Garlic is a culture present in the bins of almost every housewife, known since ancient times. This is evidenced by the dried heads of a plant found in the tomb of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun, the characteristic smell and taste of which, formed by organic sulfides (thioethers), is difficult to confuse with anything. Pythagoras called this culture the “king of spices.”
Garlic as an integral part of world cuisine
It's hard to imagine modern cuisine without the presence of garlic, the historical homeland of which is Western and South Asia.
The cloves are used for food, previously peeled from the hard skin, which in the amount of several pieces (usually from 4 to 11) form an onion; shoots and leaves of young plants are also suitable for use. Garlic, which has antibacterial, immunostimulating, antiseptic effects, is widely used in medicine; it normalizes blood pressure, lowers the level of cholesterol in the blood, hasbeneficial effect on the cardiovascular system, is an excellent prophylactic against strokes.
Growing garlic in the garden
The process of growing garlic often does not give the gardener any special trouble. Basically, seed material is produced on its own, by dividing the bulbs into cloves. It is recommended to use garlic obtained in the current year as planting material. Any gardener is always interested in getting high yields, so he tries to plant proven, popular varieties, the main features of which are the shape of the bulb, the presence of an arrow, the number of cloves, the color of the scales of cloves and bulbs.
There are two types of garlic: winter and spring.
Characteristics of spring garlic
Spring garlic is planted in early spring, as soon as the soil is ready. The use of cloves that have been chilled for a month before planting results in large bulbs. Placement of cloves, the average weight of which is usually 2 grams (from a bulb weighing at least 15-20 grams), in a row is made at a distance of 5-6 cm, the row spacing is 15-20 cm.
Unlike winter varieties, spring garlic needs more watering, because the latter gets enough moisture when the snow melts. It is recommended to water the culture once every 7-10 days, depending on weather conditions. Garlic care includes regular weeding, getting rid of weeds and top dressing carried out at the end of June; exactly at this timebulbs begin to branch.
Spring garlic is harvested with mass lodging of dried leaves (more than 75% of the total). Storage of spring garlic is carried out at a low temperature, which causes a minimum consumption of nutrients for respiration, preservation of the tightness of the teeth and protection from diseases. For long-term storage, bookmark well-dried, dense bulbs.
Spring garlic varieties
Spring varieties in their advantage do not shoot. The most popular among gardeners are:
- Degtyarsky. Optimal for growing in large areas, popular in household farms. Mid-season, characterized by light green leaves, the average length of which is about 37-40 cm. The bulb has a rounded flat shape and, under favorable growing conditions, can reach 38 grams, having 18 teeth. The scales are reddish-white in color with some strokes. This spring garlic shooter does not form, it is resistant to drought and frost. The pulp is characterized by a semi-sharp taste, white color, dense texture. The average yield from 10 square meters is 3 kilograms. The keeping quality of the product is good; subject to humidity not higher than 80% and a temperature of 10-20 degrees, it can be stored for about 10 months.
- Gulliver is a large variety of garlic that can be planted in winter and spring: the amount of harvest is practically the same. The ripening period is medium-late, the growing season is 87-98 days. Garlic variety Gulliver is quite large: widththe sheet is more than 4 centimeters with a length of 55 centimeters. The average weight of garlic heads is from 90 to 120 grams; subject to all agricultural cultivation techniques, the weight of individual specimens can reach 250 grams or more. The scales of the bulb are dirty gray; the number of cloves, characterized by dense white pulp, is 3-5 pieces. The harvest takes place in July. Can be planted as a winter crop. Has high storage rates.
Elenovsky. A relatively new variety, considered the most promising for industrial cultivation. Elenovsky garlic variety can be used for winter planting
Does not shoot, mid-season, characterized by a dense bulb of a rounded flat shape. The growing season is 110-115 days (from emergence to harvest).
Winter garlic: cultivation features
Winter garlic varieties are planted in winter, characterized by frost resistance and good adaptation to weather conditions. Most of them shoot. Winter garlic is planted in late September - early October. Early planted garlic will begin to sprout, planted late will freeze. For planting, use sunny open places, without the close presence of groundwater. A plant planted in partial shade will not give the expected sharp taste and large fruit size. The soil for planting is recommended sandy or loamy, not heavy, well fertilized; therefore, before planting, when preparing the beds, it is recommended to introduce rotted manure orquality compost.
