At the end of the garden season, when all work has been almost completed, many gardeners begin to think about a new crop next year. Autumn is the right time to plant garlic for the winter, but the main thing is to do it at the right time so that the crop is worthy. The fact that many people grow garlic in their summer cottage is not surprising, because this culture is very popular and is present on our table all year long. Garlic is good for health, it is added to many dishes, used in the preparation of vegetables for the winter. The process of growing this crop is simple. The main thing is to know the time of planting garlic in the winter, find and prepare a place, have high-quality planting material and know some features of planting, care and storage.
About the importance of climatic zones
I must say separately that the correct planting of winter varieties of this vegetable depends on the climatic conditions of different regions and countries. So, for example, the planting time of garlic for the winter in Siberia and in Ukraine is different. It is necessary to take into account the temperature at which this process will be most successful in the autumn season - + 13-15 0 C. This is done so that before the onset of frost, the root system can be formed .
A bit about landing rules
If you focus on the time of planting garlic for the winter according to the lunar calendar, then in this case, gardeners adhere to certain standards that have existed for a long time. These rules in ancient times helped people planting garden crops. The sown lunar calendar with its lunar days and phases has a great influence on the growth and development of the root and aerial parts of plants.
The lunar calendar always takes into account the days when the Earth’s satellite is closest to it or removed, and many other equally important cycles of the moon’s movement. So, during the new moon period, it is not worthwhile to plant the plants, the same can be said about the full moon. If you take the time for planting garlic in the winter, then the most favorable days in September will be from 19 to 20, in October from 11 to 17 and from 21 to 22. You can also plant garlic in November, from 8 to 13, but here you need to take into account the weather climatic conditions of the area, so that there is time for the development of the root system of culture. It is believed that the best period according to the lunar calendar for the growth of root crops and plants growing underground is the period of the waning moon. The planting time of garlic for the winter in Ukraine will be slightly different. It is also important to plant all plants in good weather, with a positive mood, which will certainly give positive results.
During the "rest" of the moon, all the power goes into the root system of plants. Their juices are directed specifically to the roots, and the stems freeze for a while in growth. Therefore, the period of the waning of the Moon has a positive effect on the sowing and planting of many plants with underground parts used for food, including garlic. Closer to the new moon, it’s good to cultivate this crop - weeding beds and pest control.
Landing in central Russia
For central Russia, the best time to plant garlic for the winter is the period in late September or early October, since winter varieties of garlic in this case have time to grow and give a good harvest. Almost all of September, according to the lunar calendar, serves as a favorable time for soil preparation.
The main conditions for a successful wintering and a good harvest next year are the right choice of place, a good time for planting garlic for the winter and the depth of seed placement. This culture can be planted in any well-lit place where many vegetable plants had previously grown, except for onions, since garlic and onions have many common diseases, they are affected by the same pests. The ideal place, according to many experienced gardeners, is where the tomatoes, eggplant, cucumbers, cabbage, and pumpkin grew before.
The time for planting garlic for the winter in 2014 can differ from previous years only in weather conditions, because you need to know that until the onset of severe cold, it should remain in stock for about a month and a half. It’s not scary if green sprouts appear after planting the garlic. This will indicate that the root system has managed to form, the vegetable will be able to winter well and give an excellent harvest next year.
Preparation of beds and sowing
It is advisable to prepare a bed for sowing garlic a couple of weeks before sowing, because it was not by chance that it was this time for planting garlic in the winter. It is necessary to dig up or plow it first, and then make mineral fertilizers, wood ash, humus, taking into account the norms for one hundredth of the earth. You need to know that fresh manure is not suitable for fertilizer, it negatively affects garlic, contributing to the spread of diseases and pests.
In order for the crop to be really good, you need to properly select seeds, cloves should not have spots, rot, dents. You should choose the largest and most beautiful. It is advisable to separate the heads of garlic before planting so that their bottom is not dry, then each of the cloves will start to take root faster. There is a good proven method, when before planting the seeds they are treated for two hours in a pink solution of potassium permanganate to disinfect before direct planting in open ground.
The cloves of garlic are planted in rows to a depth of about 6-8 cm, without pressing on the ground, as this can lead to a delay in plant growth, with a distance from each other of about 10 cm, with an interval between rows of 20 cm, sprinkled with a layer of earth at least a thickness of 3-4 cm. From above it is desirable to cover winter garlic with dry straw or grass, branches, so that in the future the top layer can retain moisture. But in spring all this must be removed so that the garlic does not ripen.
Spring care
In spring, it is also necessary to fertilize the beds of winter garlic again. Abundant watering is required only until the formation of teeth, and then the vegetable should not be often and abundantly watered. So that the teeth are large, you should stop completely watering 1 or 1.5 months before harvesting.
The whole spring period you need to constantly take care of the beds - weed them, remove weeds and loosen the soil. If yellow leaves appear on the garlic, then this indicates a lack of potassium in the soil, it must be watered with a light solution of potassium permanganate or potassium sulfate.
What to do with garlic in the summer
In the summer, when arrows appear on the bushes, they must be removed so that they do not slow down the growth of heads, and the yield is larger. Sometimes they can be left and receive seed material from shooters for subsequent plantings.
What do we have as a result
It is also important not to miss the harvesting period, since if the heads of garlic are late, they can break up into separate cloves, and this negatively affects its further storage. If you choose the right time for planting garlic for the winter and follow the simple rules for caring for the crop using the lunar calendar, then you can certainly get a wonderful harvest next year.