How to Grow Garlic Sprouts (Blanched Garlic Shoots)? A Full Analysis of the Latest Cultivation Techniques
Garlic sprouts are a vegetable commonly grown and enjoyed by people. They are the seedlings of garlic, produced by subjecting garlic bulbs to blanching cultivation under dark conditions. They are grown throughout China and are relatively inexpensive, ranging from 1.0 to 8.0 yuan. With the gradual development of the market, many regions have become wealthy through cultivating garlic sprouts. Let us take a look below at how garlic sprouts are grown!
Preparation for Cultivating Garlic Sprouts
1. Variety selection: Garlic sprouts have a relatively high output value, so large-clove varieties should be selected to achieve fast sprouting, robust growth and high yield. When selecting seeds, remove frozen, rotten, damaged and weak garlic cloves.
2. Cultivation site: Garlic sprouts are mainly cultivated in the low-temperature seasons of winter and spring, and can be grown in any place with a certain temperature condition. Plastic greenhouses with relatively poor insulation, small arch tunnels, windbreak beds, empty rooms, vegetable cellars, or riverside flats with flowing water and spring-side spots are mostly used.
3. Land preparation and bed making: Dig a cultivation bed 30 to 40 cm deep in the protected area, with a bed width of 12 to 15 m. Indoors, a rectangular cultivation pool of 0.5 to 0.6 m can be built with bricks. At riversides or spring edges, a cultivation plot 1 to 1.5 m deep can be dug. Fine sand or sandy loam soil can be used for cultivating garlic sprouts. Spread 3 to 6 cm of sand or soil in the cultivation bed, then level it out.
Sowing Techniques for Garlic Sprouts
1. Sowing time: Garlic sprouts can be sown and harvested continuously from early October to late March of the following year. Under suitable temperature conditions, it takes about 20 to 25 days from sowing to harvest. The sowing date can be determined according to the market launch period.
2. Soaking garlic seeds: On the day before sowing, soak the garlic packed in woven bags in a 1:20000 gibberellin solution for 3 to 4 hours. Although the soaking step is simple to perform, it is essential. Otherwise, when watered after sowing, the garlic seeds absorb water and swell, pressing into clumps on the cultivation bed, which is unfavorable for the sprouting and growth of garlic sprouts.
3. Sowing method: After the garlic seeds have absorbed enough water, pack the garlic heads tightly one against another in the cultivation pool, trying not to leave gaps. Fill any gaps tightly with scattered cloves as well. Generally, 10 to 20 kg of garlic seeds are used per square meter. After sowing, cover with 3 to 4 cm of fine sand, pat and level with a wooden board, then water thoroughly. After the water seeps down, cover again with a 1 to 2 cm layer of fine sand.
Field Management of Garlic Sprouts
1. Covering with curtains for shade: When most garlic sprouts have emerged, cover the cultivation bed with reed curtains or straw mats for shading. Black plastic film can also be used for shading to blanch the garlic leaves and ensure the quality of the garlic sprouts. If the covering is too late or not tight enough, the garlic seedlings will be exposed to light, which will turn the leaves green and reduce quality. The covering also helps protect the temperature and humidity of the cultivation bed.
2. Temperature management: From sowing to emergence, use covering measures in the protected area to raise the cultivation bed temperature as much as possible. Keep it at 25 to 28°C during the day, and the night temperature should not be lower than 18 to 20°C. If conditions permit, it is even better for the night temperature to be slightly higher than the day temperature. From emergence to a seedling height of 10 cm, in order to make the seedlings sturdy, the daytime temperature can be lowered to 20 to 25°C, with a night temperature of 16 to 18°C. When the seedlings are 20 to 25 cm tall, ventilation should also be increased. Keep it at 18 to 20°C during the day and 14 to 16°C at night to promote sturdy, high-yielding garlic seedlings and improve quality.
3. Water management: In garlic sprout cultivation, the first watering should be sufficient and must submerge the garlic cloves. After that, water once every 2 to 4 days to keep the cultivation bed constantly moist. Water management should be determined according to the temperature in the protected area and the seedling stage. When the temperature is high, evaporation is large, and the seedlings are large, water frequently and with a larger amount; otherwise, water less. Water 2 to 3 days before harvest to keep the garlic seedlings tender.
4. Ventilation management: Large amounts of carbon dioxide sometimes accumulate in the garlic sprout cultivation bed, or harmful gases such as carbon monoxide are released when the protected area is heated. At high midday temperatures, ventilation should be provided for air exchange. Due to the need for insulation, generally there is no need for excessive ventilation. In the 4 to 5 days before harvest, increase ventilation as much as possible, keeping it at 10 to 15°C during the day and 10 to 15°C at night to prevent the seedlings from excessive growth and lodging.
5. Timely harvest: Garlic sprouts can be harvested when they are about 25 to 30 cm tall. The knife should be sharp when harvesting, and the cut should not be too deep; cutting close to the ground is appropriate, and the garlic cloves must not be cut and injured. Do not water immediately after cutting, to prevent infection of the cut. Water after 3 to 4 days to promote the growth of the second crop. After about 20 days, the second cut can be harvested. When harvesting the third main cut, pull up the cloves together with the roots. For the first cut, each kilogram of garlic seeds can produce 0.7 to 0.8 kg of garlic sprouts, and the second cut about 0.4 to 0.5 kg. After harvesting, the garlic sprouts should be tied into bundles and sunned briefly so that the garlic leaves change from yellow-white to golden yellow, which is called “sun-yellowing”. Do not sun them for too long, and take care to prevent freezing.