How to Grow Garlic for High Yields? A Detailed Guide to Cultivation Techniques
Garlic planting, yield and planting techniques are also related to some extent, so what are the high-yield garlic cultivation techniques? Let's take a look!
1. Land
Deep plowing and fertilization are needed, as this is more conducive to garlic growth.
Deep plowing: Deeply plow the soil 30~4cm, level the soil and make beds, bed width 3m;
Fertilization: Broadcast base fertilizer, generally applying 3~4m3/667㎡ of fully decomposed high-quality organic fertilizer + 450kg/667㎡ of urea + 450kg/667㎡ of phosphate fertilizer + 525kg/667㎡ of potash fertilizer.
At the same time, note that during fertilization, remember to avoid applying too much chemical fertilizer, so as not to inhibit garlic growth and affect yield. Also, organic fertilizer must be fully decomposed to avoid raw fertilizer fermenting and burning the garlic roots, and triggering pests such as garlic maggots.
2. Sowing
It is necessary to select excellent varieties for raising seedlings, sow at the appropriate time, maintain a reasonable planting density, and if conditions permit, cover with plastic film.
Seed selection: According to the characteristics of the variety, choose garlic bulbs that are large in head, large in clove, and uniform in clove as seed. Before sowing, split the cloves and remove moldy, insect-damaged, and broken cloves, grading them into 3 levels by size. When sowing, first sow the grade-1 seed cloves (about 500 grams per 100 cloves), then sow grade-2 seed cloves (about 400 grams per 100 cloves); grade-3 seed cloves (less than 300 grams per 100 cloves) are generally not used as seed. Seeds of different grades should be planted separately, not mixed.
The most suitable period for sowing garlic is to let the plants grow to 5~6 leaves before overwintering.
Planting density: Proper close planting should be done according to the characteristics of the variety, generally planting 40,000~50,000 plants per mu; early-maturing varieties should be appropriately denser, preferably about 50,000 plants per mu; mid-to-late-maturing varieties should be appropriately sparser, preferably about 40,000 plants per mu.
Covering with plastic film: Generally, sow first and then cover with film. The film should be covered tightly and pressed firmly. Make sure the film fits closely to the ground with no gaps and no wrinkles; if there is damage, cover it promptly with soil.
3. Other Management
Do a good job in watering, fertilizing, and weeding management to ensure high garlic yield.
After the garlic seedlings emerge uniformly, water once. Along with watering, apply 5~8 kilograms per mu of high-nitrogen compound fertilizer to promote seedling growth. For fields with high fertility and sufficient base fertilizer, fertilization may be omitted, then control fertilizer and water, cultivate and weed, and loosen the soil to preserve moisture.
To protect the seedlings through winter, water once with an appropriate amount of freezing water at the right time. When spring temperatures rise and the garlic heart leaves and root system begin to grow, water with green-returning water. Along with watering, apply 8~10 kilograms per mu of high-nitrogen compound fertilizer to promote seedling growth.
After the mother bulb recedes, the plants begin to live independently, flower buds and bulbils begin to differentiate, and they enter a period of vigorous growth. During this period, fertilizer should be plentiful and water frequent, generally watering once every 5~6 days, and applying fertilizer once every 2 waterings, with 15~20 kilograms per mu of compound fertilizer each time, for a total of 2 fertilizer applications. Stop watering 3~5 days before harvesting garlic scapes, so that the plants slightly wilt, making the “mouth loose” and easy to pull the scapes.
After pulling the scapes, water immediately once, and apply 15~20 kilograms per mu of high-nitrogen compound fertilizer to meet the nutrient needs of garlic bulb expansion. Afterward, water once every 4~5 days, and stop watering 1 week before harvest, so that the garlic bulb tissues mature and their storage tolerance is improved.