, you must learn to distinguish between these two species.

Winter garlic is characterized by a harder shell and larger lobules. The main difference is a dense rod in the middle of the head, around which are identical teeth of regular shape. The number of slices in one head of winter garlic is always even - from 4 to 10 pieces. When grown in a garden bed, winter varieties allow arrows - flower stalks. At the ends of the arrows, inflorescences are subsequently formed with “airy onion seeds” (bulbs), from which the next crop can be grown. Thus, winter garlic can be grown not only from the cloves, but also from the bulbs. It is from the arrow that the characteristic core inside the head of winter garlic is formed.

The spring view does not have a central rod, the teeth are small, of different shapes, located in the head in a chaotic manner. The spring garlic husk, thinned as dried parchment, is easily peeled off the upper layers, but fits snugly to the teeth and is problematically peeled off. When growing spring garlic does not throw out the arrows, an exception is the variety "Gulliver." The yield of spring garlic is lower due to the smaller size of the heads and cloves, but such garlic is stored much better and longer than winter.

Classification by species - winter and spring - due to the biological characteristics of the groups, taking into account their vegetative system. You can ignore this division and plant a vegetable both in spring and in the winter. But in order to obtain a high-quality crop with large teeth and a high degree of keeping quality, the specialists set up and established the optimal terms of planting and harvesting for each species.

Winter garlic is planted in the early days of October, so that it can take root in the still warm soil before the frost. Late September and October are approximate dates for a temperate climate. Accordingly, winter garlic is planted in the southern regions after the velvet season, and in the northern regions in early September. Do not worry about the exact numbers, but you need to carefully monitor weather forecasts and take into account the climatic features of your region. Planting of winter garlic 15–20 days before the onset of the first frost will be the optimal period.

When the garden work has already been completed, the beds have been removed and the soil is waiting for the snow cover, it's time to do some garlic. He will take root, but will not have time to grow, and as the temperature drops, he will gain strength under a layer of soil. Winter varieties are able to withstand temperatures down to -20 degrees, but they do not need to be warmed after planting, otherwise sprouts can be found that simply die over the soil along with the root system.

Spring varieties are planted in early spring, as soon as the snow cover. As a rule, in central Russia this is the first decade of April. But spring terms will also depend on the climate of the area. Since the ground is still frozen at this time, the bed should be prepared in autumn. For the southern regions, the dates are shifted to the beginning and middle of March, and for the northern regions - the end of April and the first days of May.

The main landmark when planting spring garlic is that the soil temperature should not exceed 5-6 degrees Celsius. The root system of garlic is formed at low temperatures, so in the winter version the vegetable has time to take root before the frost, and in the spring it is important not to miss the moment when the earth has not warmed up. If we neglect this rule, root growth will be sluggish, insufficient for the growth of a full-fledged above-ground part and the formation of a head. As a result, the harvest will not be of high quality, and care efforts will be in vain.

The traditional scheme of planting garlic is approximately the same for both spring and winter species. On the prepared bed form grooves at a distance of 15-20 cm from each other, deepen the wells by 6-7 cm for winter and 4-5 cm for spring garlic. The gap between the holes should be 8-10 cm to the head had the opportunity to grow as much as possible.

This bed is an analogue of sowing any other vegetables, but for garlic culture it is not always advisable, especially if you need to save square meters in a small area.

Experienced gardeners have long found a way to grow garlic more compactly, because this vegetable is quite unpretentious. The method consists in the formation of a separately located bed, fixed by sides. Garlic is planted in a staggered manner, without furrows and between the rows. The main rule is to leave space for the formation of a large head, as in the previous method - 8-10 cm. A garden box can be of any size and shape, depending on the number of the intended landing.

There is no need to occupy a place in the total area under crop, garlic will grow to the side. The compact method of planting a vegetable will not allow the weeds to grow, which means that it will not only save useful meters, but also reduce labor costs. Thus, by mid-end of summer you will have a magnificent garlic flowerbed, rather picturesque in itself. In winter, the sides will keep the snow, safely covering the garden bed from freezing and winds.

