Planting winter garlic requires special care, because the right time and preparation can significantly affect the future harvest. Regardless of when you plant garlic – spring or autumn – it is important to know the basic principles to avoid losses. Experienced gardeners recommend following certain conditions and taking into account the lunar cycles to guarantee a successful harvest.
not only an integral part of the diet due to its exceptional, spicy taste, but also a valuable source of health – they improve digestion and act as a natural antibiotic. Therefore, in order to grow healthy and productive garlic, it is necessary to pay attention to the planting time and conditions.
In this article, we will share tips from experienced gardeners on when is the best time to plant winter garlic to avoid losses and enjoy a bountiful harvest in the spring.
When to plant garlic in autumn?
It is recommended to plant winter garlic a month before the beginning of winter. Before frost, garlic will take root well, but will not have time to sprout green shoots. In northern regions, garlic cloves are dug into the ground after September 15. In temperate zones, it is recommended to root garlic in the second half of October.
In October 2024, favorable days for planting garlic will be: October 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29 and 30.
Do not plant garlic too early: in warm weather it will produce sprouts that may die in winter. If you delay planting this vegetable, it will not have time to take root properly, which will negatively affect the future harvest.
Site selection and soil preparation for winter garlic
When growing garlic, it is important to follow crop rotation. You can plant vegetables in the same place after 3-4 years. Garlic grows well after cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, melons and grain crops.
Well-lit places should be chosen for garlic. The bed must be arranged so that it does not interfere with the spring plowing of the garden. If the soil was not fertilized in the spring, it will need to be done a couple of weeks before planting the garlic. Up to 6 kg of humus is enough for one square meter of land. It is not recommended to use fresh manure. You can additionally sprinkle 1 tbsp. sh. potassium and superphosphate. Dig up the soil and water it. Dissolve 1 tbsp in one bucket of water. sh. copper sulfate.
How to prepare planting material?
Pre-sort your garlic: Select the biggest and prettiest heads to plant in your garden. Carefully separate the garlic cloves.
It is recommended to prepare garlic using one of the following methods:
- Dissolve half a liter of wood ash in 2 liters of water. This liquid is boiled and left to cool. The planting material is immersed in the cooled solution for 1-2 hours.
- You can disinfect garlic cloves with copper sulfate. For this, you need 0.5 teaspoon of copper sulfate. Dissolve copper sulfate in 5 liters of water, and then immerse the planting material for 1-2 minutes.
How to plant winter garlic?
Prepare the bed of the desired area. The distance between rows must be at least 20 cm. A distance of up to 15 centimeters is left between the garlic. Garlic cloves are dug into the ground at a depth of 10 cm.
After planting vegetables, the soil is mulched with peat, leaves or sawdust. Small tree branches are laid on top, which effectively hold the snow. In the spring, the mulch layer is removed.
Garlic can also be grown from seed, but then it will take at least two years to get the harvest you want. It is much more favorable to use cloves of garlic. Our grandmothers planted garlic on “men’s” days: Monday, Tuesday or Thursday, and harvested a really great harvest. It’s hard to say how it worked, but you can definitely try this method.
