When and how to plant garlic in spring and before winter

When to plant garlic

Spring and autumn are best suited for planting.

In the spring, they usually plant spring, that is, annual garlic. In one season, it manages to grow and give a full harvest. The best time to plant it is April or May, when the soil is already warming up to 6-8 ° C and above, and the threat of frost has receded.

Suitable for autumn planting winter garlic, whose normal life cycle includes wintering. The optimal time is September or October, when the ground temperature is about 10-12 ° C, and frosts are not expected for at least another two weeks.

Where to plant garlic

Crop rotation, that is, the alternation of crops in the beds, will also benefit garlic. The best predecessors for it will be legumes (peas and beans), pumpkin (cucumbers, zucchini, squash, pumpkin), early white cabbage and

cauliflower. This is especially convenient during autumn planting, when you can simply harvest the entire crop, and instead prepare new plants before winter.

Do not plant garlic in the same place a second time in a row. Also, beds after onions, tomatoes and potatoes will not suit him.

How to plant garlic in spring

Two weeks before planting, dig up the bed and deposit into it a bucket of humus for every square meter. If the land has been fertilized since autumn, this step can be skipped: just dig and loosen the beds, and also moisten at least a day in advance.

Separate the garlic cloves from each other. Remove the dry husk, but do not touch the dense shell and do not damage the bottom. Wrap the garlic in a damp cloth or put it in a bag, sprinkle with water and do not tie it off, otherwise mold will appear. Leave in a cool place for a few days to show the roots.

In the garden, define parallel rows at a distance of 15–20 cm from each other. In each, make depressions of 3-4 cm in increments of 5-8 cm or more, or just grooves. In each hole or groove, at intervals of 5-8 cm, put the garlic cloves with the bottom with the roots down. Sprinkle with earth, but do not compact. Water gently from above if the soil is not moist enough.

Lay a layer of mulch from a height of 7 cm on top or use a covering material. Just remember to take it off after germination.

Loosen the soil regularly between rows of plantings and moisten so that the earth does not dry out completely, but also does not turn into a swamp. A month and a half before harvest, reduce watering to a minimum.

How to plant garlic before winter

For autumn planting, it is better to take winter garlic from this year's crop. Yarovoy will not work. 2-3 days before planting, select the largest heads and carefully disassemble into cloves, leaving only even and large ones. If desired, soak for 30 minutes in phytosporin or a weak solution of potassium permanganate - this will help protect plantings from diseases.

In the garden, make holes for each clove with a depth of about its height plus another 4–5 cm. The distance between rows is 20–25 cm. Between the holes in each row, leave 5-8 cm or even more, depending on the size of the planting material. The larger the teeth, the more clearance you will need. Garlic can also be planted simply in the grooves, while observing the indicated conditions.

At this stage, a nutrient mixture can be added to the soil, which will also contribute to soil deoxidation. To make it, combine four handfuls of well-decomposed mullein or bird droppings (note: fresh and only fermented options will not work), one or two glasses of ash and sand, as well as one or two tablespoons of tobacco dust and mustard powder. Add the product little by little into the furrows or holes when planting, so that the layer is no more than a centimeter.

After adding the nutrient mixture, spread the cloves into the grooves or holes, but do not press too hard. Fill with soil. If there is no rain in the coming weeks, water lightly once every 7-10 days. Before the onset of frost, cover the garlic bed with earth mixed with compost to make a layer of at least 5 cm. From above, add harvested before winter from the beds and flower beds plants.

With the onset of spring, when the snow melts and everything dries up, remove the covering layer from the greenery. Gently loosen the soil between the grooves with garlic. If there is little rainfall, water approximately every 2-3 days so that the earth does not dry out completely, but also does not become waterlogged.