Teeth are lowered into the well strictly done down, that is, the part from which the root system will grow. If you put a slice carelessly, sideways or bottom up, the tooth may not germinate. Of course, a healthy and strong runaway will find a way out anyway, but, unfortunately, most often this persistence can be observed in weeds.Therefore, you should not risk the harvest, it is better to carefully arrange the teeth in advance in the holes.

After planting, a covering "cushion" of peat or humus is used for winter garlic. In spring and summer, both types of garlic need to be watered with dry summer and several dressings per season.

Crop rotation on the site is one of the basic rules for growing quality crops. This is due to the fact that each crop takes microelements necessary for it from the soil, depleting it. Planted on the same place the same type of vegetables will not receive in full those substances that the predecessor managed to pick up last season. Moreover, pathogens and larvae of the pests of the culture that grew in the garden are likely to remain in the soil.

The more often crops change on beds, the lower the risk of survival of harmful microorganisms in the soil and the higher its saturation with microelements, because each plant not only absorbs nutrients, but also adds its own enzymes.

Despite the unpretentious garlic culture, this vegetable is no exception. The surface root system allows you to absorb the trace elements in the upper layers of the soil. This means that garlic is well acclimatized in rows after plants with deep root system.

However, determining the predecessor only by the root system does not make sense the result will be just to remember a few basic crops that contribute to a good growth of garlic harvest.

• Cabbage early and cauliflower. When growing cabbage organic fertilizers are actively used, which the vegetable does not have time to consume for the season. Fresh organic fertilizer is contraindicated in garlic. Therefore, organic matter in the small remaining quantities already redistributed in the soil, is optimal for garlic to avoid "overfeeding". Early cabbage varieties will have time to clear the bed early to prepare for planting winter garlic.
• Cucumbers - A successful predecessor, like cabbage, in terms of the distribution of organic fertilizers. However, in most climatic zones, cucumbers are grown in greenhouses, and it is not advisable to occupy a place in them. But in the southern latitudes on the site of cucumbers grown on the open field, garlic will feel great.
• Gourds - pumpkin, zucchini and squash, leave behind a fertile ground for the cultivation of garlic; organic teeth will be obtained in optimal amounts. Pumpkin and garlic vegetables do not have common diseases.
• Beans and Peas They are the best predecessors, as their powerful root system has a good effect on heavy soils, saturates them with oxygen. In addition, leguminous emit nitrogen in the soil, which also has a beneficial effect on the growth and nutrition of garlic heads.
• Tomatoes, eggplants, bell peppers, potatoes saturate the soil with microelements useful for garlic and they lack garlic pathogens. But here you should take into account the other side: tomatoes and peppers, like cucumbers, are most often grown in greenhouses, which is not reasonable for planting garlic crops. Potatoes are also a root crop, which means it falls into the category of undesirable predecessors, which will be discussed below.

In addition to knowledge of optimal predecessors and neighborhoods, some incompatible cultures need to be considered.

• Roots - carrots, beets, potatoes, intensively take all mineral substances from the soil, especially potassium, which is necessary for garlic. Therefore, it does not make sense to plant winter garlic after them.It is advisable to nourish the organic beds and leave to rest until spring.
• Onions with garlic They are not “partners” because they have similar diseases, pests and deplete the soil according to the same principle. Moreover, garlic beds do not even like neighborhood with onion ones, it is better to plant them on opposite sides of the sown area. After the season, on a garlic or onion bed, the soil must rest for a couple of years to re-take on one of these crops.
• Herbs and herbs - onions on feathers, lettuce, celery promote reproduction of microorganisms harmful to garlic culture. Spicy herbs in a large number compete with garlic in the secretion of essential oils, inhibit the growth of vegetables and reduce its flavor.

