Almost every garden plot has a garden bed where winter garlic grows. Harvest time comes in late July or early August. How to correctly determine the cleaning time, what should you pay attention to? We offer you to find out everything about winter garlic: planting and care, do-it-yourself growing conditions.
It’s time to prepare the ridge and plant
In the first ten days of September, it is worth taking a closer look at the vegetable, and also choosing a place for planting winter garlic. It is generally accepted that garlic should be planted after cereal vegetables: cabbage, cucumbers, zucchini, squash, watermelons.
Next, the selected area is fertilized and dug up. As a fertilizer, it is better to add already rotted organic matter and compost. If desired, you can add mineral fertilizers. They choose litter, loosen and rake the ridge. In the time remaining before planting, check the deferred garlic. Sprouted, soft, bad onions are discarded. Leave high-quality, strong garlic. It gets colder outside after October. The frost is coming, it’s time to go to the garden. If the ground is frozen in the morning and thawed in the afternoon, then you can start planting. They take out planting onions, divide them into cloves.
Photo of planting garlic
In the prepared ridge, holes are made in rows 6 cm deep, about 10-12 cm apart. It is better to make holes with a stick or a narrow scoop, so as not to loosen the soil once again. One dry clove is laid out in the pits, the root part is laid down. Then sprinkle the clove with earth, tamp it well. A garden bed, planted on time, will not allow the garlic to germinate, and will also provide an opportunity to overwinter with a developed root system. If constant frosts are expected, then it’s time to mulch the garden.
Winter garlic care
In April, good, green sprouts appear in the garlic garden. It’s time to loosen the bed. This will give an impetus to the rapid growth of plants. During onion formation, garlic needs additional nutrition. Feeding is carried out with fertilizer containing nitrogen. According to the addiction of the gardener, you can choose organic matter or mineral fertilizer.
It is recommended to monitor the humidity and do timely watering, as well as not forget about weeding and loosening. During the season, such procedures will have to be done more than once. When the arrows appear, they are cut off, and the tops are tied in a knot. This will give extra growth to the head of garlic, but remember to leave one arrowhead..
When to harvest winter garlic
There are several factors that will help you get the harvest:
- high-quality planting material;
- garlic bulbs that will be stored for a long time;
- preservation of the taste of the cloves.
It is recommended to leave an arrow with one garlic. When the arrow is fully blooming, it’s time to grab the scapula. As with many plants, the flowering period is the ripening period..
If there is no left arrow, then do not worry. The second indicator of ripeness is the tops, it is also the foliage of the garlic. As soon as the leaves are half yellow and begin to slope, you can dig, and before that you will have to provide good care.
It is better to dig up the garlic with a spatula; tugging is not recommended. It is slightly shaken off, dried. Then the roots are cut off, they are allowed to dry. The leaves should be left, this will give the plant the opportunity to ripen. Experts advise against drying the heads with tops outside. You only need to endure in dry weather during the day. Garlic is usually dried in a cool and dry place. As soon as the tops are dry, they are cut off in whole or in part..
Also read: How to grow beets in the country in the open field
The next step will be harvest bulkhead. Bad garlic with cracks, spots is laid aside, they can be eaten immediately or thrown away. From the remaining mass, heads with large teeth are chosen, they will be useful for planting. All garlic should be stored in a cool, dry place. It is better to put the onions separately for planting. From time to time you need to sort them out..
Knowing all the features of planting and caring for winter garlic, you can harvest a good harvest next year. Useful advice for summer residents and gardeners is a way to acquire skills and grow vegetables and fruits in your country house with minimal costs. Did you forget to decorate your summer cottage? See the category “Country crafts” on our website.