Every self-respecting gardener considers it his duty to grow garlic on the plot. It is valued not only as food, but also as a medicine. It would seem that this is a very unpretentious plant, but it also needs care. And there are enough ways to grow garlic. For example, there is a sowing of garlic with bulbs.
Benefits and Features
Garlic is actively consumed as an additive to main dishes, but, in addition to this, even a special diet based on garlic has been developed. This product is constantly used for the prevention of various viral diseases, as it strengthens the immune system, and not only “inside”, in the form of food, but even wear it around the neck (this, of course, mainly applies to children).
Garlic is also useful in that it is able to reduce pressure, remove toxins from the body, “clean” blood vessels, and reduce cholesterol. It also has choleretic and diuretic properties, and also increases appetite. By the way, in addition to “human” medicine, garlic is also used in veterinary medicine.
Spring and winter garlic: what is the difference
There are two types of garlic: spring and winter. Outwardly they are similar, but nevertheless there are differences between them. So, for example, in winter garlic there is only one row of large cloves, and in spring - several, with small cloves. Winter garlic has an arrow inside, near which there are cloves, but spring it does not. Winter is propagated by bulbs (garlic seeds, aerial bulbs, which are formed on the arrow), and spring - exclusively by teeth. The latter can be planted only in the spring, the first (the name already speaks about this) - both in spring and autumn, for winter. Spring garlic will yield in the same summer, winter - for next season. It is sharper than spring, but storing it for so long will not work.
Ways to Grow Garlic
So, there are two ways to grow garlic - from bulbs or cloves. The latter method is the most common, however, going this way, there is a risk of losing the plant in a couple of years: it can cause various diseases. In order to renew the culture, the method of growing garlic from bulbs is used. These so-called air bulbs guarantee the appearance of a healthy plant, much more resistant to various kinds of infection. In addition, there is a large number of them on one arrow - at least twenty pieces, which allows you to plant a lot of material.
How to plant winter garlic
The most important thing that any gardener should remember: you need to send garlic to the ground no later than a month before the onset of cold weather. This ensures that the plant has time to give roots. As a rule, in cold regions, landing is carried out at the end of September (in the south, dates can be shifted).
Garlic likes dry and sunny places, this must be taken into account when choosing a bed for it on the site. Where there is a lot of water, it simply will not rise, so you should not plant it in the lowlands, where melted snow will surely descend in the spring. You can’t plant garlic in the same place every year (as, indeed, any other vegetables), otherwise the crop will fall catastrophically, and the plant itself will start to hurt. Garlic interacts well with soil after cucumbers, carrots, cabbage, and legumes. You should not define it on a bed where onions or potatoes used to grow - they can be exclusively neighbors, as well as with beets or tomatoes.
How to grow garlic from bulbs
First of all, it is necessary to prepare the soil, dig it and loosen it. Then you need to mark out even rows of three to four centimeters deep at a distance of about thirty centimeters from each other. Compared to teeth, bulbs need to be planted quite tightly, but not thickening at the same time - after two to three centimeters. Before sowing, it is necessary to “filter” the air bulbs: you should not take too small ones, only if in order to plant them again in a year. Medium and large bulbs with a diameter of five millimeters are best suited. Such seeds can be lowered into the ground by 4-5 centimeters, but if you still plant small, then the optimal depth is three centimeters.
To grow garlic from bulbs in open ground, it is important not only to choose the right area, but also to ensure that it is cleaned of weeds. After planting, seeds must be covered with soil and left for the winter. If the forecasts promise a harsh season, it is recommended to mulch the earth - put a layer of sawdust about four centimeters thick until spring.
It must be remembered that the cultivation of garlic from bulbs is acceptable in the spring, however, it is recommended to take care of the beds in this approach in advance, in the fall. In early spring, you can plant onions in the ground, however, this season it is likely that some of them will simply dry out. To prevent this from happening, they should be kept warm in the winter, and before planting (around February) they must be kept for a whole month (preferably one and a half) at a maximum temperature of plus five degrees - for example, in the refrigerator.
For the cultivation of garlic from bulbs in open ground, in order to protect the plant from possible diseases, it is recommended to soak it for several hours immediately before sowing in a pink solution of potassium permanganate (necessarily warm).
In general, there are three options for growing garlic from bulbs. The first one is cultivation with a seedling transplant (in a year), the second is cultivation without a transplanting sevka, and the third is cultivation in one year (in general this cycle involves two-year cultivation). In the first case, bulbs should be sown in the fall, specially thickened. A year later, at the end of August, to harvest, and in the autumn of that year to plant sowing. This method will bring more material. In the second case, the bulbs must be sent to the ground no later than April, and removed - also in August next year. And finally, the third way to grow garlic from bulbs involves planting in late summer or autumn and harvesting for the next year.
Soil for garlic
Before planting garlic, the soil must be prepared, as already mentioned above: dig, loosen, level. But even before this, humus or compost should be added to it - about three kilograms per square meter.
It must be remembered that garlic is a rather capricious plant and makes high demands on the soil. It needs fertile soil rich in organic elements. Therefore, loamy or sandy loamy soil is perfect for him. He does not like plants and acidic soil, this point must also be taken into account.
How to properly feed garlic
Dressing garlic is very important for the plant, because it contributes to good growth. However, it is important to choose the right fertilizer. For winter garlic in early spring, after wintering, diluted slurry in combination with potassium top dressing is well suited. In summer, mineral fertilizers are required: in the same proportions mixed potassium chloride and urea, diluted with water. Such garlic top dressing should be carried out in the evening, preferably before watering. In autumn, compost or manure can be added to the soil, as well as phosphorus.
How to water garlic
The abundance of watering a plant depends on the weather. If the days are hot, the garlic needs more moisture, if it rains - accordingly, less. So, in cool or just non-hot weather, it will be enough to water it once a week, spending one bucket of water per square meter. If the air temperature is too high, the plant should be irrigated with the same amount of water, but twice in seven days.
With a rainy summer, watering is generally not needed at all, since plenty of moisture can ruin the crop. Irrigation is often combined with top dressing. In addition, it is important to remember that a month before digging, stop watering the plant.
Cleaning time
Getting a good crop also depends on when to pick up garlic bulbs. This should be done around the end of August, when the leaves and stem begin to turn yellow. It is important not to miss the moment - if you “pat your ears”, they will dry out completely, and then it will be quite problematic to find the onion in the ground, since it will go deeper into the ground.
In no case should garlic be dried in an open space, especially in sunlight. It is better to spread it out for a couple of days in a rather dark room, which will be well ventilated. The dried garlic can be bundled and hung in a convenient place.
How to store garlic
Some put garlic in a refrigerator or cellar, but this leads to a quick spoilage of the plant. It is best to keep it in a dry, dark place - an attic, a barn, any other suitable room. It is also permissible to decompose it in dry clean jars and tightly tie them with a cloth.
If there are any signs of rot or mold on the dug garlic, you need to immediately clean it, cut off the roots and place in the Fitosporin solution for half an hour to disinfect. Only then can it be dried and stored. In general, it is recommended to process the garlic before drying - so it will lie longer.
If it is a lot of it, it is possible to keep it in baskets, wooden boxes, boxes in a cool room. If the crop is small, you can hang it in nylon tights or stockings under the ceiling.
Garlic will be truly beneficial for your body if you grow it correctly and approach the matter with love. Have a good harvest!