Methods and Key Techniques for Spring-Sown Garlic in Northern China

SummarySpring-sown garlic in Northern China is generally sown and raised as seedlings in greenhouses in early spring, and can be harvested in summer. Spring-sown garlic should be planted on flat terrain, with soil that is fertile, loose, well-drained and rich in organic matter, then the land is prepared and beds are made. For sowing, select garlic cloves that are relatively large, white in appearance, undamaged and without exposed skin, then after sunning the seeds, sow them at a reasonable spacing. Later, water them at the right time, fertilize reasonably, cultivate and weed in time, and prevent pests and diseases in advance.

I. Garlic Planting Time

Garlic can be divided into spring sowing and autumn sowing. Garlic is suitable for growing in a cool environment. Depending on regional climate and variety, an appropriate time can be chosen for sowing.

1. In Northern China, spring sowing is suitable. Autumn and winter are relatively cold with relatively low temperatures, and seedlings are easily frostbitten, so autumn sowing is not suitable. Generally, sowing and seedling raising are carried out in greenhouses in early spring, and harvest can be done in summer.

2. In Southern China, autumn sowing is suitable. Autumn and winter are relatively warm and temperatures are relatively stable, so seedlings sown in autumn can successfully overwinter, so autumn sowing is generally used.

II. Land Selection and Preparation

1. Garlic does not have high soil requirements. To ensure high yield, choose a relatively flat plot for planting, with soil that is well-drained, fertile, loose and rich in organic matter.

2. After choosing the planting site, land preparation can begin. Deep plow about 20-25cm, then break the soil up finely and rake it level, with no obvious clods, then make beds, with a length of about 1-1.5m and a width of about 4m, which can be adjusted according to specific conditions.

III. Sowing

1. Seed selection: Before planting, purchase garlic bulbs with relatively good color and large size, then manually peel and separate the cloves, remove the stem plate and basal plate of the garlic bulb entirely, and grade them by a certain size. Select cloves that are undamaged, relatively large, without exposed skin and relatively white in appearance as seed. Each clove should be at least about 5 grams. The larger the clove, the higher the yield.

2. Sunning seeds: Before sowing, to increase the germination rate, the seeds need to be sunned first. It should not be done during high-temperature periods, as the seeds can easily be sunned to death. It is best to choose relatively warm weather, with a temperature of about 15-17°C.

3. Sowing: First open furrows on the bed surface, with a plant spacing of about 20cm, a row spacing of about 16cm and a furrow depth of about 4-5cm. Sow 1-2 seeds per furrow. After sowing, cover with a thin layer of soil, then water thoroughly.

IV. Later Management

1. Watering: Garlic has a relatively large water requirement during the growth period. The soil needs to be kept moist to promote faster plant growth. Generally, about 4 waterings are needed throughout the whole growth process. To promote germination, water once after sowing. To promote faster seedling growth, water once during the seedling stage. To promote garlic bolt growth, water once during the bolt emergence stage. To increase moisture for bulb expansion, water once during the bulb expansion stage.

2. Fertilization: To increase yield, fertilization must be done in time. Generally, about 5000 kg of decomposed organic fertilizer can be applied per mu, together with a small amount of compound fertilizer, then deep plow so it mixes evenly with the soil, and finally water.

3. Later, to improve soil permeability, cultivate and weed in time to avoid nutrient loss, and do a good job of preventing pests and diseases in advance.