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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 variety of the planted vegetable. You can get a healthy harvest only if you plant and dig the crop on time.
Garlic is included in the diet of many peoples of the world. In Russia, it is difficult to imagine many dishes without it. This vegetable can be grown in the Urals, however, in this case, preference is given to the spring variety, which grows quickly and is well stored until the next harvest. Although many gardeners still plant winter garlic. This article will focus on how when winter garlic is harvested in the Urals, but first we will define the ripening period of this culture.
Ripening period of garlic in the Urals
Given the Ural climatic features, winter garlic varieties ripen in the last decade of July, and spring varieties - in mid-August - early September. The formation of denticles takes place in the summer. In dry season, the cloves will be small and shriveled, and the rainy summer encourages the growth of large heads. But too much moisture also negatively affects the harvest, it can simply rot in the ground.
Winter garlic is usually harvested 100 days after germination, and spring garlic is harvested two to three weeks later. But in addition to climatic conditions, which have a great influence on the ripening period of the crop, it is also important to take into account the characteristics of the variety. For example, the Alkor variety was bred, which ripens in 94 days. It is resistant to diseases, fungi and yellow dwarf virus, among other things. The "Novosibirsk" variety has an even shorter ripening period - 85 days. A delay in the ripening of a 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 state 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" - reproduces by air caps and denticles. Resistant to white rot and bacteriosis. Has a lilac shade of scales.
- "Bashkir 85" - ripens in 85–90 days. The color of the scales is white with a light purple tint. Resistant to downy mildew, onion flour and bacterial rot.
- "Gradekovsky" is an early-ripening winter variety of garlic. The ripening period is 81–86 days. Scales and denticles have a white-lilac hue.
Definition of maturity
Gardeners determine the ripeness of garlic in several ways:
- The soil around the bulbs is carefully raked and the husks are inspected. If it is intact and dense, then it's time to remove the garlic from the garden.
- Yellowed and withered leaves, gently sloping feathers and a soft false stem neck are clear signs of the maturity of the garlic heads.
- Cracked inflorescences and a hard head of garlic, easily peeling husks are also sure signs of a ripening culture.
As in the case of onions, systematic watering of the beds should be stopped 2-3 weeks before harvesting. So, you can protect the garlic heads from the active development of fungal microflora. In addition, in this case, rotting of the crop in the soil can be avoided.
The arrows should be removed, and the feathers of garlic that are beginning to turn yellow should be tied in a knot. Thus, nutrients will be directed to the root system, and the green mass will not grow.
Digging up the garlic
If your garlic is already ripe, pick a fine day to harvest 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 it is almost impossible to pull it out with your hands. You can remove it from the soil by digging in with a shovel. If earthy lumps have adhered to the head, then they need to be shaken. Then you need to dry the harvest of winter garlic well.
So, after drying, you can tie them into bundles or weave them into garlic pigtails and hang them in a dry, dark room for permanent storage. Such bundles can even become an element of your kitchen decor.
How to dry and preserve garlic
If the weather outside is sunny, then the first stage of drying can be carried out in the beds, leaving the garlic heads in the sun for 1 day. After that, the garlic must 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 about 14 days to dry completely.
If you plan to store the garlic in crates, you can trim the tops after drying. So, the garlic heads will be better stored. Then you need to cut off the roots with a sharp knife or pruner. To exclude damage to the product, the bottom of the garlic must be singed or sealed with wax. However, it is best stored in bundles, since air penetrates into it from all sides, which prevents decay.
Winter garlic also stays well in closets if the temperature in them does not rise above a few degrees. Providing the storage with proper ventilation and temperature, it will lie, without losing its useful properties, until the next harvest.
Garlic is grown everywhere in Russia, 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 culture in a timely manner and take care of it, but also to remove the heads of garlic from the soil on time and correctly. Attentive to the beds, it will allow you to harvest a rich harvest even in the harsh conditions of the Urals.
We suggest you watch a video on how and when to harvest garlic heads:
