How to Overwinter Garlic in the Field

Autumn-sown open-field garlic needs to go through a three-month seedling growth period before the New Year. Our goal is to cultivate strong seedlings that can safely overwinter. As long as the seedlings survive the winter strong enough, they will turn green quickly after the New Year, and the garlic shoots and garlic heads will form early. Here we talk about the wintering methods for open-field garlic.

1. Check seedlings and fill gaps

Due to garlic seeds, soil, fertilization and other reasons, the seedlings may emerge unevenly, with missing seedlings and broken ridges. If replanting is not carried out, the number of plants per acre will be insufficient, seriously affecting the formation of high yield. Therefore, when the garlic seedlings emerge, they should be checked as soon as they are sown, and the places where there are missing seedlings should be replanted. When replanting, in order to prevent small seedlings in the future seedling stage, you should choose larger garlic cloves of this variety for replanting. They will sprout thicker and grow faster, and are expected to catch up with the original seedlings. Replanting should be completed within 7 to 10 days after germination. When replanting, check the reasons for failure to sprout and take targeted measures. If seedlings do not emerge due to lack of water in the soil or large clods in the soil that leak air, you can replenish the soil moisture when replanting. If the roots are burned due to excessive fertilization or uncomposted organic fertilizer , you can till the soil or water it to improve the nutrient status of the soil. When pests and diseases occur, medication should be used in a timely manner to control the types of pests and diseases that occur.

2. Cultivation and loosening of soil

Intertillage hoeing is an effective measure to loosen the soil, increase ground temperature, improve soil structure, conserve fertilizer and water, and eliminate weeds. Intertillage should be carried out twice before the New Year. The first time is when the garlic is in the 3-leaf stage, when shallow hoeing is done to improve soil permeability and promote the root system to grow downward. The second time is before wintering, combine hoeing with applying wintering fertilizer, the depth of hoeing should be about 5 to 6 cm between rows, and the soil should be built up for the garlic plants to increase the cold resistance of the plants and allow the garlic plants to safely overwinter.

3. Watering and fertilizing

When sowing garlic, there should be sufficient soil moisture. Under normal climatic conditions, there is no need to water too much before winter. The main focus is on tilling and hoeing the soil to conserve moisture to prevent premature withdrawal and excessive growth due to excessive watering and to promote the root system to grow deep.

Garlic begins to grow when it has 6 leaves, which is the turning point when it needs fertilizer and water. It goes from not needing soil nutrients to relying entirely on soil nutrients for growth, so top dressing should be done after the garlic begins to grow to meet the plant's nutrient needs for growth. Generally, the 6-leaf stage occurs in early to mid-December, or after February after the Chinese New Year. Therefore, after the 6th leaf is fully expanded, water and fertilize to promote the healthy growth of the queen plant. The fertilizer applied this time is mainly organic fertilizer, and crushed straw can also be applied. Apply 2 cubic meters of organic fertilizer or 200 kilograms of chopped straw per mu.

The early or late withdrawal of the mother plants is determined by the soil and natural climate. The earliest withdrawal of the mother plants begins before the New Year, during the winter, and ends after the plants turn green in spring. Some begin in the greening period and end before the peak period. But no matter when the maturation period begins, watering and fertilizing are necessary during the winter, mainly to prevent frost and ensure the plants' safe wintering.

4. Spray antifreeze

Before wintering, use the following antifreeze formula: 50 grams of potassium dihydrogen phosphate + 15-20 ml of brassinolide + 50 grams of amino acid, add 30-40 kilograms of water and spray. You can also buy special antifreeze for garlic and spray it to enhance the plant's resistance to cold.

That’s it