When to fertilize garlic is our next garlic guide. Are you a lover of garlic or a garlic farmer who wants to know how to fertilize garlic and how to apply fertilizer to your garlic? Then this garlic care guide will help you to know how to fertilize garlic.
Read also: WHEN TO PLANT GARLIC-BEST TIME TO PLANT GARLIC
Garlic, as we all know, is one of the few crops that are planted during the rainy season. Ahead of this year, one can simply plant a clove, cover it with mulch, and it will be ready for harvest during the dry season.
It is a long-season crop, and takes about 180-210 days to maturation, depending upon the variety. So as you may imagine, the proper fertilization of garlic is of paramount importance.
The question is not only how to fertilize garlic, but when is the best time for feeding garlic plants.
is a long-season crop that, depending on the variety, matures in between 180 and 210 days. So it stands to reason that the right fertilization of garlic is crucial. When is the optimum time to feed garlic plants rather than just how to fertilize garlic?
Plant fertilizer for garlic Basically, because it takes so long to mature, garlic requires a lot of food. As a result, it’s advisable to start thinking about feeding garlic plants as soon as possible.
Garlic bulbs should be planted in most areas in late fall or early winter, six weeks before the ground freezes. Garlic can be planted in January or even February in cooler climates for late summer or early fall harvest.
Read also: WHEN TO HARVEST GARLIC: BEST TIME TO HARVEST GARLIC
You should add a lot of compost to the soil before either of these planting dates to improve drainage and water retention as well as serve as the foundation for fertilizing your garlic.
For every 100 square feet (9.5 square meters) of garden space, you can also use manure, 1-2 pounds (0.5-1 kg) of all-purpose fertilizer (10-10-10), or 2 pounds (1 lb) of blood meal.
After the garlic is planted, it is necessary to plan a program for additional fertilizing of the garlic.
If you planted your garlic in the autumn, fertilize the plants in the spring. You have two options for fertilizing your garlic: side dressing or broadcast fertilizer over the entire bed.
The ideal fertilizers for garlic plants will have a high nitrogen content and either comprise a blood meal or a synthetic source of nitrogen.
Work the fertilizer into the soil 3 to 4 inches (7.5 to 10 cm) away from the plant, approximately an inch (2.5 cm) down. Every three to four weeks, fertilize.
When to Re-Fertilize Your Garlic
Re-fertilize your garlic in mid-May, just before the bulbs swell. However, after May, avoid fertilizing with high-nitrogen foods, since this could reduce the size of the bulb.
Since weeds hinder garlic’s ability to grow, keep the area around it weed-free.
If spring is dry, water the garlic deeply every eight to ten days, but less frequently in June. Towards the end of June, start looking for mature cloves.
Since garlic’s green tips do not die back when it is mature like other Alliums do, it is recommended to dig one out and chop it in half to check for maturity. Look for cloves that are plump and have thick, dry, papery skin.
Cure bulbs for a week in a warm, dry, airy area that is shaded. For several months, garlic can be kept in a cool, dry, and dark place. Store items away from the refrigerator since cold temperatures encourage sprouting.
Harvest your garlic when around 75 percent of the leaves are yellow. Carefully remove them with a garden fork. Allow the bulbs to dry for two to three weeks in a warm, well-ventilated area away from the sun.
After they have had time to dry, trim the roots, get rid of any remaining dirt, and remove all but an inch (2.5 cm) of the dried tops. The bulbs must be kept cool, between 40 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit, and dry.
