How to properly fertilize winter garlic in spring

Garlic planted before winter must be fed in the spring so that it activates the growth of shoots and bulb growth.
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At the same time, you cannot feed at random. It is necessary to accurately select fertilizers: for growth, against diseases, for growing tops or bulbs.

In this article we will look at the main types of nutrient mixtures and the rules for their application.

Why feed garlic in spring?

Winter garlic is planted in the fall and spends the entire winter in the ground. With the onset of spring, it begins its growth and development. Our task is to help him with this, to stimulate the formation of feathers, sap flow and the consumption of nutrients from the soil.

In addition, fertilizing will have a positive effect on the taste of the vegetable and the size of its bulb.

ON A NOTE. It is especially important to feed vegetables planted in poor soils.

With a successful combination of circumstances, you can get by with one or even no spring feedings at all. But in most cases, you will have to feed garlic planted before winter several times.

Useful tips for a good harvest

Usually, the recommendations described above are sufficient to ensure high yields of garlic. But achieving maximum production volumes and increasing its quality significantly is possible only by following the following tips:

1. Avoid fertilizing the beds with fresh manure: it not only dissolves less well in the soil, but also has components that are quite difficult for plants to absorb.
2. Fertilizing should be based on both organic and mineral fertilizers. This increases not only the yield of the crop, but also its aromatic and taste qualities.
3. In a rainy spring, watering should be reduced or completely abandoned.
4. If you live in regions that experience frequent snowy winters, your garlic will not need watering until early May. In this case, there will be enough soil moisture for the successful growth of plants.
5. Garlic should not be grown in one place for more than one season, so the basic rules of crop rotation must be observed on the site.
6. The crop is quite susceptible to weeds, so garlic beds must be weeded periodically.

Timely feeding of garlic is one of the main conditions that ensures high yield and quality of the crop’s fruits. The most important in this regard is spring feeding; with its help, garlic activates its growth and becomes stronger after the snow melts, which further protects it from all kinds of changes in the external environment. Today, a huge number of preparations are used to fertilize crops, but the greatest effectiveness of the procedure is observed when all the nutrients and minerals important for plants are integrated into the soil.

When is the best time to feed winter garlic in spring?

The main question that needs to be answered is “When should I feed in the spring?”

In general, the crop needs to be fed almost a few days after the snow cover has completely melted. That is, when the temperature becomes positive and you remove the cover from the beds. The second feeding is carried out after 15-20 days, and the third, final, at the moment when the bulb begins to form.

REFERENCE. In colder regions, the third feeding may occur already in the first days of summer, but we will count it among the spring ones.

When to fertilize

As soon as the snow melts, it’s time to take a closer look at our winter crops. The earth begins to actively warm up, which means that the first shoots are appearing. Then we apply fertilizers; we’ll tell you which ones a little later. And remember, the first feeding in early spring is the most important.

Exactly 14 days after the first application of fertilizers, we carry out the second procedure. Approximately, it will be in mid-April.

The third feeding is necessary to get a decent harvest. This happens already in June, in the middle or at the end, depending on the timing of climatic conditions. And also because when you first fertilized your garlic beds.

How to feed garlic planted before winter

Just a few decades ago, the average summer resident had no choice as to which product to choose. We used organic matter (manure and droppings) and various folk methods such as green manure, wood ash, etc. Now, with the development of technology, there are dozens of a wide variety of preparations to feed your plantings.

Let's look at the main ones.

IMPORTANT! Feed along with water for irrigation so that there is no excess moisture in the garden. As a result, the vegetable begins to rot.

Spring feeding of garlic with fertilizers

Let's start with the simplest fertilizers. They show the greatest effectiveness because they contain concentrated active ingredients. However, the working solution must be prepared strictly in accordance with the recipe, since otherwise there is a high risk of burning the thin root system of the plant.

How to use urea

To obtain a working solution of urea that can be used to water the beds, you need to take 15 grams of the product and mix it in 1 ten-liter bucket of water. The resulting mixture should be used so that it is enough for approximately several square meters of planting.

Is it possible to fertilize garlic with ammonium nitrate?

