Garlic is a very healthy product, which is why it is one of the most common vegetables that every summer resident plants. You can talk about the benefits of garlic for hours; its most important properties are to activate the immune system and increase the body’s protective properties. About how and when to plant garlic correctly before winter, how to choose varieties and planting material, how to prepare the soil.
Which garlic is better to plant: winter garlic in autumn or spring spring
Garlic is divided into:
- winter, which is planted in the fall and harvested the following year;
- Spring garlic is planted in the spring and harvested in the same year.
In our article we will talk about winter garlic.
By the way! Read our article about planting spring garlic in the spring.
Spring garlic is often planted due to its longer shelf life, but winter garlic is by no means inferior to its competitor, having a number of advantages:
- In the fall, it is easier to allocate time for preparatory work and planting, since the harvest has been harvested and all work in the garden has been completed. In spring there are a lot of different worries and things to do...
- The timing of planting winter garlic in the fall is not strictly regulated; they can be extended over a long period, so you can plan your work as conveniently as possible.
- Winter garlic is not afraid of either the first frost or severe frosts. But for spring garlic, spring return frosts can be disastrous.
- You can choose large, juicy, and the right size for autumn planting material. The larger the planting material, the larger the harvest. In spring planting it is necessary to use often dried out cloves.
- Winter species are immune to diseases and pests, which cannot be said about spring specimens.
- Garlic planted before winter does not require care. Soil that is well saturated with moisture will allow you to survive the winter well in cold weather.
- Winter garlic ripens earlier than spring garlic planted in the spring. In summer, only winter vegetables are available on the market.
Important! Having compared all the pros and cons of winter planting garlic, we conclude that planting winter garlic in the fall before winter gives a larger and better harvest than spring garlic.
This is visible externally and on the section.
However, in order to get an excellent harvest, you need to know the timing of the start of planting work.
Preparation of seed material
Not only does the soil need to be prepared for planting, the garlic cloves themselves also need preliminary preparation. If you miss this moment, the seedlings may be unfriendly, and the plants themselves will be weak. There is nothing complicated at this stage.
Choice of teeth
With a competent approach to planting, you need to buy garlic in heads, then you can visually assess its condition and choose the best planting material. Buying already disassembled cloves is akin to a pig in a poke.
The cloves must meet the following criteria:
- large;
- without rot;
- with the whole shell.
When planting garlic that does not form shoots, it is necessary to select the cloves of the outer row; they have more potential for growth and reproduction. In this case, it is not recommended to take planting material from the inner row.
Disinfection of teeth
Garlic heads can be infected with various bacteria, fungi, and pest eggs. These moments are often invisible to the naked eye, which is why disinfection is necessary when planting.
For this purpose, you can use a solution of potassium permanganate 0.1% (weak pink) or a solution of copper sulfate prepared as described above. For disinfection, selected cloves are placed in containers of the required volume and filled with solution.
Leave the material for a day, then you can plant garlic in the fall.
When to plant garlic in the fall - in what month: optimal timing
The timing of planting garlic in the fall directly depends on the climate where we will plant the cloves, as well as on current weather conditions.
As a rule, winter garlic begins to be planted 2-3 weeks before frost, so that during this time it has time to take root.
Garlic should only develop its root system during this period.
The optimal soil temperature for planting garlic is +10-12 degrees, but lower temperatures are also allowed, but planting in frozen ground is absolutely prohibited.
Thus we conclude that
- We carry out winter planting 2-3 weeks before the first frost.
- The air temperature outside should be about 10-12 degrees Celsius.
Depending on the region, the following dates for planting garlic in the fall are recommended:
- Middle zone (Moscow region) - end of September - first half of October.
- Southern regions – end of October-November.
- Northern regions (Siberia, Ural) – second half of September, deadline – first half of October.
Interesting! Each gardener is guided by his own observations. Some, for example, are absolutely sure that the best garlic is obtained if it is planted after the Feast of the Intercession.
Thus, garlic should be planted in the fall and, above all, based on the weather. Watch the video: When and how to plant garlic before winter
How is it different from spring planting?
Despite the fact that winter and spring garlic are practically the same crop, there are differences in planting. Winter garlic is planted deeper than spring garlic; planting in several tiers is allowed . At the same time, the planting scheme for winter varieties may be more frequent than spring varieties, but this has virtually no effect on the yield.
