When is the best time to water garlic during the winter?

Although garlic has strong cold resistance, if the low temperature in winter lasts too long or the temperature drops too quickly, it will cause a certain degree of frost damage to garlic. At the very least, it will affect the green growth next year. At worst, the leaves will wither, affecting the garlic yield next year. Therefore, it is necessary to water garlic well for wintering. So when is the best time to water garlic for wintering? Let’s take a look below.

1. When is the best time to water garlic during the winter?

The best time to water garlic for wintering is generally in November, when the temperature reaches around 0℃ to 3℃, the temperature inside the 5 cm soil layer is about 5℃, and the surface soil shows the phenomenon of "melting during the day and freezing at night". In other words, the time period from "10 days before the winter solstice to 10 days after the winter solstice" is more suitable. Specifically, you can choose to irrigate when the local average daily ground temperature is around 5°C, 3°C during the day, and around 0°C at night. However, the following should also be noted:

Soil moisture conditions and seedling conditions: If the soil is relatively dry or the garlic seedlings grow weakly, you can consider watering them in advance to avoid the growth and development of garlic being affected by lack of water. Especially when the soil moisture content is lower than 40%, you need to consider watering in time.

Weather conditions: When watering during the winter, you should choose sunny weather after a continuous night of frost and the moisture has evaporated during the day. Under such weather conditions, the soil temperature is relatively stable, water is not easy to evaporate too quickly, and the stimulation to the garlic roots can be reduced. Avoid watering when the temperature drops suddenly or in windy weather to prevent frost damage to the garlic.

Watering time: Generally speaking, it is more suitable to water after 10 am and before 4 pm. If you water before 10 a.m., the soil temperature may not have risen yet, and the water will further lower the soil temperature, which is not conducive to the activity of the garlic roots; if you water after 4 p.m., as the temperature drops, the soil moisture evaporates slowly, which can easily cause the soil to be too humid.

In addition, you should also pay attention to the amount of water when watering for the winter. You should mainly water with small amounts of water, preferably 20 to 40 cubic meters per acre, to keep the soil moist. Avoid flooding with large amounts of water, which will cause the soil to become less air permeable and affect the breathing of the garlic roots.

2. Management methods of overwintering garlic

1. Release the seedlings and remove the film

For garlic planted under mulch, if the soil moisture is good, it will take about 5-7 days from planting to germination. After covering the ground with film, if you find white garlic sprouts, you can use sack pieces to drag them back and forth on the ground film, once in the morning and evening, and after about 3 days, 80%-90% of the seedlings can be released. For garlic sprouts that have already grown true leaves and are not easy to break the membrane, use a small hook to gently hook them out in time, and try not to damage the leaves of the garlic sprouts.

2. Topdressing and watering

For plots with weak seedlings and severe field drought, watering can be done before freezing. In combination with watering, apply 10 kg of potassium sulfate compound fertilizer per mu. Flooding is strictly prohibited. Preventing water accumulation in the fields is beneficial to raising ground temperature and promoting root growth of seedlings.

3. Watering for winter

Watering during the winter and thick frozen soil can increase soil temperature and prevent frost damage to the roots. Garlic is usually watered over the winter in November. Pay attention to the watering time. If it is too late, the frost damage will be aggravated. The specific time can be determined according to soil moisture conditions and seedling growth. If the soil moisture is poor, water should be applied as early as possible.

4. Spray antifreeze

Spraying antifreeze agents can significantly improve the frost resistance of garlic seedlings. Generally, 7 days before the arrival of cold air, when the temperature exceeds 10°C, use 10 grams of 8% ammonium ester soluble powder + 100 grams of 99% potassium dihydrogen phosphate, add 20-30 kilograms of water and spray evenly on the leaves. It can promote leaf photosynthesis, increase the chlorophyll content in the leaves, promote root growth, and achieve the purpose of cold and frost resistance.

5. Prevent diseases

During the growth period of garlic, serious diseases will have a great impact on the yield, so disease prevention work should be done well. Nutrients and regulators can be added when spraying to promote seedling growth. Pyraclostrobin, potassium dihydrogen phosphate and brassinolide can also be used. Pyraclostrobin can prevent fungal diseases, potassium dihydrogen phosphate can supplement phosphorus and potassium elements, and brassinolide can improve the stress resistance of seedlings and enhance their ability to resist frost damage.

That’s it