To obtain a working solution of ammonium nitrate that can be used to water the beds, you need to take 15 grams of the product and stir it in 1 ten-liter bucket of water. Consumption is the same as urea.

NOTE! Both urea and ammonium nitrate are nitrogen fertilizers. They must be applied in early spring so that garlic, planted before winter, gains the green mass necessary for photosynthesis.

Application of superphosphate

In the spring, you need to feed it with superphosphate for the third time. It stimulates the development of the head and the formation of teeth. The working solution is prepared from 15 grams of superphosphate and 1 bucket of water. This liquid is enough for about 2 squares.

How to use nitrophoska

It is very simple to prepare nitrophoska for garlic planted before winter. You will need 30 grams of the drug, which must be dissolved in 1 bucket of water. Working fluid consumption is about 3 square meters per 10 liters of water.

Nitrophoska is usually added during the second feeding.

Folk remedies for feeding garlic in spring

There is a category of summer residents who categorically do not accept the use of chemicals, preferring folk remedies. They are easy to understand; nutrient mixtures created with your own hands will not burn garlic planted before winter, and nitrates will not accumulate in the bulbs. But we must be aware that drugs made according to folk recipes are much less effective than purchased products.

Let's look at the most popular folk remedies that can be used to feed garlic planted before winter.

How to use ammonia

Ammonia is an excellent source of nitrogen. They can carry out the very first nitrogen fertilization. You will only need 25 ml of product and 1 ten-liter bucket of water.

Why does garlic need salt?

Regular table salt is an indispensable assistant for garlic. Especially those planted before winter. It improves the structure of the soil, prevents the development of diseases and pests, and also has a beneficial effect on the size of the cloves.

To prepare the working solution you will need 3 handfuls of salt and 1 ten-liter bucket of water. The salt solution will be enough for about 4 square meters of beds.

How to apply manure

It is better not to use fresh manure. It causes chemical burns. Manure needs to rot. Rotten manure is diluted in a ratio of 1 to 7 and the bed is watered ONLY once during the entire season.

Chicken manure for garlic in spring

But chicken manure is good for garlic planted before winter. It improves soil structure, promotes the development of microorganisms and strengthens the health of vegetables.

A working solution from chicken manure is prepared from half a kilo of the drug and 10 liters of water. We insist and get a concentrate. Then we mix the concentrate in a ratio of 1 to 10 with water and water the plantings with the resulting mixture.

Is it possible to use ash for garlic in spring?

Wood ash (or charcoal) is an indispensable assistant for a summer resident. This is one of the most effective grasshoppers, which not only helps the plant develop, but also fertilizes the soil and repels pests. You can pour the ash solution, or you can spray the feathers.

For irrigation, 200 grams of ash are mixed in 10 liters of water, and for spraying, 0.3 kg of ash is mixed with 10 liters of water, brought to a boil, decanted and used.

By the way, ash or crushed charcoal can replace all fertilizers applied in the second and third stages. Ash can also be used as an insecticide. To do this, simply powder the plants.

How to feed garlic with yeast

Yeast has a beneficial effect on plants. To prepare, you will need the yeast itself (10 g bag), sugar (5 spoons), 3-4 spoons of crushed charcoal and a bucket of water. All this is mixed, left for a couple of hours and filtered. The resulting concentrate is mixed with water in a ratio of 1 to 10 and the plants are watered.

Causes of yellowing garlic and what to do

In addition to scheduled fertilizing, garlic must be fertilized additionally. This can be recognized by changes in the foliage of the plant.

• When the feathers turn yellow, add ammonium nitrate or urea (1 tablespoon per 10 liters of water and apply 0.5 liters per plant at the root).
• When lightening feathers, fertilize the plantings with potassium. 1 tbsp. a spoonful of potassium sulfate per bucket of water, this volume is enough to feed 1 square meter. m.
• You can sprinkle the soil with wood ash before watering.
• When the soil is acidified, the feathers also turn yellow. Then dolomite flour or crushed limestone is added to the soil.
• When growth and color slow, feed with solutions: urea (1 tablespoon per bucket of water), mullein (1 glass per 10 liters of water) or bird droppings (1 tablespoon per bucket of water).