Less requirement for soil - if a delay in the spring due to low temperature can become critical and affect the garlic harvest, then early or late planting does not have such an effect (when to plant garlic in the spring?). In any case, the clove will take root and sprout quickly in the spring, minimizing miscalculation.
How to plant winter garlic in the spring is written here, and from this article you will learn about how to plant spring garlic in the spring.
How to plant winter garlic in the fall - features and step-by-step instructions
To get a decent harvest, large, tight heads with intact and even cloves, you must first
- select a suitable site,
- prepare the bed,
- soil for planting cloves,
- choose good planting material
- properly prepare and process the cloves for planting.
Landing location
The culture is a plant that loves sunlight very much, so the place should be open and well lit by the sun's rays throughout the day.
- You should not choose shaded areas (for example, next to trees or bushes).
- It is better to protect the planting bed on the north side from drafts and winds.
- A small hill (for example, a warm bed) or a gentle hill works well.
- The crop should not be planted in swampy, waterlogged places in the garden; groundwater should not lie too high.
An excellent place to plant garlic would be a small mound or raised bed (for example, a warm bed).
The best predecessors for planting winter garlic: rules of crop rotation
Note! Compliance with the rules of crop rotation is the key to obtaining a decent harvest of winter garlic.
The question: after what (after what crops) is it better to plant winter garlic in open ground before winter? - will be relevant.
The best predecessors for planting winter garlic: cucumbers, legumes (peas, beans, etc.), zucchini, melons (for example, pumpkin), squash, green manure (with the exception of oats, barley).
Not very good predecessors : corn, eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, onions, beets, cabbage, garlic itself, carrots, potatoes, herbs, radishes.
Preparing beds and soil for planting winter garlic
It is worth starting to prepare the bed where we will plant garlic a month or at least 2 weeks before planting.
This is done to allow the soil to settle a little.
Interesting! It is optimal to place the bed in a sunny place from north to south.
We dig the soil to a depth of a spade bayonet (20-30 cm), while removing weeds and other debris, and then add fertilizer under the digging to improve soil fertility.
Soil for growing winter garlic is required:
- loose;
- with neutral acidity pH 6.5-7;
- fertile;
- air and water permeable.
You should not choose a place where the soil is clayey, dense or overly acidic. Sandy substrates are suitable, but to obtain large heads, abundant watering and frequent fertilization are required.
By the way! If the soil is excessively clayey, then you can make it looser by adding peat and sand.
Main! When preparing the soil, organic and/or mineral fertilizers should be added to it.
Advice! You can read in detail about how you can fertilize a bed for winter garlic and feed it throughout the season in our next article.
If you are a supporter of organic fertilizers, then during digging you should add:
- 1 bucket of compost or rotted manure per 1 sq. meter;
- 1-2 cups wood ash per 1 sq. meter.
Interesting! Ash can be poured into a hole or furrow right before planting.
If you allow the use of mineral fertilizers, then:
- 20-30 grams of superphosphate per 1 sq. meter;
- 20-30 grams of potassium sulfate and potassium nitrate per 1 sq. meter.
Important! The application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers is very important for this crop.
In particular, potassium is very important for winter garlic, because it increases the cold resistance of the crop and helps it survive the winter safely.
And phosphorus will help produce garlic heads rich in sugars.
Important! If the soil is very poor, it is allowed to apply both organic and mineral fertilizers.
Watch the video: Planting garlic in the fall before winter and fertilizing with ash After digging and adding the necessary fertilizers to the soil, the bed is well leveled and left until autumn planting.
Important! You can additionally protect and disinfect the soil by spilling it with a 1% solution of copper sulfate or Fitosporin.
But, in principle, this can be done after landing.
How to choose the right planting material
The choice of planting material must be approached responsibly. For teeth, choose the largest of the heads of the correct shape; it is better that the head consists of 5-6 teeth. Small cloves of garlic will not form tight heads.
Important! There should be no rot or mold on the cloves. It is worth carefully inspecting the surface for stains of an unnatural structure or mechanical damage. All cloves suitable for planting must be completely covered with the shell, without visible flaws.
Important! The head should be divided into cloves immediately before soaking.
Processing and preparing garlic for planting
Before planting winter garlic in open ground, the cloves should first be prepared for planting:
- We separate the head carefully so as not to damage the outer shell and the place where the roots grow (the bottom).
- We clean the bottom of old growths so that it takes root better, this is done carefully so as not to accidentally remove the scales and expose the clove.