It is worth knowing that legumes, cabbage, cucumbers, pumpkin are good predecessors for this crop. After potatoes, tomatoes and onions, you should not hope for a high yield. Also, do not plant garlic in its original place earlier than after 3 years, in order to save it from pests and diseases.
The best varieties of winter garlic: Lyubasha
A fairly new variety that has collected all the best qualities inherent in this culture. This is a high frost resistance, excellent resistance to drought, keeping quality with preservation of quality for about 10 months. The oil content and the content of specific esters clearly distinguish the Lyubasha garlic variety, which is characterized by shooting, from a number of similar varieties.
With a stem height of 1-1.2 meters, the mass of the bulb (round-flat in shape and white, with light purple stripes, color) averages 80-120 grams (there were specimens up to 370 grams); a clove, which is collected in a unit from 4 to 7 pieces, weighs 15-20 grams. The color of dense leaves, which are located semi-vertically, is dark green, the length of the sheet is up to 45 centimeters with an average width of 2 centimeters. The average degree of wax coating is characteristic. Garlic of the Lyubasha variety is famous for its excellent taste, good nutritional value, therefore it is confidently gaining a worthy niche in the consumer market.
Popular varieties of winter garlic
- Komsomolets. Shooting, mid-season, with a growing season of 120 days (fromfrom the moment of emergence of seedlings to the moment of lodging of leaves). The variety of garlic Komsomolets is characterized by high frost resistance, spicy taste. The bulb is quite large, round-flat.
- Dubkovsky. A bright representative of the winter garlic variety: a mid-season variety, characterized by bright green leaves, a slight wax coating and a rounded-flat shape of the bulb with 10-12 cloves. Vegetation period 98-114 days. The cloves have firm flesh and a sharp taste.
- Novosibirsk. Non-shooting mid-season variety with a growing season of 75-81 years. It has dark green leaves, pale pink scales, a rounded flat bulb with 4-10 teeth. From 1 sq. meters on average you can collect 1 kilogram. The variety has good frost resistance.
- Gribovsky anniversary. Medium-late arrowing variety, characterized by high winter hardiness, medium keeping quality, almost immunity to diseases and pests. In the onion there are 8-11 cloves of a very spicy taste. The color of the scales is purple with slight dark purple streaks. The mass of the bulb is from 20 to 45 grams, the yield is 1.2 kg / sq. m.
- Messidor. The variety, bred in Holland, is characterized by high yield (about 400-500 kg/hundredths), good disease resistance and early ripening. The stem reaches a height of 50-70 centimeters, the bulb is large, consists of 9-14 cloves, each weighing 6-8 grams. Messidor garlic is ideal for long-term storage and market sales.
Crop planting features
Beds for winter garlic varieties should be prepared in advance, a couple of weeks before planting, around August. Parsing into teeth should be done immediately before planting. Planting depth is approximately 4-5 cm from the crown of the clove on the surface of the earth. The optimal distance between rows is about 35 cm, between cloves in a row - 10 cm. If the winter is not snowy, then winter garlic will need to be insulated.
When the first shoots appear, it is required to loosen the upper soil layer, thus providing oxygen access to the garlic. Watering is recommended throughout May and the first half of summer. The rate of watering depends on the air temperature.
Feeding garlic
Top dressing is recommended to be combined with watering. In 10 liters of water, it is required to dilute 1 tablespoon of urea and add the solution by sprinkling from a watering can, spending 2-3 liters of the drug per 1 square meter.
The second top dressing is done in a couple of weeks: in 10 liters you need to dissolve 2 tbsp. spoons of nitroammophoska, using 3-4 liters per 1 square meter. The third, last top dressing is carried out during the formation of the bulb (the second decade of June). It is necessary to dilute 2 tablespoons of crushed superphosphate in 10 liters, the consumption per 1 square meter is 3-4 liters.
In arrow varieties, arrows should be removed in June, which will cause nutrients to enter the bulb. Garlic is harvested in sunny, dry weather with massive yellowing of the lower leaves. 3.5 is enough for a full growing seasonmonths. Harvesting a crop early can have a negative effect on its storage. Harvested garlic must be dried, cleaned of dirt, after a week, cut off the tops and roots and dry for another three weeks.
