Garlic planting method and timing: do you need to soak the cloves in water before planting?
SummaryPlanting time: in northern regions, garlic can be sown in spring, while in southern regions it can be sown in autumn. Site selection and soil preparation: choose well-drained, loose and fertile soil for planting, and deep-plow the soil 20-25 cm. Sowing method: soaking the seed is not necessary at sowing time; you can sun-dry the seed for 1-2 days, and sow 1-2 seeds per furrow. Field management: keep the soil moist during the growing period, apply mainly organic fertilizer, then a small amount of chemical fertilizer.
1. Planting time
1. Garlic is a crop that prefers a cool environment, so according to the climate and variety conditions of each region, it can be divided into spring sowing and autumn sowing. Generally, in northern regions, autumn and winter temperatures are relatively low, and seedlings cannot safely overwinter, so autumn sowing is not suitable.
2. Garlic can be sown in early spring through greenhouse seedling raising, then harvested in summer. In southern regions, the autumn and winter climate is warmer than in the north, and during autumn sowing the seedlings can safely overwinter in the open air, so autumn sowing is the main method.
2. Site selection and soil preparation
1. Garlic does not have high requirements for planting soil, but it yields better in soil rich in organic matter, well-drained, loose and fertile. It is suitable to choose flat plots for planting. Before planting, the plot needs to be prepared by deep-plowing the soil 20-25 cm.
2. Then harrow the soil finely and level it so there are no obvious stones or clods, and then make beds. The bed length is about 1 m and the width is about 4 m. You can also make beds 50 cm long and 4 m wide, depending on the actual situation.
3. Sowing method
1. Select garlic bulbs that are larger and better in color. You can peel and split them into cloves by hand. First remove the basal plate and stem plate of the garlic bulb, then grade the cloves, and choose cloves that are large, pure white on the outside, undamaged, and without exposed skin as seed. Each one is required to weigh up to 5 g. The size of the seed is related to the yield level, so choose large seeds as much as possible.
2. Before sowing, sun-dry the seed for 1-2 days, which helps increase the germination rate. Note that you must not sun-dry the seed during high temperatures. You can sun-dry the seed when the temperature is 15-17°C, the climate is cool, and the sunlight is not strong. If you sun-dry the seed under strong sunlight, the seed may be directly killed.
3. Then open furrows on the bed surface for sowing. The furrow depth is 4-5 cm, and the plant and row spacing is 20×16 cm. You can sow 1-2 seeds per furrow. After sowing, cover with a thin layer of soil 1 cm thick, and water to make the soil moist.
4. Field management
1. Garlic is a crop with relatively large water demand. During the growing period, the soil must be kept moist so it can grow quickly. Generally, watering is done 4 times throughout the growth period. The 1st time is after sowing, to make it germinate as soon as possible; the 2nd time is at the seedling stage, to promote rapid seedling growth; the 3rd time is at the bolting stage, to promote garlic bolt growth; the 4th time is at the bulb swelling stage, to increase water for bulb swelling and avoid poor bulb growth.
2. If you want high yield, fertilization is also essential. Generally, fertilization is mainly organic fertilizer, then a small amount of chemical fertilizer; mainly base fertilizer, supplemented by topdressing. When planting, apply 5000 kg of decomposed organic fertilizer per mu, combined with an appropriate amount of compound fertilizer, and spread it evenly on the plot.
3. When deep-plowing, mix it evenly with the soil. Topdressing can be carried out together with watering. At the same time, cultivate and weed to help increase soil aeration and prevent weeds from taking nutrients. In the later stage, strengthen the prevention and control of pests and diseases.