- We sort the cloves and remove all that have the above defects. If you plant such garlic, it will not only not produce a normal head, but can infect the entire garden bed.
- We disinfect the cloves. There are many options for processing garlic cloves: Soak in Maxima solution (according to instructions) for 30 minutes.
- Soak in a solution of “Fundazol” (according to instructions).
- Dip into a pink solution of potassium permanganate for 20-30 minutes.
- 1% solution of copper sulfate (10 grams per 1 liter). For 30 minutes.
- Fitosporin solution (according to instructions) for 5-10 minutes.
- Soak in a solution of 2 tbsp. spoons per 1 liter of water), for 30 minutes.
Watch the video: Proper preparation (processing, soaking) of winter garlic for autumn planting
Advice! What solution to choose for soaking garlic cloves before planting is up to everyone to choose for themselves, the main thing is to follow the instructions and not over-soak them in the solution so as not to burn the planting material.
Direct landing and its rules
Basic rules for planting winter garlic:
At what distance should I plant garlic? - a frequently asked question.
Garlic is usually planted in long rows, the distance between which is 20-30 cm.
Interesting! Many people like to plant garlic not in furrows, but in separate holes, in other words, plant it pointwise. Moreover, it is convenient to make such holes with special devices, or with the neck of a bottle.
The cloves themselves are placed at a distance of 10-12 cm from each other.
The depth of autumn planting of winter garlic is 8-10 cm.
Some people use the rule - clove height +5 cm, but the classic rule for planting all bulbous plants is 3 clove heights, that is, if the height is 3 cm, then the depth is 9 cm.
Important! The cloves are planted strictly bottom down.
Important! If the cloves are not deep enough, they may freeze. If, on the contrary, you deepen them too much, they will take too long to germinate or rot.
Step-by-step instructions for planting garlic in the fall before winter:
- Choose a place for the garlic bed, taking into account the rules of crop rotation.
- Dig up the soil, adding the suggested ones. fertilizers
- Choose high-quality planting material by soaking it in a disinfectant solution before planting according to the instructions.
- Mark grooves or holes at a certain distance.
- Plant the cloves in accordance with the planting depth rules.
- Cover with fertile soil.
- If desired, for additional disinfection of the soil, you can spill a solution of Fitosporin (according to the instructions).
- It is better to mulch if you have a risky farming area and there are severe frosts.
Watch the video: Proper planting of garlic in the fall before winter
Answers to frequently asked questions
Is it possible to grow garlic in the Urals?
Certainly. Use zoned varieties and follow planting rules in the fall.
In what month should you plant garlic in the Urals?
Try to finish planting in early October to be sure to do it before the cold weather.
What temperature should it be outside?
The optimal value is +10 +12.
Can I plant in the fall after rain?
Even necessary. But make sure that the soil at the planting depth is not very moistened. And be sure to do some loosening.
Caring for winter garlic after planting
If you have cold winters, then with the onset of frost, the bed is mulched with sawdust, or pine branches or straw, you can even cover it with spunbond.
But in the spring, all the cover will need to be removed during the first warm days, but the mulch can be left (less weeds will grow).
If the autumn turns out to be dry and warm, it is recommended to water the beds a couple of times so that the rooting process goes faster.
But the main care, of course, occurs in the spring. After the snow melts, the first green shoots will appear. You don’t have to water them for now, as the soil is sufficiently saturated with moisture.
Next, you will need to water, weed, loosen and feed the garlic, as well as remove the shoots in time.
By the way! You can learn about what and how to feed garlic (including spring garlic) from this article on our website
Watch the video: planting and mulching garlic in the fall
Possible problems and difficulties
With careful selection of seed material, garlic practically does not get sick and produces a good harvest. But there are factors that can destroy plantings:
- Little snowy cold winter . If such a winter is expected, then immediately before the first snows it is advisable to re-mulch the bed. Mulch will retain snow and create an additional insulating layer.
- High groundwater level . Garlic does not tolerate super-wet soil and the plant quickly dies. In such a situation, it is necessary to form a raised bed.
- Clay and loamy soils . If the fertile layer is thin, then it is necessary to reduce the planting depth. In loamy soil, garlic practically does not form a head.
In general, garlic is a fairly unpretentious crop. With a little experience and well-established crop rotation, it requires attention only 6 times a year: during preparation, planting, fertilizing and harvesting.