When planning a crop rotation on a plot, you should not forget that garlic, like other plants, needs a well-lit plot. This does not mean that it is necessary to allocate a central place under the garden right on the sun itself, but to plant it in the shade of shrubs or fruit trees is not an option. In order to save space, you can position the bed near the wall of the house or farm buildings from the south or south-west side. In this case, the vegetable will be enough daylight, and the wall or fence will save the soil from excessive drying and winds.

Equally important is the structure of the soil. For garlic harvest light loams with a neutral acidity level are desirable. The clay soil is diluted with sand, and the acidity level is leveled. Landings should be avoided in low places and where spring floods may occur. Also, garlic does not tolerate surface groundwater - too much moisture can destroy the underground fruits of a vegetable.

Experienced gardeners know that preparing for planting is almost half the success for obtaining a quality crop. It is necessary not only to meet the deadlines for spring or autumn sowing, but also to have time to prepare the seed material and the beds in advance, take care of the landing site, deal with the structure of the soil and bring the necessary elements to it in time.

For a spring view for spring planting, it is best to prepare a bed from autumn. Dig up the soil on the spade bayonet, carefully remove the roots of weeds. In the spring, this will be quite problematic, since the planting of garlic is made in the still cool soil, and the remaining roots of weeds will sprout much later. The bed dug and cleaned from autumn will allow in the spring to simply loosen the soil with a rake and begin planting.

There is also an easier way to prepare for spring sowing. In the autumn, after harvesting, cover the required area with a dark film or pieces of roofing material directly on top of the remaining weeds. Before the onset of cold weather, a part of weed plants will burn from the high temperature under the covering material. In the spring, when the snow melts, the sun begins to bake the dark surface of the material, which will contribute to the early germination of weed seeds. But the high temperature, as well as the lack of light and oxygen, will destroy the weeds that have risen and by the time the garlic is planted, the soil will be clean and usable.

For winter garlic, the soil is prepared a month before the planned planting, that is, immediately after harvesting early vegetable crops, shovels are being dug up on the bayonet, making the necessary mineral fertilizers. On sale you can find universal mixes for all types of vegetables, enriching the soil in the right quantity. It is only necessary to comply with the proportions specified in the instructions. It must be remembered that garlic heads are destroyed under the influence of fresh organic matter, become loose and unsuitable for food, and lose their keeping quality. Therefore, fresh manure or chicken droppings are completely excluded for garlic beds.

If for some reason the timing for winter garlic is missed and the time for frost is near, you should take care of the covering material - mulch. It can be sawdust, moss, fallen leaves. Before the first frosts, the teeth need to have time to take root, which means it is worth raising the temperature somewhat with the help of mulch.

To obtain a guaranteed good harvest, seed is sorted. If some lobules with wormholes or other deformations break in the cracking of the head, they are laid aside and first of all put into culinary processing. Also remove all small things - it will not make large fruit-heads. Thus, sorting allows you to select the most promising seedlings. At the bottom of the teeth there should not be horny particles from the common head - they will prevent the free germination of the root system.

Selected spring seed is soaked just before planting. To do this for several hours immersed in a container with a weak (pale pink) solution of potassium permanganate. This method will destroy the possible microscopic spores of bacteria or larvae of pests under the husk, and also allow the teeth to be saturated with moisture for accelerated growth. If there was no potassium permanganate at the dacha, but there is a bath or Russian stove in the house, then you can soak the garlic in a solution of wood ash. To this end, garlic is placed in a third of a bucket of ash and poured over with water for several hours. Well neutralizes and saline. Enough 10 tablespoons of coarse salt in a bucket of water. Garlic is kept in this solution for 2-3 hours.

The method of planting in the ground will depend on what kind of garlic material is planted.

The most common option - seeding teeth. They are laid out in advance prepared holes or in the furrows to a depth according to the general rules: winter - 7-8 cm, spring - 4-5 cm from the surface. Here it is necessary to take into account the structure of the soil. The heavier the soil, the less the segments should be buried to make it easier for them to germinate. Conversely, the looser and lighter the earth, the higher the likelihood that rain and wind will expose the seed, which means that it is necessary to sink it somewhat deeper into the depths. The distance between the teeth is 10-12 cm, so that future heads do not deform each other and receive a sufficient amount of nutrients.

