Not many summer residents know at what depth to plant garlic before winter. Before planting garlic, prepare the soil, take into account the favorable time, and select the right method. Planting material plays a huge role. Experienced gardeners choose certain varieties of garlic and carry out preparatory work on the heads of the spicy vegetable.
The main differences between spring and winter garlic
The head of spring garlic has 25 small cloves. Their arrangement is in 2-3 rows. There is no axial rod. It tastes milder than winter. It is well stored and can lie for a year without losing its properties and qualities. Spring garlic should not be planted until spring.
The time to plant winter varieties of garlic is autumn. The head consists of one row of 12 teeth arranged around a round shaft. The taste is sharp, spicy and rich. Winter varieties do not last long. They are eaten in autumn and summer and used for canning.
Why does this question arise?
So, why does the question arise, why plant garlic in the autumn before winter? Although most gardeners use winter varieties of garlic, few can clearly explain its benefits. The main reasons why it is more convenient to plant winter varieties of garlic are as follows:
- Less hassle in spring . At a time when most crops are planted, it is irrational to spend time on garlic.
- Shorter growing season . If you compare the time from the appearance of the first shoots to harvesting, it does not differ much. But winter garlic has an advantage in planting - while spring garlic will only be planted in the ground and does not even begin to grow, winter garlic will already throw out its first leaves. Due to this, it produces a harvest 3 to 5 weeks earlier than spring crops.
Winter garlic can be planted in a summer cottage and reduce spring troubles, while getting a larger harvest.
Predecessor crops: after which plants is garlic planted?
Crop rotation is an important rule for obtaining a high yield on the site. Therefore, it is undesirable to sow the soil with the same crop for more than 2 years in a row.
Planting garlic will go well after growing:
- cucumbers;
- pumpkins;
- squash;
- zucchini;
- melons;
- bell pepper;
- eggplant.
All of the above crops are annual. They quickly develop and grow, saturating the soil with nitrogen, which garlic needs in due time for full formation.
There are vegetables after which it is not advisable to plant garlic in the fall. They deplete the soil, taking away the entire range of useful substances from it. These include:
- carrot;
- beet;
- potato;
- turnip;
- potato;
- radish.
On a note! Even a solution of humate (with potassium or sodium) added after harvesting such crops will not help to compensate for the loss of useful elements in the soil. Consequently, the garlic yield will be extremely low if grown in such low-nutrient soil.
Criteria for choosing a place to plant garlic
Good lighting
Firstly, in the spring in this segment of the territory the soil will dry out faster. Secondly, this will have a positive effect on the early development of winter crops. But this is precisely the goal that summer residents pursue when they practice planting it in the fall.
Neutral acid-base balance
For garlic, the optimal pH value is from 5.8 to 6.2, no more.
Recommendations:
- If the place suitable for planting garlic is in a lowland, then it should be artificially raised. For example, build a raised bed. Otherwise, when water stagnates, the planting material will simply rot. Garlic is very sensitive to waterlogged soil, and this should not be forgotten.
- In areas where underground aquifers come close enough to the surface, it makes no sense to plant it. The reason is the same.
- If any crop is harvested in this segment in the fall, then the rules of crop rotation should be taken into account. Every plant has its good and undesirable predecessors. Garlic can be planted in winter after tomatoes, cabbage, eggplant, peppers, pumpkins, cucumbers and a number of other garden plants, the fruits of which ripen above the ground. But after root crops, especially from the bulbous family, it is useless to plant them. This group of predecessors consumes a lot of potassium, which is also necessary for winter garlic.
Carrying out appropriate agrotechnical measures to fertilize the soil in order to restore the balance of nutrients is quite a complex matter, and the required result is not always achieved. Especially if there is no special knowledge and experience. In addition, the pests for these plants are practically the same. Consequently, the risk of infection of winter garlic increases. More detailed information on the compatibility of crops “bound” to their site can be easily found in special tables; There are plenty of them on the Internet.
