When to pick garlic arrows

Why break off

Winter garlic fully ripens by mid-summer, and in early June, as soon as the plants have fully grown and feathers are formed, the arrowhead varieties form long dense shoots - arrows with peduncles at the top. Arrows appear from the middle of the leaves, just in the center of the bulb's neck. This arrangement promotes the fact that biologically active compounds from the bulb begin to move into the arrow.

A lot of nutrients are required for the growth of the inflorescence, the formation and maturation of seeds. As soon as the arrow is formed, the plant directs all the forces and resources to the ripening of the seeds, therefore it is so important to remove the arrows of the garlic before flowering. If this is not done on time, due to the outflow of nutrients, a delay in the development of the bulbs will begin.

It is noticed that as soon as these dense shoots are removed, the bulbs grow again, and on the contrary, if they are not removed at all, the heads will grow small, and the overall yield will decrease by a third. Another negative point is that the ripening of garlic with arrows is delayed by 2 weeks, or even more.

It is not necessary to pick off all the garlic arrows. Many gardeners leave a few pieces and use them to determine the degree of maturity of the garlic. If the seed pod at the end of the arrow is cracked, you can start digging out the heads. And if you allow these airy bulbs to ripen to the end, you get an excellent seed.

When to cut off

There are several opinions on when it is best to remove the arrows of garlic. Some vegetable growers believe that this should be done as early as possible - as soon as they become noticeable. If you remove them immediately, then the appearance of shoots with peduncles is guaranteed not to affect the growth of the plant and the formation of bulbs.

However, early plucking of arrows has its disadvantages - at this stage, the growth of the shoot does not stop, and even without the tip it continues to develop. This leads to the fact that over time, the arrows of garlic need to be removed repeatedly, and sometimes more than once.

Some gardeners advise cutting off the arrows when they begin to twist. Removal at this stage eliminates the possibility of re-regrowth - there is simply not enough time before harvest. But this option also has disadvantages. For such a long time, the arrows of garlic will have time to take away many useful substances from the plant, which does not in the best way affect the size and maturation of the heads.

It is considered more correct to remove the arrows during the period when their length reaches 10-15 cm. This is the optimal time, at which there is a possibility that the shoots will not have time to regrow, and at the same time they have not yet had time to consume many nutrients from the plants.

It should be said that there are no exact dates or signs by which garlic arrows are removed. Each gardener carries out this procedure at his discretion: someone breaks off several times per season, and someone waits for the shoots to straighten.It is important to remember the most important thing: it is imperative to cut off the arrows, and the sooner you do this, the more chances you have of getting a high yield.

How to cut off

There can be several ways to remove shoots from garlic, and which one you use does not really matter. The main thing is that the plant is not damaged in this process. The arrow must not be pulled out, as the stem may break. Outwardly, this is not noticeable, but the plant soon begins to turn yellow, and the leaves dry, which, of course, affects the yield. In addition, there is a danger that the plant will damage the root, or it will break out of the soil completely.

Alternatively, the garlic arrows can be broken out with your hands or simply pinched off at the base (in this place the shoot is the most fragile). The method has several insignificant drawbacks, which can be completely avoided. Firstly, when plucking, the cut of the arrow will be uneven, so this place will take longer to heal. And secondly, there is also the possibility of damage to the plant, since the roots of garlic are very thin and close to the surface, and the bulb can be accidentally pulled out or the root system is torn.

Ideally, the arrows should be cut using special tools: pruning shears, garden shears. These adaptations are necessary if the arrows are very large or stiff. Young shoots can be easily removed with ordinary scissors and even a kitchen knife.

The procedure for removing the arrows is recommended in the morning, preferably on a sunny day - then during the day the cut of the plant can dry out. You need to cut off the arrow not at the base, but about 1 cm higher so as not to damage the stem.

Broken shoots should not be thrown away - many housewives prepare delicious snacks from them, canning them in a variety of ways.

Video "What to do with garlic arrows"

This video shows you what to do with arrows and why you need it.