To grow quality garlic, it is important not only to plant the crop correctly, but also to take care of it throughout the entire growing period. In this article, you will learn about the intricacies of planting and caring for garlic outdoors, as well as how to achieve a good harvest of garlic, following a few helpful tips?
Characteristics of garlic
In order to properly plant garlic, you need to know some of the features of this plant. So, for example, the root is a rounded bulb, slightly flattened at the edges, in which the most important elements of the vegetable are formed - the cloves. Their number can be up to 50 pieces each. From above, they are covered with a shell (scales) of white, yellow or purple.
The next component of the culture is the leaves. Their length on average reaches 80 cm. Sometimes they grow very close to each other and merge, thus resembling a stem. This part of garlic is often used as a flavoring agent for its extraordinary aroma. In total, the peduncle grows up to 150 cm, and an inflorescence appears at its end, from which flowers open later.
Types and varieties of garlic
After getting acquainted with the characteristics of garlic, you need to know which of the types is right for your land plot. To understand this, it is recommended that you read the description of each of them.
Winter (winter) garlic
This culture externally has large teeth arranged in one row around the stem. In the process of ripening, an arrow with inflorescences is formed, and then a bulb. Differs in high fertility, but has a short shelf life.
It tolerates low temperatures well. Roots can begin to germinate at 0 degrees, and as the temperature rises, their more intensive growth is observed. Autumn is considered the most favorable planting time for winter garlic. The reason is that its root must have time to become denser and more massive before winter.
This species is very capricious to the quality of the soil, it should be, first of all, fertilized and slightly acidic. And we must not forget about moisture, when planting, a large amount of liquid is needed. The recommended sowing depth is about 6 cm. The growth rate in the spring depends on compliance with the above rules. Learn more about growing winter garlic here.
Among this species, the most suitable varieties for planting outdoors are:
- Dubkovsky. Reproduction takes place at the expense of air bulbs. The structure of the cloves is simple and there are 10-12 pieces. The color is purple.
- Anniversary. The most common among the arrowhead varieties. The ripening period is 83-122 days on average. The bulbs are outwardly flat, have fairly large teeth. Has a pungent taste. This variety is resistant to winter and drought, as well as to a variety of pests.
- Otradnensky. Later grade. The growing period is 95-135 days. Compared to others, it has high fertility. The bulbs are dense, contain up to 8 cloves. The variety is very winter hardy.
- Sail. The ripening period is on average 98 to 105 days. The teeth are small, very dense, each bulb contains 7-10 pieces. The taste is semi-sharp. The plant can be affected by the onion fly. The advantage is good frost resistance.
- Siberian. It is a mid-season variety. It takes about 90-115 days from sowing to full ripening. The bulbs are large, have a strong arrow with medium-sized cloves, 6-9 in each. Has a mauve color. It has a long shelf life.
- Boguslavsky. The bulb has a spherical shape, covered with a purple shell. Mainly contains up to 6 cloves.
- Gribovsky. The growing season is over 100 days. Duration of cultivation - medium, resistant to temperature changes. The number of cloves can reach 11 pieces.
- Losevsky. This species is resistant to low temperatures, has an average ripening period. Externally, the bulb is round, the number of slices reaches 5 pieces. You can store it for six months.
garlic "Dubkovsky"
grade "Jubilee"
winter garlic "Otradnensky"
garlic grade "Parus"
grade "Siberian"
garlic grade "Boguslavsky"
winter variety of garlic "Gribovsky"
garlic "Losevsky"
In this section, only the most popular varieties of garlic varieties have been described, in reality there are many more. Additionally, we recommend that you look at the article on varieties of winter garlic.
Spring (spring) garlic
In contrast to the winter species, the spring cloves are small in size, have a two-row arrangement, and there is no core. This species grows without arrows. It has a longer shelf life than winter garlic.
It is necessary to plant in early spring, around mid-April. The soil should contain humus and be slightly acidic or neutral. It is important to control the temperature, the optimal values are 4-10 degrees. The growth rate of the culture depends on these indicators. Spring does not like heat and dryness. At a temperature of 14-16 degrees, it makes no sense to plant a plant, as a result, a painful harvest will be obtained. Read more about planting spring garlic here.
The most common spring varieties for planting outdoors:
- Novosibirsk. Ripens early enough, the whole growing process takes up to 82 days. The bulbs are round in shape, the number of cloves is up to 13 pieces. Are stored for a long time. The taste is more delicate, semi-sharp.
- Saksky. Also ripens early. The growth period of the culture is up to 115 days. The bulbs can be flat or round and have rather large teeth. Their number is on average 13 pieces per bulb. Sharp taste.
- Gafurian. A fast ripening variety. There may be more than 10 teeth in the head.
