When and how to cover garlic for the winter in 2022

Why cover garlic for the winter?

Garlic is a vegetable that is always present on the table. It won the love of gardeners with its taste and medicinal properties. Like other crops planted before winter, garlic needs agrotechnical care before winter, including winter shelter.

Increasingly, gardeners began to plant garlic in the fall. A vegetable planted in autumn produces good seedlings, which are already adapted to spring frosts in the morning. Winter garlic gets sick less often and is stored better.

Despite the high frost resistance of garlic, the plant requires winter shelter for the following reasons:

the main reason is to protect the planting material from frost; without shelter, a significant part of the garlic can freeze in winter;
winter shelter will maintain a stable soil temperature, since winter in Russian regions is often characterized by temperature changes, which can provoke the growth of young shoots and their death;
young sprouts of garlic covered for the winter appear a couple of weeks earlier and are strong and healthy;
garlic covered for the winter is less likely to be damaged by insect pests;
the yield of such a vegetable is much better;
such garlic is protected from waterlogging of the soil, which reduces the risk of rotting of planting material.

conclusions

There are many benefits to growing garlic securely covered in winter. The main argument is a friendly and stable harvest of winter garlic next summer. When choosing a method, consider the factors of your garden, the climate of the region and your capabilities. Remember the effectiveness of enriching the soil using organic methods and use modern materials.

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Many gardeners like to plant garlic in the fall. It is known that in this case the crop gives a richer harvest. However, such plantings have their own characteristics of caring for beds. It is about them that we will discuss in our article.

At what temperature should garlic be kept?

It is impossible to name the exact date when to start covering. As with other plants, many nuances must be taken into account for this, starting from the crop variety and ending with the climate characteristics in the region where the vegetable is planned to be planted.

Based on the observations of experienced gardeners, it became known that garlic cloves in the soil can withstand temperatures down to -9°C. This does not mean at all that you need to cover only after waiting for this temperature.

It is recommended to plant winter garlic 15-20 days before a stable cold snap sets in, when the ground temperature in the morning does not exceed 10°C. During this time, the garlic cloves will take root, but young sprouts, which could be damaged by frost, will not have time to appear.

After waiting 10-15 days after planting, the garlic beds are covered. It is very important to monitor weather forecasts, since it is undesirable to cover if the soil is too wet or has an icy crust. It would be good if the covering time is calculated so that after the garlic beds are insulated, snow will fall and last until spring.

When to cover garlic in 2022 according to the lunar calendar

To get a rich harvest of a healthy vegetable with healing properties, it is important not only to follow agrotechnical rules, but also to follow the recommendations of the lunar calendar.

Favorable days for insulating garlic beds

Favorable days according to the observations of astrologers in 2022 were:

in September - 10, 14 and 15, from 19 to 21, 27 and 30;
in October - 1, 3, from 5 to 8, 10 and 12, 16, 24 and 31;
in November - 2, 4, 8, 10, from 13 to 15, 24, 28 and 29.

You need to cover garlic, following the recommendations of astrologers and taking into account the climatic characteristics of the regions where the plant is cultivated.

Unfavorable days for insulating garlic beds

Covering garlic “in winter” is not recommended when the moon is in its waning phase. It is better to stop any activities during this period and wait for favorable days.

In the fall of 2022, the unfavorable days for warming winter garlic were:

in September - from 5 to 8, 12, 17, 22 and 23, 29;
in October - 2, 9 and 13, from 19 to 22, 26 and 30;
in November - 1, 3, 5 and 7, 12, 20 and 21, 25 and 30.

On these dates, it is recommended to postpone the organization of winter shelter and other work carried out before warming the garlic for the winter.

How to prepare garlic for winter shelter

Before winter shelter, beds with young garlic require measures that are important for the aromatic vegetable.

Loosening

Before you begin winter insulation of a vegetable crop, the area with planting material must be loosened.

The depth of loosening should not exceed 5-7 cm. This procedure will help remove emerging weeds and increase the access of oxygen to the planted cloves. For work, you can use a pitchfork or a hoe.

The main objective of the event is not to spoil the planting material, so loosening is carried out extremely carefully.

Watering

Sometimes it happens that there is little rainfall in autumn. This happens rarely, and most often the southern regions are susceptible to this. Before starting to organize a winter shelter, the soil in the area with garlic is moderately watered with water at room temperature. It is recommended to do this 7-10 days before warming the garlic plantings.

IMPORTANT! Excess moisture in the soil can lead to the appearance of fungal diseases and rotting of planting material.

Fertilizer

It would also be a good idea to saturate the area with microelements that can support the plant’s immunity throughout the winter.

Experienced gardeners do not recommend using fertilizers with a high nitrogen content for this purpose, which provokes the growth of green mass. Complex, mineral and organic fertilizers, such as humus and mullein, are best suited for the procedure.

Treatment

An area with garlic beds is treated against garden diseases and insect pests, whose favorite place for wintering is loose soil.

For this purpose, they usually use a 1% solution of copper sulfate, prepared at the rate of 1 tablespoon of dry matter per 10 liters of water. The area is treated with the resulting solution using a watering can or spray bottle.