Cabbage should be dealt with in more detail. Comparing various tables, the author became convinced that in some it is noted as a good predecessor of winter garlic, while in others it is positioned as undesirable. In some sources, this discrepancy is explained by the peculiarities of growing individual cabbage varieties. In any case, it is worth clarifying this nuance.
The acidity level of the soil can be reduced, for example, by liming - the simplest and most affordable technology.
It happens that there is simply not enough space on the site to arrange the required number of beds for winter garlic. There is a simple solution to this problem - plant some of it in strawberry plots. By autumn they are already thinned out, and this “neighborhood” does not negatively affect any of these crops. On the contrary, the smell of garlic repels many pests from garden strawberries. It turns out that this technique has only one benefit.
Winter garlic: planting rules
Before planting, organic fertilizers are added to the soil. Cow dung will do. However, it can be used in combination with lime treatment or the additional addition of dolomite flour. Every 3rd year, change where you grow winter varieties of garlic. The further algorithm of actions is as follows:
- Only healthy slices are suitable for planting. Before planting, they are treated with potassium permanganate or copper sulfate.
- The gardener must be careful when sowing. Do not allow damage to teeth. The deepening is not done deep, otherwise the root system of the vegetable will be poorly formed, and the feathers will take a long time to germinate.
- Mark the rows correctly.
- The sowing method is chosen taking into account the type of variety (medium, large or small segments).
At what depth should I plant garlic in the fall?
When planting, a simple formula is used - the depth of the hole should not exceed 3 times the height of the clove. The rules apply to all winter and spring varieties.
Depth 8-10 cm
Small-sized holes are suitable for cloves of winter species. Thanks to this distance, the sprouts quickly reach for the light and receive nutrition.
Usually it is not the largest-fruited garlic that is planted this deep before winter.
Depth 10-13 cm
The distance to the surface is suitable for large-fruited winter varieties. Additional centimeters are necessary for the development of the roots of the crop.
Determining the planting depth for a spicy vegetable
The main principle lies in the words: the deeper you plant the garlic, the higher the likelihood that it will survive the frost and sprout. You shouldn't overdo it either. It is necessary to sow so that in the spring it does not rot due to the high level of groundwater. If the clove could not overcome the thick soil layer, then it simply will not germinate. For a successful harvest, the plant needs to send out roots.
Since you need to have time to plant garlic material a month before persistent frosts, there is another rule: the depth of sowing depends on the local agroclimate. How early the soil freezes. In the cold Siberian soil earlier than in other regions of Russia. The root system will not develop on the surface in such weather.
In regions of Siberia, the depth of planting winter garlic is 10-15 cm in the ground. During frosty and snowy winters, the beds should be insulated. This can be done with dry grass. In a warm southern climate (Kalmykia, Krasnodar Territory, Crimea, Sevastopol), the depth of planting garlic before winter is 4-5 cm. In the Astrakhan, Volgograd, Rostov regions, this figure is the same. In the middle zone of the country (Moscow, Vladimir, Ryazan, Tula, Kaluga, Nizhny Novgorod regions, Volga region) 5-10 cm.
Advice!
To make it easier to determine the depth, you can make a mark on the handle with a felt-tip pen or marker.
What determines the depth of garlic planting?
Gardeners prepare seeding material annually. When planting, you must follow the recommendations of professionals. Everything is important here: hole size, soil composition, seasonality. In different regions of Russia, the characteristics of growing garlic vary.
The following indicators influence the choice of depth:
- Climate of the constituent entities of Russia.
- Planting time: autumn or spring.
- Composition of soil, soil.
- Planting material size.
Typically, the depth at which garlic is planted ranges from 8 to 13 cm.
What time to plant
The optimal time for planting winter garlic is considered to be the end of September and the beginning of October. The exact date depends on the region, but the most important thing is to plant the slices about 40 days before the first frost. Then the garlic will have time to take root, grow a root system sufficient for wintering and will not produce green shoots until spring. You can also use the lunar calendar, according to which there are more precise dates, this is from September 26-30 to October 1-12.
