Description of the reliable garlic variety, features of cultivation and care
Arrowing garlic variety Reliable (Winter) has a universal purpose. The name of the variety exactly reflects its characteristics. The root vegetable is ideal for cooking and preservation.
Description of the variety
The winter variety is distinguished by its large leaves in comparison with similar root crops. The leaves of the plant reach a length of over 1 m and a width of up to 2 cm. The color of the leaves is green with a slight waxy bloom on the surface, the color of the outer cover is dusty white with a rich shade of purple. The root crop belongs to the mid-season, the period from germination of shoots to full-fledged lodging of leaves is 100–120 days.
The heads of garlic are round-flat, their weight varies within 55–70 g. Each head contains 5–7 white cloves of an aligned shape with rounding. The weight of one clove can reach 11 g. The winter variety is distinguished by its juicy pulp and intensely spicy aftertaste. When planting in a summer cottage, the yield is 1–1.5 kg per square meter. m.
Growing
You need to plant seeds in pre-formed beds. A month before sowing, the land is dug up, processed with organic fertilizers and loosened. The decisive factor in the timing of landing is the weather forecast for the next few weeks.
Before the onset of stable frosts, the root crop must have time to form a powerful root system, which will provide resistance to cold climates.
As the description of the variety indicates, its mass can be different, and the correct approach to cultivation and sowing has a direct impact on this factor. You can plant a root crop both by seeds and propagated by teeth or bulbs.
Regardless of the method of planting, the roots will begin to grow back only when the right temperature and moisture level are provided.
Care features
Not recommended grow garlic in one place for several years, since over time the soil is depleted and pests harmful to the culture accumulate in it. Even the application of fertilizers cannot completely clear the soil. The cultivation of the variety is facilitated by the use of ripe air bulbs when planting. After the season, planting large one-toothed teeth will bring full-fledged juicy fruit heads.
Beds for planting should be selected with fertile soil, good lighting and without stagnant water. Greenhouse conditions are excellent for winter garlic, which contribute to a stable harvest. The main activities for the care of seedlings include:
- Regular watering every 5 days.
- Loosening the earth.
- Weeding the soil with constant weed removal.
- At least two additional dressings during the growing season.
- Elimination of arrows in the summer, when their length reaches 12 cm.
Garlic of the Reliable variety negatively tolerates thickened plantings, therefore there should be a distance of about 25 cm between the rows, and more than 10 cm between the bulbs.
To insulate the beds for the winter period and supply additional nutrients, only organic materials should be used to cultivate the land.
Green shoots begin to sprout a couple of weeks after the first warming (late March - early April). Depending on how large the leaf apparatus is formed in the spring, the larger the head will be. This feature allows you to predict the yield in advance.
Advantages and disadvantages
The main disadvantage of the Reliable garlic variety is the need to comply with a number of conditions when planting. Nevertheless, a competent approach to sowing and growing provides the following benefits:
- Good keeping quality. Dried heads, if properly stored and maintained at temperatures around 20 degrees, can be stored for up to a year.
- Pest resistance. Timely treatment of plants with fertilizers helps to protect the crop from losses.
- Large heads. Compared to many other varieties, Reliable garlic produces an oversized crop.
- Taste qualities. The winter variety has aromatic and piquant characteristics, which gives great variability in consumption and use in cooking.
- Frost resistance. With periodic precipitation and frost, garlic does not lose its beneficial characteristics and can provide a good harvest.
The listed characteristics make the Winter variety ideal for growing on small farms, in personal gardens and summer cottages. Garlic gives the best results in yield in the region of middle latitudes.
Pests and diseases
In terms of the degree of damage, the most dangerous pest of garlic is the stem nematode. This is a white worm, up to 1.5 mm long, feeding on plant sap. In case of damage to the root crop by the larvae, growth slows down, the roots dry out and cracks appear on the outer side of the heads. After the death of one plant, the worms pass through the soil to the next.
To eliminate these pests, you need to add an admixture of coarse sand with peat to the soil. As an additional tool, it is useful to treat the earth with a solution of sodium chloride.
Also, common onion mites and flies can have a negative impact on the garlic variety. These pests are less dangerous, but at the same time, their timely elimination will contribute to a good and stable crop growth. In order to eliminate pests and prevent diseases of the root crop, compost infusion, ash solution and a mixture of water with ammonium nitrate should be used.
Harvesting and storage
At the ripening stage, avid gardeners are advised to rake off the earth from the heads to their middle. This method helps to speed up the process of root formation and make it larger and richer in taste. Watering must be completely stopped 17-25 days before harvesting. Collect garlic in July. The main sign indicating the ripening of the root crop is the appearance of cracks in the shell of the air bulbs and a significant yellowing of the lower leaves.
If you need to store the garlic, it is important to provide protection against moisture evaporation, an even temperature and preliminary drying.
There are several ways to store crops:
- in the refrigerator in a plastic bag, if the temperature is from -3 to 10 degrees;
- in a box or box, spreading root vegetables on top of each other in 2-3 layers;
- in cling film at room temperature;
- in a net hanging in a cool storage.
Gardeners reviews
Alena, 29 years old: “I usually plant several different varieties of garlic at once. This time the winter crop has the best yield. There were few pests, fertilizers helped to easily rectify the situation. "
Marina, 41 years old: “I first came across this garlic variety. There were no difficulties in growing, the harvest is very fertile. I've been keeping it in the refrigerator at home for five months and use it occasionally in cooking - the taste gets even better over time. "
