What causes garlic to "braid"?
Introduction: "Braiding" refers to a condition that occurs after the garlic bulb has formed, when under abnormal climatic and environmental conditions, during the process of the lateral buds forming garlic cloves, the terminal buds sprout and grow many slender clustered leaves shaped like a horse's tail, which is why growers call it "braiding" or "horsetail garlic."
I. Causes of garlic "braiding"
1. Improper selection of seed garlic
Garlic "braiding," also known as "secondary growth," is mainly caused by the heredity of the garlic seed and the purity of the variety; in some regions the selected seed garlic is not pure and is not suitable for local planting, making secondary growth prone to occur. In addition, if the selected seed garlic is of poor quality, with large differences in clove size and a yellowed stem plate, it is also prone to producing the "braiding" phenomenon.
2. Improper sowing time
Garlic cloves are formed by the development of the lateral buds in the leaf axils on the bulb plate, and are also affected by temperature, light, nutrients and many other factors. Therefore, blindly advancing the sowing time, so that seedlings emerge soon after sowing and the flower buds and bulbils differentiate early, makes them highly prone to secondary growth and the "braiding" phenomenon when they encounter low temperatures in early spring.
3. Improper treatment of seed garlic
In some places, garlic farmers like to subject the seed garlic to cold or low-temperature treatment before sowing, and then sow it to promote early sprouting of the garlic. However, this causes the normally differentiated bulbils in the leaf axils of the outer and inner leaves of the garlic plant to delay dormancy, thereby producing secondary growth and the "braiding" phenomenon.
4. Improper cultivation and management measures
This is mainly caused by improper fertilizer and water management. Excessive application of nitrogen fertilizer causes the garlic cloves to delay dormancy, thereby producing secondary growth. In addition, unscientific watering is also an important cause of secondary growth in garlic. Especially after the bulbils have differentiated, frequent watering and large amounts of water will increase the probability of secondary growth in garlic.
(Source: Agriculture Friend
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