The most favorable days for autumn planting garlic in 2021
More and more gardeners and gardeners are planning their activities, focusing on the position of the Moon in the sky and checking the lunar calendar. After all, it has long been no secret that the natural satellite of the Earth, being a very massive space object, has a strong influence on its owner.
The moon periodically attracts and repels all earthly liquids. The force of lunar attraction also extends to plant juices, which rush down into the ground, to the root system, if the celestial neighbor is in a decreasing phase, and are directed upward when the phase is increasing.
All onion crops and garlic, including, must be planted on the waning Moon. These periods are considered the most successful for root growth. However, there are the most favorable days for planting winter garlic, when there are signs in the sky that protect the elements of the Earth.
Lucky numbers for landing events this 2021:
- September 6 - Moon in Virgo;
- September 24 and 25 - Moon in Taurus;
- October 4 - Moon in Virgo;
- October 21 and 22 - Moon in Taurus;
- October 31 - Moon in Virgo;
- November 1 - Moon in Virgo;
- November 28 - Moon in Virgo;
- There are no suitable dates in the month of December.
Note: During the peak phases of the lunar month (full moon and new moon), there is no need to do planting work in the garden, since it is not recommended to disturb the plants at this time.
PS. The moon is good, but my advice to you is to be better guided by the weather and your feelings, you can adapt to the lunar calendar, but if you choose between it and the weather, choose the latter.
Which variety do you prefer?
A variety is selected for autumn planting of garlic, taking into account the climatic characteristics of the region. Preference is given to winter varieties. It has a high yield when planted in open ground. If you plant garlic in the spring, you may end up with a head with 1-2 cloves.
Zoned varieties for middle latitudes of Russia:
- Lyubasha;
- Union;
- Podmoskovny;
- Gribovsky Yubileiny;
- Novosibirsk;
- Winter Komsomolets;
- Notch.
When choosing planting material, pay attention to whether the vegetable shoots arrows during the growth process or grows without them. The bolting species are large lobules located around an axial ring. The head has 4-12 teeth. If there are 14-25 teeth in the head and they are arranged in a spiral, then such garlic will most likely not release its feathers.
Shooting varieties are not afraid of frost, and they contain essential oils. At the tips of the arrows you can see an inflorescence with seeds (bulbs); they are often used for planting. These garlic feathers are aromatic and have an interesting taste, which is why chefs often add them to various dishes.
Important!
Trim the arrows in time. This ensures high crop yields. Non-shooting varieties are better in this regard. There is no need to follow them, since there are no arrows.
In areas located in the latitudes of the Russian Federation, it is better to choose domestic varieties. Foreigners are more whimsical and require special care and are afraid of the cold. It is difficult for them to adapt, and in the Moscow region, 2/3 of such planting material perishes.
Planting garlic bulbs in the fall
You can also propagate garlic in the fall using arrows, inside of which the seeds, called bulbs, ripen. The main disadvantage of this method is the long growing period. However, there are a number of advantages:
- phytodiseases are not transmitted through the top seedlings;
- all features of the variety are preserved;
- a dense, high-quality harvest is obtained;
- There is enough planting material to cover several beds.
To harvest high-quality bulbs, it is necessary to leave only powerful, healthy shoots - the underground bulb will develop poorly in weak plants. When the material is ripe, it is frozen, and before planting it must be disinfected in salt, ash, manganese solution or Fitosporin. You can read more about preparing seedlings in a separate article.
Young garlic in the garden
The first harvest of such garlic will produce single cloves - undivided heads, like an onion, small in size. The next year, such seedlings are germinated again and already 2-3 harvests are produced by the young generation of fragrant, high-quality garlic. This method of planting is used for rejuvenation and propagation of the variety, often even for commercial purposes.
Growing garlic is a simple and comfortable process that usually does not cause difficulties for gardeners on the first try. The main thing is to pay close attention to the preparation of the material and soil, and also to be sensitive to the moment of planting. Every gardener should try to get his own harvest, because native vegetables are always nicer and nicer.
Soil preparation
The chemical composition of the earth is of great importance. Sand-rich soil with normal acidity, which can be created, is best suited for planting vegetables. To do this you need a bucket of horse manure, nitrophoska 15 g, superphosphate 10 g and a glass of dolomite flour. Fertilizers are poured onto plowed or dug up soil and distributed evenly with a rake. They start work in two weeks.
They dig up the beds and apply fertilizer 2 weeks before planting the garlic. Compost is added per 1 m2 using 1 bucket. Then, form a bed (height 20-25 cm). Next, markings are carried out using pegs and twine. They delimit the area, placing them along the edges for planting. To form holes, it is better to use a spatula cutting or a thin metal tube. Ash is sprinkled between the rows. It will additionally delimit the beds and save the seedlings from pests.
Important!
If the soil has excessive acidity, it can be alkalized using the same ash, this is 1 bucket per 1 m2 or 1-3 cups per linear meter when digging, if the land has already been cultivated previously.
At what depth should garlic be planted in different regions?
Thanks to breeding research, this vegetable crop can be grown in all regions of the country. It is recommended to follow the advice of experienced gardeners on the selection of seed material and the depth of planting garlic.
At what depth should garlic be planted in the Moscow region?
The Moscow region is located in a zone with a temperate climate. Winters are not too cold, autumn and spring are not too hot.
The standard rules for selecting the size of the hole are suitable for the region - depth from 8 to 13 cm. The height of the clove selected for planting is important.
In the Moscow region before winter it is recommended to plant varieties such as Podmoskovny, Gribovsky, Soyuz, Nadezhny, Novosibirsky.
The following spring varieties are available for planting: Moskovsky, Gulliver, Degtyarsky.
It is possible to plant other varieties and varieties.
At what depth to plant garlic in the Urals and Siberia
Regions with a harsh climate include: Yakutia, Chukotka, the Komi Republic, the north of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, the Republic of Karelia, the Murmansk region, the Arkhangelsk region.
The hole should be at least 10 cm deep. Depending on the type of seed, summer residents select the optimal conditions for growing the crop. The maximum distance to the soil surface should not exceed 15 cm.
The most suitable varieties of garlic for planting here before winter are: Nadezhny, Osenniy, Bashkirsky, Siberian, Novosibirsky, Pamyati Ershov, Losevsky, Rusich, Skif.
Spring varieties that can be planted: Gulliver, Nugget.
After planting, it is not recommended to moisten the soil.
At what depth should garlic be planted in Russian regions with a mild, warm climate?
Such regions include Crimea, the Southern Volga region, the Kuban region, and the North Caucasus.
Here the following varieties are suitable for planting before winter: Dutch, Podmoskovny, Messidor, Morado, Komsomolets, Titan, Casablanca, Spas, Alekseevsky Gigant, Karinka, Shadeika, Garlic Baron.
In spring you can plant Moskovsky, Strelets, Aleysky, Gafuriysky, Novgorodsky, Demidovsky.
For other regions of the country with a temperate climate, the following winter varieties (Antonnik, Lekar, Caesar, Petrovsky, Yubileiny Gribovsky) and spring varieties (Parus, Victorio, Sochinsky 56, Orlovsky, Kledor, Flavor, Printanor) are suitable.
INTERESTING! Some varieties of winter and spring varieties were bred in those regions that are included in the name - Sochi 56, Moskovsky. Their characteristics are most suitable for the climate of the subject.
In addition to Russian planting material, foreign varieties are used. In terms of taste, this garlic is not inferior to similar varieties (the most famous are French, Dutch, and Belarusian).
