Features of planting garlic in open ground in spring
Garlic can be found in almost every household plot. Every year, planting garlic outdoors in spring is a whole event for any summer resident. The root vegetable is often used to prepare various aromatic dishes, as a medicine in traditional medicine and for other purposes.
How to properly plant, take care of the plant, we will figure it out in the article.
Garlic varieties
In nature, there are two main types of vegetables - spring and winter. They differ significantly in appearance, planting time, and storage conditions.
Winter garlic
Winter crops throw out the arrows, and you have to spend extra time removing them. But, having done such a simple manipulation, you will get large and fragrant heads.
Spring garlic
The spring version is planted in spring, along with all other vegetables and root crops. The heads are formed in such a way that the outer teeth are much larger than those in the middle. Such garlic is stored for a long time, until the next harvest. To do this, you just need to place it in a cool place.
Each of these types has its advantages, positive and negative sides, but in our article we will talk about planting garlic in the spring in open ground.
How to prepare the beds?
Many gardeners believe that garlic is an unpretentious plant, and wherever you plant it, it will grow. This is not the case, in order to get a good harvest, you need to carefully prepare the soil for planting a fragrant vegetable.
At the preparation stage, you need to consider such simple tips:
- Planting garlic outdoors in spring requires a flat and sunny area. If you plant a plant in the shade, or in a low place, then it will grow poorly, often hurt and rot.
- Garlic will grow best in loam, or soil that is oversaturated with organic fertilizers.
- When choosing a place for planting, do not use those beds on which tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers previously grew. The area where potatoes, beans, or cabbage were grown is perfect.
- An excellent solution would be to grow garlic outdoors in the vicinity of strawberries, raspberries or roses. With its sharp aroma, it will scare away insects and pests, which are happy to feast on delicate plants.
Growing garlic in the same garden for more than two years in a row is strictly not recommended. It is best to let the site rest for at least four years. This will give you the best harvest.
Planting garlic
Insofar as garlic does not form seeds, then it multiplies either with its own teeth, or with the help of a small bulb that appears at the top of the arrow.
To plant garlic in spring in open ground, the teeth must first be prepared:
- Reverse the teeth carefully. It is necessary to choose only the largest ones, without damage or signs of decay. Even if there is one sore tooth in the head, all the others are also not suitable for planting. This is very important, especially if you plan to plant garlic in the spring in open ground in the Urals, where the soil is not very beneficial for plants.
- To protect the seed from fungus, it must be soaked in Fitosporin for a few minutes. If such a drug is not at hand, an ordinary weak solution of potassium permanganate will do.
- To improve yields, soak each prong in the ash liquid. To prepare it, you need to take 500 grams ash, pour it with a liter of water, and boil for half an hour. Then cool. This solution serves as an excellent fertilizer for the plant.
Separate the teeth and carry out all the manipulations right before planting. If you do this in advance, the cutting will dry out and the root system will not develop.
When to plant garlic?
Many gardeners argue about when to plant garlic outdoors. The best time for sowing is the end of March and beginning of April, when the warm spring sun is already beginning to warm the earth, and the cold winds stop blowing.
But, these are general characteristics, and each owner should be guided by climatic conditions. So, planting garlic in the ground in Siberia occurs somewhat later than in the southern regions. But, as soon as the snow completely melts and the earth dries up a little, you can start working.
Rows are best placed north to south. So the plants will be evenly illuminated by the sun. The distance between two cloves of garlic should be at least 8-10 cm so that they can fully develop and not interfere with each other.
Plant care after planting
After the planting of garlic in the spring in open ground has passed, you need to wait for the shoots, the first two leaves. Then you need to loosen the aisles to give the root systems an influx of oxygen, as well as mulch with peat or humus.
Watering should be abundant, if the root crop suffers from a lack of moisture, then the heads will be small, or they may not form at all. Therefore, if spring and summer in your region are dry enough, then watering must be provided every day. For example, planting garlic in the open ground in the Transbaikalia in spring provides for the start of watering from the time the earth dries out.
At the end of June, the moistening of the soil should be stopped, and the heads should be allowed to dry well for harvesting. At this time, active growth stops, and the root system dies off. When the top is dry, the vegetable can be harvested.
Root harvesting begins depending on the variety, but most often this period covers the end of July and the beginning of August. It is enough just to slightly pry the head with a shovel, collect it in a basket, and place it in a cool place.
If you do everything right, then planting and caring for garlic in the open field will not give you any difficulties and troubles, and the harvested crop will be the best reward for the work done.