Every summer resident has an idea when to cut off the arrows of garlic during its growth period. This healthy vegetable produces shoots during flowering, which then form seeds for planting. In order for its roots to further develop into succulent cloves, it is necessary to remove the shoots. This procedure will increase the yield and quality of the roots. It is necessary to figure out when and how to carry out this simple procedure so as not to harm the plant.
Why do they do this?
Everyone who plants garlic dreams of large and juicy bulbs.Sometimes it is its shoots that interfere with normal growth and development. Everyone should know why to cut off the arrows of garlic. After all, because of them, the bulbs lack nutrition and vitamins. If they are left, they may prevent the heads from forming normally, and the yield may decrease.
Everyone knows why garlic shoots. After all, all living things on earth are capable of reproducing. And this culture shoots arrow shoots because seeds are formed in them.
You need to get rid of them quickly. And it is advisable to do this before flowering, so that nutrition does not linger at the base of the plant. If anyone doubts whether it is necessary to cut off the arrows of garlic, then it is worth paying attention to the growth of the heads. If you do not trim them when necessary, you can see a delay in the development of roots; nutrients simply will not get there. The heads will become small and dry. Consequently, they will contain less vitamins.
It is necessary to remove the arrows from the garlic before their curling stops. When the shoots become straight, cutting them off will be pointless.
When should you trim the arrows of garlic?
Not everyone knows when to trim garlic arrows. All opinions are different. Some say that this should be done when the shoots bloom. Others, when the arrows twisted into spirals.
Is it necessary to cut off the arrows of garlic before they begin to bloom so that they do not affect the development of the crop? They must be plucked correctly so that the removed shoot is completely removed. Otherwise, they will stretch further without an arrow. Once they are pulled out, you need to see if there are any shoots left there.
If the arrows are not completely broken, the procedure should be repeated a second time. You shouldn’t wait for the arrows to spin completely; at the spinning stage they take all the juices and nutrients. And this is not very good for garlic.
If you don’t know when to remove the shoots from garlic, then the most optimal is to remove 10-14 centimeter shoots. The shoot that produces arrows and flowers at this stage does not yet have time to draw nutrition from the plants.
Winter garlic usually develops arrows in late June or early July. That’s when they need to be trimmed, but you shouldn’t touch shoots that are too short, otherwise they will continue to grow.
How to properly remove arrows from garlic?
It is necessary to remove shoots correctly so as not to harm a healthy plant. It is not recommended to pull the arrows, as you can damage the stem. Pulling and plucking is also dangerous, as you can tear off the stem and root. Gardeners often use plucking or breaking off. Only if this is done without special tools, the wound will remain for a long time and healing will take a long time.
It is best to remove garlic arrows using scissors, pruners or a knife. Cut the arrow at a height of one centimeter from the base. A few days before the procedure, you can feed the plant, just do not add too much fertilizer. It is not advisable to water the garlic for three days after this, it is under stress. Watering the garlic after such an operation is carried out a week later. This is the most optimal time.
The most suitable time for this operation is the morning hours. The weather must definitely be sunny. With the help of sunlight, the cuts will recover faster and the risk of infection will be reduced.
Where can escapes be useful?
What to do with the arrows after they are cut off? Don't rush to burn them and throw them away.After all, they are also healthy and very tasty.
You can cut them and fry them in vegetable oil. When fried, they go perfectly with meat, eggs, and potatoes.
They also go well fresh. They are added to salads, cut into small circles. This is a healthy green that makes any dish spicy and aromatic.
Reviews about preparing arrows
Margarita: The month of July is rich in fresh herbs from the garden. After trimming the garlic shoots, I feed my family this delicacy. I add them to fresh salads, soups, fried and stewed dishes. These are great vitamins and seasoning.
Polina: We pickle green young shoots of garlic. And then we eat it in winter. To prepare the marinade, pour water, add sugar, salt, and vinegar. Per liter you get 100 grams of vinegar and fifty grams of sugar and salt. I fill the jars with arrows and fill them with marinade.
Andrew: Arrows are not only used as a snack. With their help you can fight insects that harm the crop. Pour hot water over the greens in a bucket, close tightly and leave overnight. Then strain through cheesecloth, grate with soap, and stir. You can spray the plants twice a week. This will help not only repel harmful insects, but also get rid of fungal infections.
If you don't delete them
Many experiments have been carried out to check how much the harvest will be reduced if the arrows are not cut off. What does this procedure do?
Indeed, the yield of garlic is significantly reduced; the head grows small, 20 percent smaller than it would have been if the removal process had been completed. That is why they need to be cut off.
If you remove arrows that are too short, they will still continue to grow. What to do if the arrows are not removed in time.In such an advanced case, it will be necessary to help the plant recover. Otherwise, the garlic head will not be juicy, rich in vitamins and as large as we would like. All shoots should be removed, even if they were not cut off in time. Then the growth and development of the plant will resume. Fertilizing garlic should double during this period.
So, now you know when to cut off the arrows of garlic, and you should always cut off the arrows, otherwise they can interfere with the normal development of the bulbs.
Removing shoots is a mandatory gardening procedure. Therefore, this must be done. If it’s a shame to throw them away, there are many recipes that can be used to cook these shoots deliciously. After all, they also contain vitamins, no less than roots. Good luck with your dacha work!