- Ershovsky. Growing period is average. The bulb is flat. There are about 25 teeth. You can store it for up to 7 months.
spring garlic grade "Novosibirsk"
garlic variety "Saki"
garlic "Gafurian"
spring garlic "Ershovsky"
We have described the most popular varieties of the crop. Now each gardener must make his own choice, taking into account the characteristics of each species. More information on other varieties of spring garlic can be found here.
Landing in open ground
First, you need to decide on the sowing date. The weather forecast is taken into account in order to determine a favorable period of time, about 1.5 months before the onset of frost. Autumn crops begin to be planted after September 15th to the end of October. In turn, spring varieties are sown around the end of March until the end of April.
Often, vegetable growers can make a mistake with planting, for example, if it is cold in the second decade of September and early October, and then warming sets in. The sprouts of the culture begin to germinate prematurely, and then when severe frosts come, they die. Therefore, keep a close eye on the weather forecasts.
Preparation of planting material
Before you start planting a vegetable, all the material must be properly processed. First you need to separate the good heads of garlic from the affected ones. Then soak in a solution of manganese or Fitosporin for 5-7 minutes to avoid the risk of developing fungal diseases. Immediately before sowing, all planting material is additionally processed in an ash mixture.
In addition, there is another planting method - with the help of bulbs. They are formed during cultivation, in the seed sheath. Sorted in the same way as cloves. Most often, bulbs are used as a resource for the next year.
It is advisable not to buy seeds in ordinary stores, you should purchase the material only in specialized places, as there is a risk of getting a poor-quality product and, as a result, a poor harvest.
Soil preparation
To get a decent harvest as a result, follow all recommendations for soil preparation:
- To grow garlic, you need slightly acidic or neutral soil. If the acidity is still increased, add lime or chalk to the ground.
- Avoid sowing areas that are excessively dry and vice versa excessively wet.
- For garden beds, preferably choose a sunlit area.
- Prepare the plot for sowing approximately 1 week before the planting process itself.
- Do not use one landing site all the time, it is changed after two years.
- Recommended predecessors in the planting area: potatoes, courgettes, peas or cucumbers.
- Closely located neighbors may be: roses, strawberries, raspberries. Garlic will ward off various pests.
- The plot of land where the plant will be planted must first be watered so that the land is moist.
At this stage, correctly follow all the tips for preparing the land plot, since the success of further actions depends on it.
Landing scheme
In order for the crop to grow on time and without unnecessary problems, follow these steps:
- Loosen the prepared planting soil with garden tools.
- Make furrows 5-10 cm deep, leaving a gap between adjacent ones about 20-30 cm.
- Spread the culture down, half a prong down.
- Cover the top of the furrow with soil, avoiding tamping, so that the garlic can germinate.
- Carefully level the surface of the beds, avoiding excessive immersion of garden tools in the soil.
- Before the onset of frost, put straw or hay, at least 2 cm thick, over the sowing. If the snow has already fallen, then cover it with additional foil on top. In this case, the vegetable can withstand temperatures up to -20 degrees.
There is an opinion that in order to accelerate the appearance of the crop, it is necessary to first wrap the seed in a slightly wetted napkin for about a week.
Care features
The planted culture is not particularly whimsical to care for. To grow a decent harvest, it is important to know about the rules for timely watering, weeding the grass and, of course, about the methods of fertilization and feeding.
The video below goes into detail about growing and caring for garlic for a decent harvest:
Watering
The key to a high-quality harvest is correct and timely watered sowing. Spring varieties are more capricious to moisture than winter species. During the period of active crop growth, the need for water is more than 10 liters of water per 1 square meter of plantations.
Further, with an increase in the growth of a vegetable, watering is gradually reduced. Starting in August, watering can be stopped altogether, since there is a risk of high humidity and the culture may die altogether. In addition, the likelihood of various diseases increases dramatically.
Fertilization and feeding
Timely fed and fertilized land will always give a high-quality harvest not only of garlic, but also of any other inhabitant of the garden. It is recommended to complete 3 feeding and fertilization procedures for the whole season.
Useful for winter species are various complex and inorganic fertilizers, often containing phosphorus and potassium. The first top dressing of a winter variety is done in early spring with the help of:
- ammonium nitrate;
- potassium sulfate;
- phosphorites treated with sulfuric acid.
The procedure is repeated using the same substances after 30 days from the first fertilization. The last, third time is fertilized around June, when the bulbs have already formed. Each fertilization is accompanied by watering of the crop. With regard to organic fertilizers, you can use the manure of the following animals: cow, pig, horse, sheep.
Fertilizer of the spring type begins to be applied when the first leaves appear. A mixture of mullein, herbaceous infusions, bird droppings, as well as minerals are used. The use of fresh manure is prohibited, as there is a risk of developing diseases. Two weeks later, do the second feeding with nitrogen and potassium-containing substances. Fertilizer is given when a plant forms four leaves at the rate of 20 g per 10 liters of water.
