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When growing any crops in the Urals, it is important to take into account the peculiarities of the climate, as well as the breeding nuances of the planted vegetable variety. You can get a healthy harvest only if you plant and dig a crop in time.
Garlic is included in the diet of many peoples of the world. In Our Country, without it, it is difficult to imagine many dishes. You can also grow this vegetable in the Urals, however, in this case, preference is given to the spring variety, which grows quickly and is well stored until the new harvest. Although many gardeners still plant winter garlic. In this article, we will talk about when winter garlic is harvested in the Urals, but first we will determine the ripening period of this crop.
The ripening period of garlic in the Urals
Taking into account the Ural climatic features, winter varieties of garlic ripen in the last ten days of July, and spring varieties – in mid-August – early September. The formation of teeth takes place in the summer. In the dry season, the cloves will be small and shriveled, and the rainy summer contributes to the cultivation of large heads. But too much moisture also adversely affects the crop, it can simply rot in the ground.
Winter varieties of garlic, as a rule, are harvested 100 days after germination, and spring varieties – two to three weeks later. But in addition to climatic conditions that have a great influence on the ripening period of a crop, it is also important to take into account the characteristics of the variety. For example, the Alkor variety was bred, ripening in 94 days. It is resistant to disease, fungus and the yellow dwarf virus, among other things. Variety “Novosibirsky” has an even shorter ripening period – 85 days. The delay in the ripening of the variety can be triggered by a lack of trace elements in the soil and diseases. Therefore, you should not rely only on the acquired knowledge, it is necessary to monitor the condition of the vegetable throughout the entire period of its growth.
The following varieties of garlic are also suitable for cultivation in the Ural region:
- “Skif” – propagated by air heads and cloves. Resistant to white rot and bacteriosis. Has a lilac shade of scales.
- “Bashkirsky 85” – ripens in 85-90 days. The color of the scales is white with a light purple tint. Resistant to peronosporosis, onion flour and bacterial rot.
- “Gradekovsky” is an early ripening winter variety of garlic. The ripening period is 81-86 days. Scales and teeth have a white-lilac hue.
Definition of maturity
Gardeners determine the maturity of garlic in several ways:
- The earth around the bulbs is carefully raked and the husk is inspected. If it is intact and dense, then it’s time to remove the garlic from the garden.
- Yellowed and withered leaves, sloping feathers and soft neck of a false stem are clear signs of the maturity of the garlic heads.
- Cracked inflorescences and a hard head of garlic, easily peeling off the husk are also sure signs of the ripening of the culture.
As in the case of onions, systematic watering of the beds should be stopped 2-3 weeks before harvesting. So, you can protect garlic heads from the active development of fungal microflora. In addition, in this case, rotting of the crop in the ground can be avoided.
The arrows should be removed, and the garlic feathers starting to turn yellow should be tied in a knot. Thus, nutrients will be sent to the root system, and the green mass will not grow.
Digging up the garlic
If your garlic is already ripe, then choose a fine day in order to remove it. If you harvest garlic bulbs in wet weather, they will dry longer, and they will be stored less.
The root system of the vegetable is quite developed, so pulling it out with your hands is almost impossible. You can remove it from the soil by digging with a shovel. If earthen clods have stuck to the head, then they need to be shaken. Then you need to dry the crop of winter garlic well.
So, after drying, you can tie them into bundles or weave them into garlic braids and hang them in a dry, dark room for permanent storage. Such knitting can even become an element of decor in your kitchen.
How to dry and store garlic
If the weather is sunny outside, then the first stage of drying can be carried out on the beds, leaving the garlic heads in the sun for 1 day. After that, the garlic should be laid out in a thin layer under a canopy or in the attic so that the sun’s rays no longer fall on it. It will take approximately 14 days for complete drying.
If you plan to store garlic in boxes, then after drying, you can cut off the tops. So, garlic heads will be better stored. Then you need to cut the roots with a sharp knife or secateurs. To prevent spoilage of the product, the bottom of the garlic must be singeed or sealed with wax. However, it is best stored in bundles, as air penetrates into it from all sides, which prevents decay.
Winter garlic also keeps well in closets, as long as the temperature in them does not rise above a few degrees. If the storage is provided with proper ventilation and temperature, it will lie without losing its useful properties until the next harvest.
Garlic is grown everywhere in Our Country, as it is included in the daily diet of citizens. As you can see, it is important for the summer resident not only to plant the crop and take care of it in a timely manner, but also to remove the heads of garlic from the soil on time and correctly. Attentively to the beds, will allow you to harvest a rich harvest even in the harsh conditions of the Urals.
We invite you to watch a video on how and when to harvest garlic heads:
