The key "three waterings and three fertilizations" technical points for garlic cultivation

Water and fertilizer management after garlic turns green is the key to a bumper garlic harvest. As the weather warms up, water and fertilizer uptake gradually increases after greening, especially during the bolt-bearing stage and the bulb swelling stage, which are the peak periods of water and fertilizer demand for garlic. Therefore, throughout the entire growth period of garlic, timely watering and topdressing should be carried out according to soil moisture conditions and soil fertility and seedling conditions, with special emphasis on doing well the "three waterings" and "three fertilizations."

1. Water the greening water well and apply the greening fertilizer well. By the Spring Equinox, the garlic seedlings begin to turn green and grow. Because the early spring soil temperature is low, it is best to water the greening water at noon to promote early seedling growth. Combined with watering, apply 15-25 kg of nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium compound fertilizer per mu, or topdress 15 kg of potassium sulfate, then appropriately control water to promote root development and the differentiation of garlic bolts and bulbs.

2. Water the bolt-promoting water sufficiently and apply the bolt-promoting fertilizer heavily. At the end of March and the beginning of April, flower buds and bulbils differentiate rapidly, and the plants gradually enter the stage of simultaneous growth of garlic bolts and bulbs. Leaf area reaches its maximum, and garlic bolts grow rapidly. Fertilizer and water management at this stage directly affects the yield of garlic bolts and bulbs. Moreover, water demand is relatively high, so watering must be timely to meet the needs of growth. Therefore, combined with watering, apply 25 kg of compound fertilizer per mu, and after 15 days apply another 25 kg of nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium compound fertilizer per mu, or 15 kg each of urea and nitric phosphorus potassium compound fertilizer. Generally, water once every 7-10 days. During the garlic bolting stage, water once every 5-7 days, apply quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer with every second watering, and combine foliar fertilizer spraying with some sulfur supplement, as garlic also has a relatively high sulfur requirement.

3. Water the bulb-swelling water sufficiently and apply the bulb-swelling fertilizer skillfully. After harvesting the bolts, the bulbs are in the peak swelling stage. When harvesting bolts, protect the leaves and root system. At this time, the main goal is to promote bulb swelling and weight gain. After harvesting the bolts, water promptly to prevent early aging of garlic leaves, extend the green leaf duration, and promote nutrient transfer to the bulbs, with the main focus on increasing material accumulation. Therefore, this topdressing should mainly use quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer, supplemented by phosphorus and potassium, applying 15-20 kg of urea or potassium sulfate compound fertilizer per mu. Keep the soil moist to meet the later water needs of garlic, and stop watering about one week before harvest.