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Winter garlic is a popular crop because it can be grown anywhere. The most popular varieties are those that are planted in the winter. One of these is Komsomolets garlic. It is unpretentious in care, tolerates climate changes well and gives an excellent harvest. Reviews of Komsomolets winter garlic are confirmation that the variety is unique.
The history of the appearance of the variety
The winter garlic variety Komsomolets was bred back in the 60s of the last century. The goal of the scientists was to create a species that would be suitable for cultivation in the lands of the Central Black Earth Region. Work was carried out on local varieties of garlic, and as a result of painstaking work, an unpretentious, cold-resistant plant was created.
Description of garlic
In the literature, this variety of winter garlic is described as the most productive. Its garlic has dense heads, each of them contains up to 10 teeth. They are all equal and the same size. The weight of each bulb ranges from 35 to 110 g. Komsomolets cloves taste sharp and hard. Each head is covered with uniform scales.
The stems of Komsomolets grow up to 45 cm in length, consist of several wax-coated leaves. Sometimes arrows can form, on which small air bulbs ripen. In cooking, both heads of garlic and feathers are used.
Characteristics of a variety
In order to get a high-quality and plentiful harvest, it is necessary to follow some rules of planting and care. Only then will Komsomolets please with its high-quality and fragrant fruits.
Productivity
This variety belongs to mid-season, since the period of its active growth and reproduction is on average 115-120 days. In the south, Komsomolets ripens within 95-100 days.
There are approximately 1,3-1,4 kg of winter garlic per square meter. And this is an excellent indicator. In general, the yield directly depends on the planting site and soil type.
Disease and pest resistance
This variety tolerates frost well, various weather changes. Also, the plant is not affected by many diseases and is resistant to the spread of bacterial rot.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Winter garlic Komsomolets has a lot of advantages that make it popular and in demand among gardeners and gardeners with different experience and level of knowledge.
Benefits of garlic:
- resistant even to sub-zero temperatures;
- he is not afraid of most diseases;
- You can get a large-scale harvest if you properly care for the plant.
If Komsomolets is planted in poor soil, then the harvest will be small, and the garlic is very small. In this case, the result will not justify the funds that were invested in the plant.
Planting and caring for garlic
To get excellent fruits, you should listen to the advice of professionals regarding planting. Despite the good cold tolerance of garlic, it should still be planted away from trees and bushes, in open areas. If you plant it in the shade, then this will lead to a decrease in yield.
Planting time for garlic Komsomolets
The best time for planting winter garlic is mid-October. If the region has a cool climate, then you can plant the plant a little earlier.
Preparation of beds
Experts advise planting Komsomolets on those land plots where cucumbers, beans, cabbage or zucchini grew last year. But in the garden where potatoes, onions or tomatoes were previously planted, it is better not to place winter garlic.
Only large teeth should be planted, without flaws. Before starting the procedure, each copy must be held in a solution of copper sulfate or potassium permanganate.
Winter garlic Komsomolets feels great in heavy and loamy soils. To get a big harvest, it is recommended to fertilize the soil before planting. As a top dressing, compost or humus is perfect. 1 kilogram of fertilizer is used per square meter of soil. In addition to organic preparations, mineral complex compositions should be used – they are useful for Komsomolets.
Planting garlic
Compliance with these rules guarantees abundant fruiting:
- Between the rows you need to leave gaps of 35-40 cm.
- Between plants in a row, the distance should be within 6-10 cm.
- The teeth should be planted to a depth of 2-7 cm, depending on the size.
Cultivation of garlic
After planting, warming measures and mulching with sawdust should be carried out. With the onset of spring, all material is removed, and the soil is abundantly watered with water at room temperature.
Watering should be stopped a month before harvest. If you ignore this condition, then the fruits will not acquire their specific flavor.
Those who have not mulched should regularly loosen the soil, as well as remove weeds. It is recommended to cut the arrows if there is no need to collect seeds. You need to break them off at the level of the upper leaves.
Fertilize the soil with winter garlic should be a couple of times throughout the season. The preparations are added to the soil along with watering. The best mineral composition for garlic nutrition is Amofoska. Liquid Mullein is also suitable.
Harvesting and storage of crops
A little more than 100 days should pass from the moment of emergence of seedlings, and then the winter garlic will fully ripen. Experts say that it is recommended to dig up fruits after 80-90 days. External signs of the plant can help determine the readiness of garlic.
You can harvest if:
- most of the feathers turned yellow;
- the base of the stem thinned out and lay down on the ground;
- the lower leaves have acquired a yellow tint;
- cracked seed pods;
- the scales covering the head became transparent.
The best time to dig Komsolets is an early sunny morning. After harvesting, the heads should be laid out on the ground to dry. Next, you need to bring it under a canopy or indoors and leave it there for several weeks. During this time, the winter garlic will dry completely and will be ready for use. You can cut the leaves and stems only when the shoots are completely dry.
After drying, the crop should be sorted. Heads that have flaws, a wrinkled appearance should be put aside. If they are not noticed in time, then you can lose part of the fruit. Good heads of winter garlic should be put in a box or bag and stored in the cellar. Throughout the winter months, the crop must be aired so that it does not become damp and rot.
You should correctly determine the time of collection of Komsomolets, because this affects both the sharpness, taste, and aroma of the cloves.
How to propagate garlic
Variety Komsomolets refers to those plants that throw arrows. Therefore, it can be propagated in the following ways:
- teeth;
- seed bulbs.
Using the first method, next year there will be a guaranteed harvest. The second method is more difficult and it will take several years before the plant produces good fruit.
Pests, methods of control and prevention of diseases
Harm to winter garlic can be caused by those diseases that develop during the activity of fungi.
The following diseases of the Komsomolets variety are found:
- White rot. The causative agent is a fungus that affects the heads both after harvesting and while they are in the soil. If you notice a sudden yellowing of the leaves, then this is the first sign of white rot. A light coating forms on the roots of affected plants and on the head – this is how the fungus spreads. He is able to make the teeth watery and accelerate the process of decay.
- Green mold. The disease is already characteristic of harvested winter garlic. Brown wet spots appear at the bottom of the head. Depressed yellow areas form on the teeth. To prevent the disease, you need to monitor the crop, regularly sort it out and throw away the affected fruits.
- Cervical decay. The disease affects winter garlic when it is still in the ground. Numerous factors can lead to such a problem, for example, cooling, excessive soil moisture, reaction to nitrogen fertilizer. To prevent the occurrence of the disease, you should harvest in warm weather and dry it well.
Conclusion
Winter garlic Komsomolets is an unpretentious plant, caring for it does not include any complex activities. Grown Komsomolets for every gardener is a guarantee of the presence in the house of a vitamin vegetable that improves immunity and is able to overcome various viral diseases.