Features of growing garlic from bulbs

Spring and winter garlic

Two varieties of garlic - the spring garlic, which needs to be planted when the warm spring comes, and the winter garlic, which is planted in the fall, help gardeners grow a healthy and nutritious crop all year round. However, not only the planting time differs, but also the structure of the bulb. Spring varieties contain up to 20 cloves arranged in circles around the stem, from the smallest in the center to the largest in the outer circle. Winter crops, on the contrary, contain up to 9 cloves, which are located close to the stem. The taste characteristics of the species also differ - winter is more acute. However, spring garlic is stored longer, sometimes it is possible to save it from spoilage for a whole year, while winter garlic is stored for a maximum of 5 months.

Winter garlic differs from spring garlic by the presence of arrows with bulbs, which must be collected for further reproduction. True, they are often cut off to accelerate the growing season.

Why grow from bulbs

The natural question "why plant garlic with bulbs" has a simple answer - because this way you can avoid the degeneration of the variety. In addition, the argument is that planting bulbs significantly saves finances spent on the purchase of seed.

A maximum of 9-10 cloves for planting can be obtained from one bulb of a winter variety, while up to 100 cloves are stored in one bulb, of which 100 large seedlings will grow the next year. And from them in a year you will receive 100 bulbs.

At the same time, the question of the degeneracy of even the best varieties, if planted with cloves from bulbs, is really relevant. After 3-4 years, the culture becomes more vulnerable to fungal diseases, bacteriosis, produces smaller bulbs in mass and size.

Another positive point: protection against certain fungal diseases and insect pests. As you know, the stem nematode sneaks into the inside of the garlic head when it forms, and then eats away from the inside. It also hibernates in bulbs. However, she does not touch the bulb. Therefore, we get clean seed from the bulb.

How to grow

Growing bulbs is not difficult. They form independently on the flowering stem in those varieties that release the arrow. When the inflorescence ripens, a protective film bursts on it, which covers the seedlings. It is them that need to be cut and dried. Planting for the winter requires drying for at least 10 days, 35-45 days before being placed in the garden.

As already noted, from the bulbs in the first year, heads of garlic with one clove are obtained. They are small, rarely weighing more than 5 g. A single-tooth can be grown in the same place where the bulb grew, but it is recommended to dig it up, dry it and plant it in a new place.

You can save the bulbs for the winter, and when the weather becomes warm, plant them in the garden. Dried inflorescences are placed in a room with an air temperature of about 15 ° C. Two months before planting, they are transferred to a cooler place with a temperature of about 5 ° C to harden and stimulate the growth of the root system.

Just before planting, when the soil has warmed up to at least +7 ° C, the bulbs are sorted into groups, usually based on their size. They are laid in the ground to a depth of 3 cm, keeping a distance of 5-6 cm.

There are several ways to grow garlic using bulbs:

1. Growing for the winter. The planting method is the same as for regular cloves of winter garlic. Sevki are laid to a depth of about 10 cm, but 2-3 pieces at a time. The garden bed must be mulched with leaves, straw or needles in order, firstly, to retain moisture, and secondly, to prevent them from freezing in severe frosts.
2. Two years in a row. With this method, you can plant bulbs both in autumn and early spring. Observe all planting conditions for winter or spring garlic. When the one-toothed beetles are ripe, they are dried and transplanted in order to get full-fledged bulbs next year.
3. Two years in a row without a tooth transplant. With this method, you just have to mulch the beds with crops so that in winter the one-toothed teeth do not die from the cold.

When to collect

Bulbules are harvested from mid-July from winter varieties, and from early August from spring varieties.

The first sign that the inflorescences are formed is the yellowing leaves of the plant. Next, be guided by the state of the shell on the bulb, as soon as it begins to crack - it's time to collect the seed.

Do not delay the collection, as this negatively affects the quality and health of the bulbs.

Both single-tooth seedlings and bulbs are best harvested on a cloudy day, early in the morning. Direct sunlight spoils the seeds in a matter of minutes, so they cannot be propagated later.

On a small plot, you can choose garlic from the ground with your own hands, but on a larger plot you will have to attract special equipment. Place the collected single-pronged or full-fledged bulbs under a canopy so that they dry before further cultivation or storage.

Video "Growing garlic from bulbs"

This video is about planting garlic bulbs in winter. You will find out why such a procedure is performed, what are the timing and technology of planting.