Rules for planting garlic in autumn in the Leningrad region
Planting of winter garlic occurs in late autumn. The gardener selects the right soil, prepares shelter for the crop and selects safe fertilizers. Planting garlic in the Leningrad region and harvesting will allow you to stock up on a product with a pungent taste for the whole year. The differences between spring and winter garlic lie in the conditions created by the gardener and the time of planting.
Garlic planting rules
Features of the region
Garlic varieties differ in terms of planting and collection of mature heads. The type of propagation and size of garlic depend on the selected variety and the conditions of care. Spring crops are planted in early spring, and winter crops are planted after the summer harvest.
The taste of winter garlic is different from summer garlic - it is more pungent and piquant. Winter varieties are grown in greenhouses (for production) or in secluded areas of an open garden.
Landing in the Leningrad region is not much different from other regions with a similar climate. The planted crops need additional insulation and fertilization of the frozen soil.
Preparing to disembark
Autumn planting is carried out at a time when summer crops have already been harvested. The soil for garlic must be cleaned, fertilized and nourished. If in the summer the seedlings were sick with fungus or suffered from pests, the soil is cleaned with antiseptic concentrates. You can plant in soil:
- healthy large teeth without damage;
- the optimal weight of a suitable clove is from 3 to 7 g;
- fresh cloves harvested in summer.
Before planting winter crops, the soil is well fertilized. Mineral and organic fertilizers are applied one day before planting. If you plant garlic without top dressing, the harvest will be bitter, and the heads will be small.
Natural fertilizers are used that are suitable for garlic and onions. Milk whey will strengthen the plant's root system and protect it from fungal diseases.
Disembarkation dates
Planting is carried out during cold snaps, but before the onset of the first frost. It is recommended to plant the selected cloves 3-4 weeks before frost. If you plant the garlic earlier (before the onset of frost), the plant will form tops, which will draw out the juices from the rhizome and will soon die. It is also impossible to plant a winter variety in the Leningrad Region later: such seedlings will not be able to form a normal root system and will dry out by spring.
The lower the frost resistance of the seedlings, the harder the winter care will be. By the time of frost in the Leningrad Region, the heads should put down the first roots, but they will not start active growth. At what time to plant the cloves will help the agricultural calendar 2017-2018, which lists the dates when the variety will have time to grow stronger and not die from a sharp cold snap: in the Leningrad region, planting dates are shifted from mid-September to mid-October.
Landing technology
Not all soil is suitable for planting garlic.
The choice of planting soil depends on the timing of planting. In late autumn, garlic cannot be planted in place of other root crops: it is better to choose soil after cabbage and legumes.It is necessary to plant winter varieties on soil that is not flooded in spring. After winter, the landing site is protected and sheltered from drafts.
The beds are dug up a week before disembarkation. Superphosphates and potassium salt are used as fertilizers. For planting, grooves up to 5 cm deep are pulled out.The embankment over the seedlings is 3 cm.The distance between the cloves is chosen at least 15 cm.If the winter variety grows in cramped conditions, it will not be possible to harvest a good harvest: the root system has nowhere to grow, and the heads of garlic are deformed.
For bulbs, there is a different planting scheme: the distance between the heads is no more than 3 cm (this distance is enough for the correct growth of the root system). Bulbs are cut on the day of planting, cloves just before planting in the ground. Bulb weight ranges from 130 to 270 g. For the winter variety, only large heads are chosen.
Covering for the winter
For the winter, crops planted in November are not insulated. If the planting is carried out on time, the cloves of the variety have time to absorb nutrients from the soil. Recessed seedlings winter well and withstand low ambient temperatures.
Cloves with a shallow root system for the winter need to be insulated: the plantings freeze along with the upper layers of the soil. The winter varieties are covered with peat or sawdust. The middle layer of insulation is 4 cm above the soil level. Periodically, the warming layer is poured and tamped.
Winter care
For the winter, the planted varieties need special care. In the spring, the soil around the sprouted garlic is mulched - fed with nitrogen fertilizers. After fertilization, the soil is loosened (depth up to 4 cm). In the spring, the culture is watered every 10 days after the soil is loosened again. Winter crop care includes:
- trimming unnecessary arrows (peduncles);
- feeding the root system with ammonium nitrate;
- watering the culture (every 10 days);
- harvesting yellow arrows in or fungus-infected stems.
Harvesting of garlic is carried out in August: they begin to dig out the heads as soon as all the leaves turn yellow. It is correct to harvest the crop until the green part of the arrows completely wilts, if the garlic is overexposed, it will become bitter and tasteless. Late harvesting leads to loss of juice in the head: dry heads are not suitable for future planting.
Softening the false stem is a signal for harvesting. To obtain good planting material, a few pairs of stems are left and dug out after 10 days. In autumn, such heads will withstand temperature extremes.
Tips from experienced gardeners
It is beneficial to plant winter crops in a secluded place. Experienced gardeners are advised to prepare planting material: dry the cloves or bulbs well. Recommendations for planting a winter variety in the Leningrad region:
- Date picker. The timing of disembarkation depends on the ambient temperature. The lunar calendar will help determine the date when the cloves will begin to grow rapidly and withstand a difficult winter. Dates this year in September: 2nd, 7th, 27th and 30th. October is a favorable period for disembarkation (1st, 4th, 13th, 25th). October is warm and moderately rainy. In November, crops are planted in the first days.
- Choose the right soil. A special site for planting winter crops is chosen: in the last 3-4 years, root crops should not grow on it.
- Furrow depth. It is important to make the holes correctly. The upper layers of the soil will freeze in winter: the cloves will not sink, the culture will die with the first frosts.
The depth of the grooves is matched to the selected area. If there is little room for disembarkation, the holes should be made deeper. In autumn, the frequency of watering the soil increases so that the garlic has time to collect more moisture before the frost arrives.
Do not plant garlic in the shade. Too deep areas that are below the rest of the garden will cause the death of the crop.