Planting time and features of bed preparation

To achieve a favorable result and a good harvest in the spring, it is very important not to miscalculate the planting time. The fact is that if planted early, garlic cloves may begin to germinate in the fall, this will significantly weaken their cold resistance. However, it is not recommended to delay this process, since before the onset of frost the plant needs to properly settle down and take root in the soil. Therefore, the optimal time for planting winter garlic is considered to be the period from the end of September to mid-October, depending on the climatic conditions of a particular area.

The planting process is extremely simple, but there are subtleties and secrets in this matter that must be taken into account. Let's look at them in more detail. Firstly, for planting under snow, it is recommended to choose the largest cloves. It is believed that the larger their size, the better the yield that can be obtained as a result. As for the choice of variety, it is recommended to give preference to the following names: Komsomolets, Gribovsky 60, Danilovsky local, Otradiensky, Gribovsky Jubilee.

Planting large cloves under the snow

Secondly, when choosing a place for future beds, note that garlic will be most comfortable in those areas where pumpkin, cabbage, herbs or legumes previously grew. It is also necessary to prepare the area. To do this, it should be cleared of stones and weeds, carefully dug up and nourished the soil with compost, humus or special mineral fertilizers. Manure is also suitable for these purposes, but only rotted manure, and in no case fresh!

After this, it is recommended to take a break of 10–14 days, since planting garlic in freshly dug soil can negatively affect its rooting process and the level of future productivity.

Planting garlic in freshly dug soil

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Let's move on. When you make furrows for planting garlic, fertilize the soil with ash or humus. It's also a good idea to sprinkle some fine sand on the bottom. Garlic should be planted at a depth equal to the height of two of its cloves. The distance between the grooves should be at least 25 cm. When lowering the garlic into the ground, remember that the cloves should be 10–15 cm apart from each other. This is where the most important planting tips end. As you can see, planting winter garlic cannot be called a long and labor-intensive process. However, this is only half the battle.

In order for your work to give good results in the form of a rich harvest, the plant needs to be provided with proper follow-up care. Therefore, immediately after planting, it is recommended to level the soil surface using the back of a rake. Later in the spring, the soil in the garlic plots should be thoroughly loosened and, if necessary, the seedlings should be thinned out. Watering will be required from approximately mid-May to mid-July. A month before harvesting, moistening must be stopped, otherwise there is a risk of rhizome rotting. Planting and care are only half the battle; you also need to take care of the safe wintering of the seedlings. This is perhaps the most important condition for obtaining a good harvest. Let's look at this topic in more detail.

How to properly cover garlic

There are several methods for organizing a winter shelter. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. Organic products and spunbonds can be used as insulation materials.

Insulation with spruce branches

This method is widespread in Siberia, the Urals and in those areas where coniferous trees grow. Winter covering of garlic with spruce branches is considered one of the best and has a number of advantages:

spreading branches can cover a large planting area using a minimum amount of material;
air circulates well between the spruce branches after the snow melts and precipitation falls in the form of rain;
The pine aroma repels insects and other pests.

Among the disadvantages is the increase in soil acidity after using spruce branches.

To normalize the acid-base balance, it is recommended to mulch the area with a small amount of ash before covering.

Plant tops

Flower stems with leaves and plant tops are available in all regions and are considered one of the most accessible methods of shelter. Most often, it is customary to use tops from carrots and beets for winter shelter, but it is better not to take leftovers from tomatoes, potatoes, radishes and peppers.

When mulching the soil with plant tops, you need to be sure that the root crops have not been infected with fungal and infectious bacteria and will not harm the garlic.

The layer of well-dried tops depends on the forecast of weather forecasters - the lower the air temperature, the thicker the layer of mulch, on average 7-10 cm.

The main advantage of this method is that with the onset of warm days, the tops will rot and become an additional source of nutrition.

Among the disadvantages are:

rodents often use such winter shelter to build a shelter for themselves;
the tops freeze and form an ice crust if the air humidity rises too much.

Dry leaves

The most affordable method that gardeners use in their summer cottages. Among the advantages are:

accessibility, the main thing is to use foliage from healthy plants;
in the spring the foliage rots, turning into nutritious humus;
foliage protects the soil all winter from the formation of an ice crust.

This method has practically no disadvantages, except that after the spring thaw and then the onset of frost, an ice crust can form and harm the aromatic vegetable.

Peat

This method of covering is used less frequently than the previous ones, since peat acidifies the soil, which is not very good for garlic and an ice crust can form under it.

When choosing a cover with peat, the area is covered with a layer of 3 to 5 cm, and with the onset of spring it is removed.

Sawdust

Mulching with sawdust is used by gardeners much less often than other methods. Despite the fact that this material retains temperature well, it must be removed in the spring due to the risk of rotting of the plantings. Sawdust does not allow air to pass through well, which means the soil takes a very long time to dry out, as a result of which the seedlings may disappear.

