Six key points to master for garlic cultivation with plastic mulch

Garlic cultivation with plastic film mulch has a significant yield-increasing effect and very obvious economic benefits. During cultivation, attention should be paid to the following six aspects:

Fine land preparation and fertilization: prepare the land carefully and increase the application of organic fertilizer, applying 5000-7500 kg of decomposed organic fertilizer per mu. For plastic film mulching, small raised beds are generally used, with a bed width of 70 cm and a bed spacing of 20 cm. Plant 4 rows per bed, with a row spacing of 15 cm and a plant spacing of 10 cm.

For mulching with plastic film, generally sow first and then cover with film. The film should be covered tightly and pressed down firmly so that it fits closely against the ground with no gaps and no wrinkles. Any holes should be promptly plugged with soil.

Scientific sowing: because the growing period is extended after plastic film mulching, autumn-sown garlic can be sown appropriately 5-7 days later, that is, in mid-to-late October. The density should be appropriately thinner, with 35000-38000 plants per mu. For ridge cultivation, the suitable sowing depth is 3-4 cm.

Seedling stage management: after sowing and mulching, water immediately to promote rooting of the garlic cloves. When emergence is near, water again to help the seedlings emerge, break through the plastic film, and continue growing. For young shoots that cannot break through the film, the film can be broken manually to let the seedlings emerge outside the film; the smaller the opening made when breaking the film manually, the better. During the seedling growth stage, irrigate once to promote seedling growth, and water once with winter water at overwintering.

Mid-to-late stage management: during the flower bud and bulbils differentiation stage, the plastic film should still be protected well to give play to its heat-preservation effect, and it can be removed only before the early bolting stage. Before harvesting the scapes, apply a heavy topdressing, applying 25 kg of urea per mu, and keep the soil moist. Stop watering 5-7 days before harvesting the garlic bulbs to prevent excessive soil moisture from causing the garlic skin to rot and affecting storage.

Harvest at the right time: garlic scapes can be harvested when the bracts turn white. About 20 days after harvesting the scapes, the garlic leaves wither and the pseudostem becomes soft, which is the suitable time for harvesting the garlic bulbs.