When is the best time to plant garlic?

Garlic is an indispensable raw material in many delicious dishes. It can be used as a whole side dish or chopped to enhance flavor and fragrance. There are still many people who grow garlic in China, and the planting time of garlic varies from region to region, mainly divided into spring sowing and autumn sowing. Let’s learn together when is the best time to plant garlic?

1. Spring sowing of garlic

The appropriate sowing time for spring garlic is usually between March and April, depending on local climatic conditions. The growing period of spring-sown garlic is relatively short, and garlic can usually be harvested about 3 to 4 months after sowing. The advantage of spring sowing is that it can be harvested in summer, avoiding the high temperature season and reducing the occurrence of diseases and pests.

Northern regions (such as Harbin, Changchun, and Shenyang): Spring sowing is usually from mid-to-late March to early to mid-April, and the harvest is around mid-July.

Central region (such as Taiyuan, Beijing, and Jinan): The spring sowing period is from mid-March to early April, and the harvest period is from late June to early July.

Southern regions (such as Sichuan and Guizhou): The spring sowing period is from February to March, and the harvest period is from June to July.

2. Autumn sowing garlic

The suitable sowing time for autumn-sown garlic is usually between September and October, and the specific time also depends on the local climatic conditions. The growing period of autumn-sown garlic is longer and the garlic can be harvested in the summer or autumn of the following year.

In most parts of the country: the autumn sowing period is from late September to early October, and the harvest period ranges from May to August of the following year.

Special areas (such as Urumqi and Lhasa): Due to special climatic conditions, the autumn sowing period may be advanced to early to mid-March or postponed to early to mid-October, and the harvest period will be adjusted accordingly.

3. Precautions for garlic planting

Temperature management: Garlic prefers cool climate, and the suitable temperature for the growth of above-ground stems and leaves is 12-16℃. The best age for seedlings to overwinter is the 4-6 leaf stage, and it takes about 40-45 days from sowing to 4-6 leaves. Garlic will stop growing when the average daily temperature is below 7°C.

Water requirements: Garlic requires a lot of water during the growth process and generally needs to be watered 4 times during the entire growing period.

Sowing depth: Garlic cloves should be dried for 1 to 2 days before sowing to increase the germination rate. The sowing depth is generally 2-3 cm, and the soil should be covered and compacted lightly.

Fertilization principles: mainly organic fertilizer , with a small amount of chemical fertilizer in the formula; mainly base fertilizer, supplemented by top dressing.

In summary, the planting time of garlic should be determined according to local climatic conditions and harvest period, while paying attention to the management of temperature, water and fertilizer to ensure the healthy growth and high-quality harvest of garlic.