Important! Wood ash for garlic is a disease prevention and a source of nutrition.

Watch the video! So that the garlic does not turn yellow.

Important! Our website already has an article on why garlic turns yellow in spring: what to water and feed for various reasons for yellowing

Schemes for spring fertilizing of garlic

The simplest and most effective scheme for feeding garlic in spring consists of 3 stages:

1. The appearance of the first shoots.
2. After 2 weeks.
3. During the formation of the garlic bulb.

ON A NOTE. These 3 feedings will be enough, but sometimes an additional procedure can be carried out.

First stage

Usually in the spring they feed this way in the last days of March - the first days of April. At this stage, it is necessary to stimulate the development of green mass. We also strengthen the plant’s immunity.

The first time you need to feed it with nitrogen. You can use ammonium nitrate, urea and even ammonia solution.

Second phase

At this stage, we add complex formulations to the diet of garlic planted before winter. Indeed, in addition to the above-ground part, garlic also has a head, which requires phosphorus, calcium, potassium and other nutritional elements for development.

You can use nitrophoska or a specialized product for bulbous crops. And most importantly, remember that you need to feed the second time in the spring two weeks after the first application.

Third stage

At this stage, the garlic planted before winter begins to grow a bulb, and we must help it. Therefore, we apply potassium-phosphorus fertilizers. This can be superphosphate, ordinary ash, or, for example, potassium salt.

NOTE! At this stage, there is no need to feed garlic planted before winter with nitrogen. Otherwise, his feathers will actively grow, and we need his head to grow.

Fertilizing with wood ash

After about 2 weeks, or rather, when 8-10 leaves have grown, the garlic is fertilized a second time with fertilizers containing phosphorus and potassium. Nitrogen has already fulfilled its role; it has helped to increase the green mass. Now you need to increase the mass of the head itself. Phosphorus and potassium are the main elements after nitrogen that stimulate fruit set, formation and ripening.

Wood ash is used as fertilizer. But remember that ash alkalizes the soil, so on soil with a pH greater than 7.0 it is better not to use ash, but to use mineral complex fertilizers with a high content of phosphorus and potassium.

Feed the garlic with a solution of ash - 1 cup of ash is diluted in a bucket of water, mixed and the solution is ready for use.

How to properly feed with ash solution?

First, make furrows up to 7-8 cm deep. This depth is necessary so that the fertilizer is closer to the roots of the plant. And in garlic, they go deep into the soil from 5-8 cm to 25 cm. By watering fertilizers on top of the bed, the beneficial substances are unlikely to reach the roots. And our goal is for the roots to receive these valuable microelements. Having received the necessary nutrition, the head will increase its mass. We pour the grooves well with the resulting ash solution, and then seal them back up.

If necessary, phosphorus-potassium fertilizing can be done again, but no later than a month before harvesting. There is no point in feeding garlic later than this time or a week before, since the plant will still not have time to absorb what it needs.

How to apply foliar fertilizers

The usual way to feed garlic planted before winter is to water the plants at the root with a diluted solution. But foliar feeding (by leaf) is no less effective. In simple words, spraying.

Spray garlic if its leaves begin to change. So, when the shooters lighten, they are sprayed with ash infusion or potassium salt. And when the leaves dry, they are sprayed with ammonia solution. In this case, the concentration of the active substance is reduced by at least half compared to root dressings.

Treatment should be carried out early in the morning or in the evening, when there is no sun. It is important that there is no wind and no rain is expected.

IMPORTANT! Don't forget about respiratory protection.

Epin solution

Epin solution (can be replaced with Zircon) will help normalize vegetable growth and improve immunity. The drug should be diluted according to the instructions.

You can feed 2-3 times in the spring with an interval of 10 days.

Immunocytophyte

For a three-liter jar of water you need 2 tablets. Spray after applying nitrogen-containing fertilizers (urea, ammonium nitrate, mullein, etc.).

Anti-yellowing solution

Sometimes it happens that the tops turn yellow. In this case, in the spring it is useful to feed the garlic with the following mixture: 15 ml of ammonia per bucket of water with the addition of 4-5 drops of liquid soap for sticking.