ATTENTION! In regions with harsher winters, cloves should be planted as deep as possible. And it is even allowed to add another 1-2 cm. Such growing conditions will be needed for comfortable germination. The yield will depend on the correct location of the holes - depth, distance between holes, rows.
Preparation of planting material
There are requirements not only for the soil in which they are sown, but also for the planting material itself. They are very simple:
- Only healthy cloves are used, without damage.
- Before planting a vegetable, make sure that it has been stored correctly (in a dry room that has been properly ventilated). A summer veranda or canopy is a good choice.
- The seedlings were taken from the agroclimatic zone where they plan to plant them.
- For planting, take the largest ones, because they will grow larger.
Garlic is the most unpretentious plant in the garden. But it is better for him to work a little and get a bountiful harvest as a reward. This will become possible provided that the bed is fertilized, loosened, regularly weeded and irrigated.
Be sure to weed immediately when the first shoots appear. The vegetable is most vulnerable at this time: weeds deprive it of moisture and minerals. Then you can periodically loosen without starting any more weeding. This is necessary, since this crop grows better on loose soil.
Garlic should be watered all the time, not counting the last month before harvest. To do this, carefully use a watering can or hose with a shower head. As necessary, ensure that the soil does not dry out or become waterlogged.
Advice!
As they grow, occasionally sprinkle the rows with fertilizer - large heads will appear.
How to make beds
Preparing the soil, planting material, as well as setting up a garden bed for garlic in the fall are important factors affecting the harvest of winter garlic. We can say that fertile soil is 50% of success, and that garlic will delight you with a harvest. Site preparation should begin three weeks before the intended planting. The ground should be carefully dug up, this will help remove weed roots and enrich the soil with oxygen. The soil for garlic after digging must settle naturally, otherwise it will settle along with the planted garlic and it will rise, which threatens its death. The bed is made high, at least 25 centimeters.
Fertilizers are applied at the first digging stage. Compost is used, sometimes humus, but not fresh manure. After applying the fertilizer, the bed is dug up again, you can walk over it with a rake to evenly distribute the nutrients.
Planting to a depth of 3-5 cm
Garlic is sown at a depth of 3-5 cm long before the first frost (40 days). Specific dates depend on local climate. In central Russia this is the end of September, beginning of October. In Siberia - from the beginning of autumn. The population of the southern strip plants in November.
The gaps between the cloves are 10-15 cm. The width between the grooves is 15-20, but if the planting material is small, then the distance between the rows is less than 8-12 cm. If you plant garlic seeds, then leave 5 cm between them, and between the rows leave 9-10 cm of space.
The bed is prepared in advance, 3 weeks before the start of work. During this time the earth will settle. The height should be at least 20 centimeters. Stages of work:
- Dig up the ground, add humus or compost (a bucket per square meter of area).
- You can add 1 tbsp. a spoonful of superphosphate and nitrophosk.
- The fertilizer is mixed with the soil using a rake. All that remains is to create a beautiful appearance. To do this, use a shovel blade. The ridge is ready.
At what depth are different varieties of garlic planted?
Before winter (winter varieties - Bogatyr, Bogolepovsky, Lyubov, Nadezhny, Novosibirsky, Memory of Ershov, Rusich, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Caesar) select the optimal depth from 10 to 12-13 cm. Professional gardeners advise focusing on maximum depth indicators.
In the spring (spring varieties - Abrek, Victoria, Gulliver, Zemlyachok, Permyak, Porechye, Uralets, Nugget, Shunut) are planted to a depth of 8 to 10 cm. In warm weather in the spring, the shoots will begin to actively rise and develop.
ON A NOTE. The optimal hole depth is calculated by multiplying the size of the garlic clove by 2.
Planting to a depth of 10−15 cm
Garlic is planted at a depth of 10-15 cm in cold climates so that it can overwinter. There is another reason when the weather changes sharply and frosts are expected earlier.
