12 technical points for autumn sowing of garlic

Garlic is planted in two seasons: spring and autumn. Garlic planted in autumn has to go through a long wintering period before it can enter the growing season and produce yield. In order to ensure that the seedlings survive the winter safely and smoothly, corresponding measures must be taken. Here are the 12 technical points for autumn sowing of garlic.

1. Choose a good plot of land

Garlic likes to grow in loose, well-drained soil rich in organic matter, preferably sandy loam. The pH of the soil should be moderate, avoiding being too acidic or too alkaline. At the same time, avoid continuous cropping with onion and garlic vegetables to reduce the occurrence of diseases and pests. Choosing a suitable plot of land is the first step in growing garlic and is also the basis for ensuring high yield and high quality.

2. Land preparation and ridge making

After the previous crop is harvested, the land should be plowed in time to a depth of about 20 cm and exposed to the sun for a week to kill pathogens and insect eggs in the soil. Before sowing, prepare the land again, harrow it flat and compact it to ensure that the soil is finely broken and free of clods. The width of the bed is generally about 4 meters, and the length of the bed is determined according to the water source conditions, usually 40 to 100 meters. A good soil environment is conducive to the growth and development of garlic.

3. Apply enough basal fertilizer

Garlic has a long growing period and requires a large amount of fertilizer, so it is particularly important to apply sufficient base fertilizer. Generally, 5,000 to 8,000 kilograms of high-quality organic fertilizers such as manure and manure are applied per mu, together with 20 to 30 kilograms of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. Organic fertilizer should be fully decomposed, avoid using raw fertilizer; urea should not be used as base fertilizer to prevent bud burn. Base fertilizer should be applied before plowing and mixed thoroughly with the soil to provide sufficient nutrients for garlic growth.

4. Selecting the best seeds

Choose pure white garlic heads with no red veins, no scars, no sugar, and no shiny skin as seeds. The seeds should be uniform in size, and each seed should weigh about 5 grams. Seed size is one of the key factors affecting yield. After peeling and breaking the garlic cloves, remove the outer skin and the mother garlic roots to reduce the occurrence of "petal jumping" and water shortage.

5. Sowing at the right time

The sowing time of garlic should be determined according to the local climate and variety characteristics. Generally, it is best to sow when the temperature is stable at around 17℃. This will allow the seedlings to reach the 4-6 leaf stage during the winter and have stronger cold resistance. Sowing too early or too late will affect the yield and quality of garlic.

6. Appropriate density

Early-maturing garlic varieties that mainly produce garlic stalks generally have shorter plants, fewer leaves, narrower leaves, and a shorter growing period. The suitable density is 50,000 plants per mu, with a plant spacing of 7 to 8 cm and a row spacing of 14 to 17 cm. The seed rate is 75 to 100 kg per mu. Late-maturing garlic varieties that mainly produce garlic bulbs generally have taller plants, more leaves, wider leaves, and a correspondingly smaller density. The suitable density is 20,000 to 30,000 plants per mu, with a plant spacing of 8 to 11 cm and a row spacing of 20 cm. The seed rate is 120 to 175 kg per mu. If both garlic stalks and garlic bulbs are harvested, the suitable density is 30,000 to 40,000 plants per mu, with a plant spacing of 6 to 8 cm and a row spacing of 20 cm. The seed rate is 150 to 200 kg per mu.

At the same time, garlic cloves should be sown sparsely, while small garlic cloves should be sown densely; varieties with open leaves should be sown sparsely, while varieties with upright and compact leaves should be sown densely; fields with fertile soil should be sown sparsely, while fields with poor soil should be sown densely; garlic planted with plastic film covering should be sown sparsely, generally about 30,000 plants per mu; garlic produced for export should be sown sparsely, generally 25,000 plants per mu. The number of early-maturing red-skinned garlic sown in spring is 50,000 to 60,000 plants per acre, and the number of dogtooth garlic sown is 50,000 plants per acre.

7. Appropriate depth

If garlic is sown too deeply, it will emerge late, the seedlings will be weak, and the expansion of the bulbs will be inhibited, resulting in reduced yields. As the saying goes, "deep sowing for onions and shallow sowing for garlic", which means that garlic is suitable for shallow sowing. However, if garlic is planted too shallowly, the cloves will easily be lifted out of the ground after taking root, or the cloves will be too close to the ground and exposed to sunlight and high temperature, causing the garlic to turn red early and the skin to harden, affecting its development. It is also easy to cause garlic cracks, reducing the quality of the garlic. This phenomenon is called "jumping garlic". In order to avoid "jumping garlic", attention should be paid to sowing at the right time. After sowing, the soil should be properly suppressed, and the soil should be cultivated after weeding and furrow cleaning. The thickness of the soil is generally 3 to 5 cm.

8. Covering the ground with film

The mulching cultivation technology has a significant effect on increasing yield in garlic cultivation. Ground mulch can keep warm, retain moisture, suppress weeds, and prevent diseases and insects. The ground film should be covered about 3 days after sowing to ensure that the ground film is close to the ground without gaps. Spray herbicides before mulching to prevent weed growth. After covering the ground with mulch, be sure to check and repair any holes in time.

9. Manage Water

Garlic needs sufficient water supply during its growth. Garlic fields covered with plastic film are generally irrigated frequently with small amounts of water. The first watering should be done immediately after sowing to promote germination; the second watering should be done before emergence; watering is also required in a timely manner during key periods such as the seedling stage, before wintering, the greening stage, and the garlic stalk differentiation stage. Water evenly and thoroughly to avoid water accumulation that may cause root rot.

10. Hooking and releasing seedlings

After the garlic seedlings emerge, the operation of hooking and releasing the seedlings should be carried out in time. In the morning or evening, when the temperature is low and the mulch is still elastic, use a new broom to gently pat the mulch or use a bamboo rake to gently plow the seedlings out of the ground. For seedlings that are difficult to drill out, you can use a hook to gently hook them out to avoid damage.

11. Prevention and control of pests and diseases

During the growth period of garlic, attention should be paid to preventing and controlling pests and diseases, especially garlic maggots. Garlic maggots damage garlic seeds and roots with their larvae, causing the seed buds to become deformed and rot and fail to germinate. Preventive measures include treating the soil with poison before sowing and mixing the seeds during sowing; when maggot infestation occurs, root irrigation with highly effective cypermethrin or imidacloprid and other agents can be used for prevention and control.

12. Harvest stalks at the right time

The specific time for harvesting stalks should be flexibly controlled according to the cultivation purpose and variety characteristics. Generally, when the purpose is to advance the market launch of garlic stems, the garlic stems (excluding the involucre) can be harvested when they are about 7 cm above the sheath mouth of the last leaf and the upper part has not yet bent; when the purpose is to increase the yield of garlic stems, the garlic stems can be harvested when they are about 15 cm above the sheath mouth of the last leaf and the upper part bends downward.

That’s it