Feeding with folk remedies

Ammonia

Ammonia is a nitrogen-containing agent that is usually used to bring a person out of fainting. But since it contains a lot of nitrogen, gardeners use it for nitrogen fertilizing. Especially when the tips of the leaves begin to turn yellow. And this is a signal that the plant lacks nitrogen. As an “ambulance”, winter garlic can be fed with a solution of ammonia. When used as fertilizing, the growth of the green mass of garlic is activated, it becomes rich, bright green. There is no risk of overfeeding with nitrogen.

As a foliar feeding, 60 ml of ammonia is diluted in a bucket of water and sprayed on the plants through a watering can. It is advisable to water in the evening in warm weather, after first watering the beds with clean water.

Yeast

Recently, feeding vegetables with yeast has become popular. This fertilizer promotes rapid growth of the root system, as a result, the vegetative mass increases faster, and subsequently helps to increase productivity. It is important to just follow the dosage.

Yeast starter can be added to infusions of organic fertilizers: herbal, with mullein, with chicken droppings, or in an ash solution. This will only intensify their effect.

To prepare yeast starter, take 100 g of pressed (live) yeast, dilute it in 2-3 liters of warm water, add 0.5 cups of sugar, stir, wait for the mass to rise a little and add organic fertilizers to the infusions when preparing them. To prepare the working solution, 1 liter of infusion with yeast is diluted in a bucket of warm, but not hot, water.

When should you feed garlic in the spring in different regions?

Since the climate in different Russian regions is different, the time for applying fertilizers varies. Let's consider when it is necessary to feed a vegetable in the spring in the regions and republics of the Russian Federation.

Moscow and Moscow region

It is necessary to feed garlic in the capital region no earlier than mid-April.

Ural and Siberia

In the coldest regions of our country, it is better to feed the crop in early May.

Leningrad region

Here, the introduction of nutrient mixtures begins no earlier than the last ten days of April.

Fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizers

In the fall, before planting winter garlic, the garden bed was well seasoned with organic fertilizers (rotted manure, humus). But in the spring, when rapid growth of the vegetative mass begins, additional feeding is necessary. Otherwise, the garlic feathers will begin to turn yellow. And if the aerial part is poorly developed, then the bulb will also develop poorly. Therefore, the first fertilizing is carried out with nitrogen-containing fertilizers.

Before applying fertilizing, the soil must be thoroughly watered.

Common mistakes

1. The timing is wrong. There is a clear procedure for feeding garlic. First, in the spring, you need to feed with nitrogen compounds to increase the green mass, then with potassium-phosphorus and complex compounds to form the head.
2. The concentration of the active drug is impaired. In an effort to enhance the effect, the summer resident exceeds the norm of the active substance. However, instead of an additional effect, it receives burns and injuries to plants.
3. Use of fresh manure. The manure must rot. Fresh mullein should not be added to garlic, as it can burn the thin roots of the plant.
4. The dose of nitrogen fertilizing has been exceeded. They only need to be fed in the spring. There is no need to eat them frequently, since garlic is valued not for its leaves, but for its bulb.

Leaves turn yellow - what to do?

Let's start, according to tradition, with a problem that worries most gardeners. They don’t know what to do if the leaves of garlic turn yellow in the spring - how to eliminate these consequences of an unsuccessful wintering. And here you need to understand that the problem lies in the structure of the soil. He can be:

1. saline (a large amount of nitrates has accumulated, which are not absorbed by the root system of the crop);
2. acidified (the soil has a high acid content and requires alkalization with ash, dolomite flour or lime);
3. heavy, not breathable;
4. depleted in organic matter and minerals;
5. clayey and floodable.

All these problems lead to disruption of crop nutrition. The first thing to do if garlic turns yellow in the spring is to find out what’s wrong with the soil and compensate for the identified deficiencies. If you find out why the problem appeared, then dealing with it will not be difficult. You should not resort to the use of table salt, as popular advice recommends. This can make the problem worse.

Remember that there is no universal advice on what to water garlic in the spring to prevent it from turning yellow, since the decision in each specific case will be individual. But if you follow all the rules of agricultural technology given in this article, the crop will quickly grow and produce new green feathers that will not yellow and curl.