The third feeding is carried out in the phase of the seventh leaf, with the help of superphosphate and potassium chloride in the same dose as in the second feeding. After each fertilization, the garlic is watered.
Weeding and removing arrows
In addition to watering the plant, weeding the beds should be done in a timely manner, since sprouted garlic and weeds interfere with the full maturation of the culture. It is recommended to loosen and weed after each watering of the plantations.
Do not forget about breaking out the arrows at the base of the leaves, this can not only increase the yield, but the bulbs themselves will be larger. The arrows should be removed when their length reaches 12-15 cm. The break point will be at the sheet socket.
If you remove the shorter arrowhead, the bulb will continue to grow and the head of garlic will be small. It is not recommended to tie the arrows of garlic, thereby blocking the flow of necessary vitamins into the head itself.
In the second decade of June, the fruit throws out ripe arrows, with already formed air bulbs. The largest appear first, it is customary to use them in the future as seeds. The remaining bulbs are removed.
Possible problems
One of the most common problems that gardeners face is not quality seed or poorly selected for a specific area. As a result, we get a poorly and poorly growing crop or its complete absence. But there are fixable problems, with which we will get acquainted in more detail.
Pests and diseases
Garlic suffers from pests and diseases as often as other plants. First of all, you need to pay attention to the appearance of the leaves and stems. If deformation begins to appear, then the plant must be removed completely, and the entire bed must be processed immediately.
Most often, garlic affects fungal diseases, such as:
- mold;
- rot;
- rust;
- powdery mildew.
The most important cause of these diseases is considered to be high soil moisture and the remains of last year's vegetation in the ground.
Among the pests of garlic, the most common are:
- onion moth;
- fly;
- stem nematode.
Monitor the sowing carefully, as an infested crop can pose a health hazard to the consumer.
Garlic processing
For the prevention of fungal diseases, the most common are "Fitosporin" or "Trichodermin". The first is considered to be of higher quality; seedlings are treated with it at intervals of 2-3 weeks throughout the season. They have no effect on the human body. As for the use of "Trichodermin", it is recommended to use it only in the presence of rot.
As a preventive measure against attack by flies and moths, use infusion of tobacco or ash. There are also special remedies called insecticides, popular among them:
- "Altar";
- Iskra-Bio;
- Fitoverm and others.
The situation is more difficult with the stem nematode. These are worms that live in the soil and penetrate directly into the bulb. In this case, it is better to apply preventive measures. If there is a risk of infection of plants on the site, then before sowing it is recommended to treat the soil with the following preparations:
- "Vidat" 1-2 g per hole, upon landing;
- "Tiazon" 250 mg is combined with sand 1: 3, from mid-September;
- "Carbation" 200 ml, used in the second half of August.
Many causes of disease can be avoided by making the right preparations for planting the seed.
Harvesting and storage
Harvesting of winter garlic is carried out in the second half of July and early August.It is important not to be late with the collection, as it is possible for the bulbs to disintegrate into slices and re-cultivation of the culture. Spring species should be removed from the second half of August to the end of September. It is important to harvest on time to avoid shortening the shelf life of the crop.
There are signs by which you can understand about the ripening of the crop:
- new leaves are no longer formed, and old ones have turned yellow;
- opening of the seed pod;
- the heads of garlic are fully formed and outwardly correspond to a particular type.
After the crop is dug up, it must be left to air dry at a temperature of no more than 25 degrees, for one and a half weeks. At the same time, ripe bulbs still receive some nutrients from the stems.
If the weather does not allow leaving the plant outside, then you can use the room as a dryer, the temperature should not exceed 30-35 degrees. At the end of drying, it is necessary to cut off the roots and feathers. Many gardeners do not cut the varieties of the spring species, but braid them in pigtails and hang them.
The storage, in which the garlic will be further located, should not be too wet or overly dry. The room, about 2 months before the planting of the crop, must be treated with a solution of bleach. The winter species is stored at the thermometer mark from 2 to 4 degrees, and the spring species at 16-20 degrees. The heads with three layers of scales are stored for the longest.
Experienced vegetable growers advise storing garlic in the following ways:
- the plexus of the plant in the form of braids and wreaths. To make the structure strong, twine is woven into it. A hook is made at the end and hung;
- tying the heads into bunches for the leaves;
- laying garlic in nets or stockings;
- in glass containers or baskets.
Periodically stored vegetables must be sorted out for rot, which will extend the shelf life.
In conclusion, we can say that growing garlic outdoors is very interesting and useful. It doesn't matter whether you are an experienced gardener or a beginner, if you follow the above recommendations, you will get a good, and most importantly, a healthy crop that will be stored for a long time and delight with its taste.