Sequence of work:
- preparing the soil for planting (dig or plow, fertilize);
- forming a bed 3-4 weeks before the start of work so that it has time to settle, then the cloves will not go deeper than they should and will germinate well;
- before planting, planting material is arranged in size from smallest to largest;
- water the garden bed;
- prepare the markings.
Large cloves are planted at a distance of 15 cm, and small cloves are planted at a distance of 8 cm.
By drawing marking lines, we obtain rows at a distance of 20 cm. Before this, the soil is irrigated with water - this is how the fertilizer is activated.
Attention!
When sowing, do not press the bottom of the cloves into the soil. This is done carefully. If the gardener is behind schedule, he soaks the seeds in warm water with humus and sawdust, so they will soon sprout.
Preparing the garlic
Everyone knows that garlic reproduces selectively. Therefore, winter garlic is planted in cloves or bulbs.
If you plant cloves, you will get a good and quick harvest. Planting bulbs produces large bulbs.
Garlic cloves prepared for planting
However, it should be remembered that in the second option, the plant must be grown for two years to obtain seeds. In the first year the bulb produces only one clove, but in the second year it produces many cloves.
You can get a healthy harvest only with careful selection of planting material.
Select and prepare cloves:
- The choice is made depending on the size. For winter planting, only large carnations are needed. They take root better and grow well.
- Avoid materials that have been bitten or damaged by insects. Such cloves produce a sick harvest.
They should be disinfected and hardened. Soak the garlic in a solution, which may be manganese or copper sulfate. Ash liqueur is also excellent. Requires 400 g of wood ash and 2 liters of water. Mix everything and cook for about 30 minutes. After the solution has cooled, the seeds are placed in it for 2 hours.
Put a carnation on the bed
- The preparation of winter garlic is as follows:
- Only the largest ones are selected;
- The seeds must be well dried;
- Immediately before planting, the bulbs are sprayed with a solution prepared from manganese or silica ash.
The best ways to plant garlic before winter
Despite the constant improvement of garlic cultivation methods, there are few of them that are used more often. Let's give just three.
Method 1. Sowing . Seeds or garlic cloves are sown in previously prepared furrows. The bed is watered beforehand. There is a lot of harvest, but the stem is not always straight because the cloves are placed on one side.
Method 2. Two tiers . Good for small plots of land, or if there is a need for a large amount of harvest. This is achieved thanks to two tiers of planting, hence the name. The depth of the seedlings of the lower floor is 10-12 cm, and the top floor is 5-6 cm from the ground surface. The lower tier with the planted seeds is buried in soil, then the upper tier is placed.
Note!
The arrangement of the teeth is done strictly one above the other. This will not at all prevent the first tier from germinating.
Method 3. Classic. The gaps between the rows are 20 cm. The seed is planted on dry soil, covered with fallen leaves. It is favorable if melons and melons were sown here before garlic. There should be no melt water in the chosen location in the spring. After planting, mulch the ground with dry leaves.
How to prepare garlic for planting
Planting material is given great importance. The quality and quantity of the harvest depends on how carefully it was selected. First you need to decide on the type of garlic. There are a lot of them. To plant garlic in winter, you need to choose a winter (winter) variety. It must be frost-resistant. Especially, this planting occurs before winter in Siberia. The varieties “Novosibirsky”, “Alkor”, “Sofievsky” have proven themselves well for this area. Planting material in the middle zone is represented by the varieties “Lyubasha”, “Podmoskovny”, “Komsomolets”. You can use seeds grown in the Black Earth Region.
It is necessary to give preference to garlic that was grown in the climatic conditions where the planting will take place. This garlic is less susceptible to diseases, it is adapted to the conditions and its cultivation will not cause problems. The cloves that have been selected for planting garlic must meet the following requirements:
- to be large;
- no damage or traces of pests;
- not be exposed to scales.
Small cloves are also suitable for planting, but they will produce small garlic. It is better to immediately put such heads aside for food. And leave the largest and healthiest ones for planting. The seeds must be kept in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. This will help disinfect the planting material.