Experienced gardeners practiced reproduction of garlic culture bulbs, which has several advantages. Firstly, in this way it is possible to significantly improve the quality of purchased garlic, to grow a larger crop, and secondly, seedlings can be cultivated with seeds by seeds, bringing it to the best possible results. Another advantage is the ease of planting seeds. The disadvantage of this method is that you can get a full harvest only through the season, because the seed must first grow into a clove, which will then be used as seed material.

In one peduncle, up to 80 seeds of a plant are formed, and their bursting is signaled by a bursting inflorescence box. If for some reason the film of the box did not open, but the leaves of the plant begin to turn yellow in the second half of July, then it can be said with confidence that the bulbs have already matured.

Storage of seeds at home and planting techniques do not differ from the methods of planting ordinary cloves. It is possible to sow both before winter and in early spring. Before planting, the seeds are sent to the refrigerator for 30-40 days, this will prevent them from bolting. During the day, they are soaked in a solution of wood ash, the emerged empty bulbs are removed. They are planted in the grooves at a distance of 2-3 cm from each other, leaving a row spacing of 10 cm. For the next season, each viable seed will be formed into one full tooth.

Garlic cultures, regardless of the variety, do not require increased care. They tolerate frosts and other climatic troubles quite well, they will not die in dry weather, if it was not possible to water them. But in emergency situations it is still better to help the plants, ensuring the most comfortable growth and ripening of the crop.

Care includes regular abundant watering in hot weather, so that the soil does not dry out and does not crack. You can water the garden bed at the same time as other vegetable crops, but 2 weeks before the garlic is picked, watering should be stopped. Watering of plants should be in accordance with the rules of general watering of plants - early in the morning or late in the evening, so that the foliage does not burn under the active sun in the middle of the day.

Fertilizer is applied three times per season. The first occurs at the very beginning of the emergence of shoots - the ridge shed with urea or any fertilizer containing nitrogen. The second time, in the middle of May, mineral complex fertilizers are being used, which are widely available commercially. Organic fertilizers for garlic culture should be discarded. The third time you need to fertilize the plant after removing the arrows. A bed spill a two-day infusion of wood ash (1 cup per bucket of water).

Young winter garlic in the second month of growth necessarily throws arrow-flower stalks. They need to be cut so that the vital forces of the plant go to the formation of the underground mass of the fetus. Leave a few arrows, only if the plans is the breeding of this sort of bulb. Garlic arrows, if they are not allowed to grow and coarsen, are very pleasant to the taste. They are served to the table fresh as greenery or marinated for the winter as a vegetable snack.

Approximate terms of ripening fall on the end of July-beginning of August, but the plant itself will tell about its maturation best of all. Closer to the second half of July, the leaves will begin to turn yellow, the remaining arrows will straighten up in a straight line, and the peduncles-boxes will burst. All these signs suggest that garlic is fully ripe.

It is extremely undesirable to miss the ripening time, because overgrown garlic loses the properties of keeping quality, as well as its taste.

To dig the plant should be in clear dry weather, leave the rows immediately on the garden bed to dry for several days, until the earth is free to shake from the roots. If the weather promises to be rainy, then it is better to harvest the crop under a shed or on a closed veranda. After drying and removing the earth, the stems are pruned, leaving 2-4 cm, or the garlic is tied into braids with subsequent suspension.

To preserve garlic for long months until the next harvest, it is necessary to observe the temperature and low humidity. Garlic is well stored in cool dry rooms, it can withstand temperatures as low as -1 degrees. But above 10 degrees the vegetable begins to germinate, then shrink, rot or mold. One of the first spoiled cloves entails the spread of mold on the entire head, and then on the adjacent fruits. Therefore, it is necessary to periodically sort out, inspect and probe the crop, promptly remove the spoiled heads.

In the next video you will find a time-tested method of sowing and growing garlic.