Experienced gardeners know that the harvest is multiplied by the correct watering system. In addition, this creates a beneficial microclimate for plants. Garlic is undoubtedly good for your health. However, this plant has its own characteristics. Namely: the requirement for a high level of soil moisture and a weak root system. This imposes its own technique for growing garlic, be it industrial cultivation or home cultivation, on a personal plot.
How to water garlic correctly?
In order for garlic to grow under the correct conditions, you need to understand the basic aspects of its moisture supply. They are as follows:
- Irrigation is excluded when the average daily temperature drops below 13 degrees.
- Water for irrigation should have a temperature of about 18 degrees.
- Early morning or late evening after sunset are favorable periods for irrigation.
- After each irrigation procedure, the soil must be loosened to a depth of two centimeters.
- After rain, you don't have to water the garlic.
These are the rules, the observance of which will ensure the correct irrigation regime for the garlic.
Watering after planting
The initial growth phase is the period from emergence to the formation of teeth. A special feature of the period is moisture requirements. Excessive moisture can also cause harm, but for this period it is not critical. How often to water garlic after planting:
- Abundant moisture of the soil.
- The depth of moisture is up to 30 centimeters.
- Humidification mode: once every 7–8 days.
- The first watering is carried out with fertilizing, regardless of time.
Maturation period
Do I need to water garlic when it is ripe? It is necessary, but not so intense. When garlic sprouts in May, the bulbs begin to ripen in July. The period ends in August. Moisture delays the formation of bulbs and reduces the amount of minerals in them.
Based on this, watering the plant should be stopped by August. Otherwise, the harvest will be spoiled. Natural precipitation in summer is not so bad. But it is advisable to have grooves in the beds into which precipitation will be drained.
Stop watering when cleaning is ahead
The garlic has grown, and ahead we get to know the results of painstaking work - harvesting. Do I need to water garlic? The answer is no, before this event it is necessary to stop the flow of moisture into the soil. The date of stopping irrigation depends on the purpose of growing the crop:
- For harvesting for storage purposes - 20 days in advance.
- Processing - within 7 days.
The choice of harvesting dates depends on the growing region. Natural precipitation also contributes to the suspension of watering. It is advisable to look at the preliminary weather forecast before harvesting if the garlic grows in open ground.
Irrigation methods
The delivery of water to plant roots is divided into several types. They are used depending on the abilities of the gardener and the amount of garlic grown.
Manual irrigation
The first of them is the well-known manual irrigation. A primitive method without the use of mechanization. Flaws:
- Physical stress on the gardener, especially when he has to care for a large area of planting.
- Walking is required in the plantings.
- The amount of moisture is dosed by eye.
Advantages:
- Cheapness of the method.
- Does not require water supply to plantings.
- Independent of electricity.
The method is relevant for small crop areas. This is how most summer residents water homemade garlic in open ground.
Sprinkling
Advantages:
- Accurate distribution of water to crops. You just need to know how much water is needed for a certain stage of growth.
- Mechanical method.
Flaws:
- Dependence on electricity or water pressure in the system.
- If the system does not automatically turn off, the soil may become oversaturated with moisture. And this can lead to salinity.
Note! The main disadvantage of the system is that it can provoke the growth of garlic diseases. A large amount of vapor will rise from the surface of the soil, and dangerous microbes with water vapor will fall on the garlic feathers.
Sprinkling is best done in small volumes. If possible, it is better to resort to another watering method.Experienced gardeners stop watering this way.
Drip irrigation
The drip irrigation system is recognized by the community of agricultural technicians as the most effective. Reasons for this:
- Water flows directly to the roots of the plant.
- Care with even distribution of moisture.
- Precise regulation.
There is only one drawback of the system - the high cost of the equipment. However, on a personal plot it is possible to use a homemade drip irrigation system, which will be no worse than its factory counterparts. Do I need to water garlic using homemade systems? Yes, they just require adjustment.
Soil moisture measurement
Garlic needs moisture when the soil saturation drops below 70%.
The optimal moisture content figure should be remembered and not allowed to fall during the season before the ripening period begins. To measure soil moisture, it is advisable to use a device - a moisture meter. The accuracy of the measurements will allow you to properly care for the plant.
But not all gardeners have it. In addition, some people feel sorry for the money to buy the device. Is there another way to measure soil moisture? Yes, for this they use the old-fashioned, manual method of measuring soil moisture. You just need to take a handful of soil from a depth of about 10 centimeters. You need to squeeze a handful and then open it. The results will be based on the following characteristics:
- 80% or more - liquid appears from the computer.
- 75–70% - the lump is a formed ball that crumbles when pressed.
- 70% - there are outlines of fingers on the lump.
- 60% - the lump crumbles.
Proper selection of humidity is important at the ripening stage. This will allow you to understand when to stop watering.
Results
By taking note of the information on how to water garlic, you can grow a high-quality garlic crop.It is required to strictly adhere to the watering regime, while paying attention to natural precipitation. It is extremely important to monitor them during the ripening period. To prevent the soil from becoming oversaturated with moisture from rain, create a drainage system on the ridge.
It is optimal to use a drip irrigation system as an irrigation system. Watering garlic in open ground with this system is simple and effective. It’s easy to make it yourself from available materials, even for small plantings. The manual method does not provide high accuracy, and because of this, the soil may be oversaturated with moisture. The drip system will bring water directly to the roots.
When to stop watering garlic? Before ripening, reduce the amount of moisture; towards the end, do not water at all.
