You can plant garlic twice a year - in autumn and spring; preference is often given to winter rather than spring, but in both cases the beds are often overgrown with weeds. Garlic herbicide will help cope with this problem as soon as possible. Weed control substances are sold in specialized garden stores.
Mechanical methods of control
Before using chemicals to kill weeds in your garden beds, you need to understand that the rhizome and bulbs of the plant are very sensitive to various chemicals. Therefore, if the situation is not critical, it is better to use mechanical methods of control first.
After germination, you need to weed the beds to a depth of 10–15 cm. The bulbs themselves are located in the arable layer of soil at a depth of 5–7 cm, so you need to loosen the soil carefully so as not to damage the bulbs. In subsequent times, when loosening, it is enough to touch only the top layer of soil. Large weeds need to be pulled out by hand with their roots.
If you leave the rhizome of the weed in the soil, then after a while it will appear in the garden again.
Preference should be given to mechanical methods of control if weeds have infested the bed with winter garlic. After winter, such plants are weakened and the use of aggressive chemicals will damage the young bulbs.
An effective method of controlling weeds on a site is to adhere to crop rotation. After harvesting, it is not recommended to plant the crop in the same place for two years. The best precursors for the crop are cabbage, tomatoes, potatoes or cucumbers.
Description of herbicides and their use on the site
There are two types of herbicides for garlic. They differ in the spectrum of their effect on weeds.
Types of herbicides:
- Complete impact on weeds. Destroy all plants in the treated area. They are used on an industrial scale and before planting crops on the site.
- Selective spectrum of influence. They are used primarily in agricultural areas to destroy weeds in beds that interfere with the growth of cultivated plants.
The use of herbicides to kill weeds is in most cases the same. The instructions are always indicated on the packaging of the substance. A small amount of substances is diluted in water and poured into a spray bottle. Then the garlic beds are sprayed with the resulting solution.
The dosage of the herbicide and the amount of water in which it is diluted must be specified on the packaging. If you dilute more herbicides than required, then there is a risk of destroying the garlic itself. A lack of substance will not rid the beds of weeds.
Characteristics of herbicides for garlic
To quickly get rid of weeds on the site, there are a large number of drugs. But it is worth noting that their use often has a negative effect on the body if used incorrectly.
Popular means for killing weeds:
- Hurricane Forte (herbicide is produced by a Swiss company. The active substance, which is aimed at destroying weeds, is glyphosate. The drug contains an active surface substance. It is responsible for the rapid distribution of glyphosate over weeds and their destruction. Most effective for controlling weeds after harvest in autumn).
- Fluzilad Forte (used to control wild weeds in garlic beds. For 1 hectare of land, 1 liter of the drug is needed. The beds must be treated after the formation of two full-fledged leaves. Treatment ends after the final formation of garlic bushes. The break in spraying is 1 week. Fluzilad Forte is especially effective to remove wheatgrass. At temperatures above +27, the drug is ineffective. It is not recommended to spray garlic in dry weather. After spraying, garlic cloves are used for food no earlier than a month later).
- Stomp (this German herbicide contains pendimethalin. When growing winter garlic, it helps kill weeds in the shortest possible time. For spraying, Stomp is diluted in water in a ratio of 330 g to 1 liter.The amount of the drug used varies depending on the area of planting and the weeds on it. Used to destroy annual weeds after the emergence of winter garlic. The beds are cultivated in spring and autumn after planting garlic. Before cultivating garlic beds, water the soil generously. If the cloves are planted at a depth of less than 5 cm, Stomp is not recommended to be used. This is due to the fact that it is removed from the soil within 4 months. Spray the bushes in dry, windless weather early in the morning or late evening).
- Goal (when the grass in a garlic bed fills the entire area, the herbicide Goal will help deal with it. The active component is oxyfluorfen, which helps destroy annual weeds. Garlic beds are treated in the spring, when the seedlings reach a height of 10 cm. It is most effective for destroying grass , the height of which exceeds 7 cm. If the air temperature reaches +23 degrees, the use of the drug is prohibited. Spraying the bushes is allowed if the weather is sunny for more than 4 days. If the garlic bushes have been damaged by frost, the use of Goal is not recommended).
Before spraying garlic beds, you should remember safety precautions. For the first time after treatment, garlic should not be used for food. Otherwise, you may get poisoned.