Agrofibre

The most popular and best way is to use agrofibre. The only disadvantage of this method is that the material must be purchased.

Among the advantages are:

protects the soil from the formation of ice crust;
allows air to pass through well;
You don’t have to rush to remove agrofibre in the spring.

IMPORTANT! When choosing a shelter method, it is important to take into account the climatic conditions for each region.

When to cover garlic in different regions

The start time of the procedure is always correlated with the climatic characteristics of a particular region. Weather conditions also affect the start time of the procedure.

When to cover garlic in Siberia and the Urals

In the Urals and Siberia, frosts begin very early; by mid-October, stable frosty weather can establish there. For these regions, it is recommended to start the procedure no later than the third ten days of September.

When to cover garlic in central Russia

The climate of the central part of Russia is characterized by instability and sudden temperature changes. The event in these regions is planned for mid-October.

When to cover garlic in the south

The southern regions are characterized by warm weather, which can last until early November. By this time, garlic beds are usually covered.

ADVICE! Before you start covering your garlic for the winter, carefully study the weather forecast. Currently, all regions are characterized by unstable weather with sharp changes in air temperature.

How to cover: materials for covering

In the process of preparing for wintering, it is sometimes difficult to decide what to cover the garlic with for the winter. There is a huge variety of options that can be used in everyday life. Some require additional costs, others are made from scrap materials. The ideal option for garlic with the most positive characteristics is indicated below.

Plant stems

Plant stems or spruce branches can provide adequate protection in winter. The advantages of this type of insulation can be:

complete protection from frost;
protect from waterlogging;
do not allow snow to fall on the sprouts.

If you cover the bed with such material, you should be wary of the following:

the stems may become denser, which will reduce air permeability for the rest of the period;
over time, the base begins to rot, which increases the temperature of the soil under the layer;
Mold may form or rotting may begin.

When preparing the stems, you need to remove all seeds from them and inspect them for pests.

Application of peat

Peat is an ideal shelter in regions where severe frosts may occur. Natural material retains heat remarkably well. Additionally, peat retains the required moisture well and performs the function of mulching.

This insulation has some disadvantages. Increased acidity of peat can negatively affect the plant during the growing season. If there are constant thaws in winter, the material may become compressed, which means it will lose its heat-insulating properties and form an almost airtight crust.

Fallen leaves

Often fallen leaves from birch, maple or oak are used for insulation purposes. This base has good breathability and retains heat well. And most importantly, the material is available in unlimited quantities.

But if you fill the bed with leaves, you should also be aware of some troubles that can happen during the wintering period:

Freezing is possible due to sudden temperature changes with possible thaws.
Foliage can accumulate a lot of moisture over time and rot, gradually transferring this process to the sprouts.
Pests can grow in the foliage and spend the winter next to the plant, causing harm to it.

Attention! Additionally, the foliage needs to be fixed with some heavier elements, for example, boards. Otherwise, it will spill throughout the garden.

Using sawdust

You can cover the garlic bed with sawdust. The material is not difficult to obtain, especially if the house is heated with wood. The advantages of such raw materials are:

maintains temperature well in all weather conditions;
perfectly absorbs and retains moisture during thaws;
ideal for mulching in winter and spring.

The disadvantages of the material are not too significant:

as a result of getting wet, it does not allow air to pass through well, as water is absorbed into the wood base;
increases soil acidity due to the presence of juices in wood residues;
prevents the soil from warming up in the spring due to compaction of the base.

For reference! Straw and hay have similar properties. An alternative shelter of this type can be pine needles.

Agrofibre cover

If the autumn is warm enough, then you can set aside time to make a special covering. Usually this is a structure consisting of a frame and a special material for covering the surface.

The frame serves as a weighting agent for lighter coverage. The frame can be made from boards. Agrofibre is stuffed onto it. But first you need to lay some additional insulation on the bed, for example, peat. Then the entire space is covered with a frame.

Sometimes film is used instead of agrofibre, but such an alternative is very inappropriate. Polyethylene creates a greenhouse effect, which can lead to premature shoots, which can then be damaged by frost.

Gardening Tips and Tricks

Gardeners recommend combining several covering methods for good results, for example, mulch the area with a small amount of ash, and after 2-3 days cover it with spruce branches or peat.

To prevent pests from infesting the covering material in winter and spoiling future seedlings, place a small amount of onion peels under the covering material.

There is no need to rush into starting insulation. Before doing this, carefully study the weather forecast. The longer the area with garlic sits without covering material, the more the soil will be saturated with oxygen, necessary for future sprouts.

Sawdust, peat - effective, impressive, but problematic in spring

Covering with such bulk materials is similar to hilling or deeper planting. A very effective shelter, beautiful, quickly done. But in the spring it is inconvenient to clean. You have to sit and rake out this layer, it is especially difficult if there are already shoots.

They advised a combined method - lay spunbond/old tulle/rags on the bed, and sprinkle sawdust, peat, even soil on top. Then in the spring it will be easy to remove - carefully together with the fabric, when everything has completely thawed.

And if the garlic wakes up before such shelter is removed, where will it grow?