Tips on what to do:

• test the pH level and adjust it to neutral;
• add humus or well-rotted compost;
• make drainage holes in the bed so that moisture does not stagnate;
• loosen regularly to a depth of 12 cm;
• fertilize with nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers.

All these measures work only in combination. Doing one thing and expecting a positive result is a fundamentally wrong tactic.

Answers to frequently asked questions

What is the best way to feed?

Focus on your wallet. Nowadays there are a lot of different brands and products. The main thing is to follow the order of applying fertilizers. And you can choose either folk remedies or cheap and affordable ammophoska, urea, or expensive imported complex formulations.

How to apply fertilizers correctly?

When feeding roots, apply the preparations along with water during watering so as not to disturb the regime. If you have to additionally spray garlic, then reduce the concentration of the active substance by 2 or even 3 times.

What is better to feed, store-bought or folk remedies?

Of course, the drugs sold in stores are more effective. After all, these are, in fact, concentrates of specific microelements. But there are, for example, ash and ammonia, which are not inferior to store-bought drugs.

Features of the use of solutions and granules

Regardless of the composition and concentration of substances used to treat the soil, there are general recommendations for increasing the yield, according to which fertilizing garlic in the spring is carried out as follows:

• The liquid mixtures are carefully poured under the garlic root, without touching the leaves and stems to avoid burns. Use a watering can with a narrow spout;
• dry substances are distributed along the rows without touching the above-ground parts of the plants, and then watered abundantly;
• when using solutions, preliminary watering is not carried out, since the crop does not like waterlogged soil;
• The watering solution should not be cold or hot, otherwise it will shock the plant. The best option is to focus on the air temperature;
• ready-made solutions are used no longer than 24 hours from the moment of preparation, since ultraviolet radiation and oxygen provoke chemical reactions;
• You shouldn’t limit yourself exclusively to mineral supplements or organics; proper alternation will give the desired result.

Spraying is the only way to deliver nutrients in rainy times, since garlic does not like waterlogged soil. The concentration of the irrigation solution is reduced significantly to avoid burns to the green part. The procedure is carried out in the evening or in the morning, when there are no scorching rays of the sun. Irrigation does not replace root supplements, but becomes a useful addition when there is a lack of microelements. If you add timely loosening and weeding to the above, the garlic harvest will be abundant and of high quality.

How to treat yellow garlic leaves with saltpeter

If the first and second spring feedings are carried out without fail (during planting, on melted snow), then the third and fourth (by leaf, foliar treatment) - only if necessary. It should be done if the following symptoms are present:

• growth retardation;
• lack of mass shoots;
• yellowing of leaves.

When the tops dry out, apply foliar feeding.
For spring application, prepare a solution, pour it into a sprayer and spray all plantings. The procedure is carried out in the evening to prevent sunburn. The weather should be without rain or strong wind. After a week, it is recommended to give a mixture of potassium salt or potassium sulfate with superphosphates. For spring fertilizer, they can be combined with saltpeter or use a ready-made complex composition, for example, Kemira Lux.

Flaws

Despite the large number of advantages, ammonium nitrate also has disadvantages.

The main disadvantage of this agrochemical is its ability to disrupt the soil structure. As a result of prolonged use of nitrate, there is an accumulation of salts in the soil and an increase in its acidity. And too acidic soil is known to create the likelihood of developing fungal diseases.

The list of disadvantages also includes the fact that this fertilizer is quickly washed away by groundwater, which sometimes becomes the reason that the plant does not have time to obtain the amount of mineral elements it needs. Experts do not recommend watering garlic with saltpeter too often in the spring, as this can lead to excessive growth of vegetative mass to the detriment of fruiting.

In addition, fertilizing the soil in beds with bulbous crops with this preparation alone will not be able to satisfy the plants’ needs for other microelements. In this regard, there is a need to use additional mineral complexes.

Warning! Do not mix saltpeter with flammable materials - peat, straw or sawdust, as this may cause a fire.

You must use saltpeter strictly according to the instructions.