We save the harvest from the cold: how to cover garlic for the winter, how and when to do it right

Garlic is a well-known plant to any gardener. About its benefits and taste already much said.

It is important to remember that when planting this crop in the winter, it is imperative to cover the soil. This affects both the quality and quantity of the crop. How and what to cover garlic in cold weather - read in our article.

Why you need to cover the beds

Many gardeners are familiar with the technique of planting garlic "in winter", because this method has significant advantages:

• planting material undergoes excellent hardening, which means it is resistant to diseases;
• winter garlic produces friendly shoots;
• plants are not afraid of drought during the growth stage;
• such garlic is great kept;
• saves valuable gardener time in spring.

Garlic planted in winter must be covered. This is done primarily to protect young plants from frost. Without shelter, the number of surviving plants is significantly reduced and they are much weaker.

Other benefits of harboring garlic:

• Plants survive during temperature changes, because winter thaws can induce garlic to grow;
• the future garlic harvest increases;
• shoots are protected from some diseases and pests;
• excessive soil moisture is prevented during snow melting, and therefore rotting;
• harvest 1-2 weeks earlier;
• valuable gardener time is saved in spring, as the seedlings will be friendly and strong.

How to plant garlic? Readhere.

How to cover the garden

Immediately after planting the cloves, the bed is sprinkled with a mixture of sand and ash, which ensures drainage. Winter crops must be closed before freezing temperatures. Each climatic zone has its own terms (in the middle lane this is mid-November).

The thickness of the covering layer ranges from 3-4 cm to 5-7 cm, depending on the density of the selected material.

Of course, you need to keep an eye on the weather forecast in order not to waste time. In the spring, when it gets warm, the shelter is removed from the young shoots.

Top 36 best varieties of garlic, details in this article.

How to cover garlic for the winter

There are many options for covering landings:

• organic materials (peat, plant stems, sawdust, fallen leaves, straw, spruce branches);
• agrofiber (aka spunbond).

Each of them has its own pros and cons.

Organic materials

Peat dry and shredded are used to cover the beds, it is highly undesirable to cover it fresh. Shelter layer - 5-7 cm. Peat perfectly retains heat, which allows you to protect plants even from severe frosts. It works well for mulching and retains moisture.Cons: it oxidizes the soil, when it gets wet, it compresses and forms a crust.

Fallen leaves Is another great organic covering material. In any garden in the fall, you can easily find the required amount of fallen leaves. It is not recommended to use oak leaves - the tannins included in the composition will inhibit the development of young plants.

This type of shelter conducts air perfectly and at the same time retains heat. But remember that the leaves can freeze or, conversely, overheat with a sharp change in temperature.

The disadvantage of this option is that the leaves can contain various fungi inherited from the tree, as well as many insects that like to winter in the foliage. This, of course, will not add strength and health to young shoots.

Plant stems- also a good handy material for winter plantings. Use only stems, no inflorescences and seed... On such a shelter, snow holds well, which will not allow the soil to become waterlogged.

Disadvantage of the method: the stems are gradually overheated and compacted, so a crust forms. Also, the stems can be infected with various fungi, are susceptible to mold, from which the young shoots of garlic are at risk of suffering.

Straw - also one of the cover options. Chopped, partially rotted straw is used. Fresh will easily be carried away from the garden by the wind, and bacteria draw nitrogen from the soil during decomposition.

An excellent covering material is considered to be cut from the aisles of the garden and dried grass without weed seeds. In this case, the bed is covered with a layer of 8-10 cm.

Sawdust also used to cover garlic beds. Ideally, sawdust mixed with the needles of coniferous trees is used, as this will scare away rodents. Such a shelter will provide good thermal insulation and retain excess moisture.

When using sawdust, remember that they oxidize the soil, and when wet, they form a fairly dense layer that prevents air from entering.

If there is a coniferous forest near your site, use spruce branches as a shelter... It retains heat and provides air access to young plants. Lapnik also scares away rodents. But it must be borne in mind that fallen needles will acidify the soil. If you decide to use spruce branches, carefully choose a tree to collect branches. Red spots and rusty needles on the tree indicate his illness.

Spunbond

Agrofiber - a new, but already well-proven synthetic material. It is a thin polypropylene film. The material allows light to pass through and prevents winter garlic from freezing.

Attention! The insulating properties of agrofibre are not sufficient for central Russia. Therefore, in regions with severe winters, it is necessary to make another covering layer on top of the spunbond.

Using the material is simple: it is enough just to cover a garden with plantings with it and press the edges with stones or sprinkle with earth. Spunbond can be used more than once, but for 4-5 seasons.

In the spring, they cover crops of other crops. The planting of garlic is closed with agrofibre at the usual time, that is, before frost.

Less material - only that it must be bought.

Tips & Tricks

There are many options for sheltering winter garlic. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. We recommend using a comprehensive shelter approach. After planting, mulch the bed with a mixture of sand and ash.

Then when it comes time to cover:

• pour peat 3-4 cm high on the bed;
• lay the spunbond;
• cover it with any available organic material (foliage, straw, plant stems);
• cover the very top of the beds in the near future with snow.

This option will reliably protect the teeth from freezing, pests and getting wet. In the spring, remove the shelter, and you will see how actively and amicably the shoots will grow.

conclusions

There are many advantages to growing securely closed garlic in winter. The main reason is a friendly and stable harvest of winter garlic next summer. When choosing a method, take into account the factors of your garden, the climate of the region and your capabilities. Remember the effectiveness of organic soil enrichment and use modern materials.