How and what to process garlic in spring
Processing garlic in spring is a useful thing, you never know what pests lurk in the soil to attack the bulb with the first floods. Preventive measures, in the form of spraying, dusting and watering, will most reliably save from this. But what to do when the pest is already gnawing at the garlic? In all this we will try to figure it out.
Why process garlic in spring
If we want to achieve a good harvest, we do not need to skimp on care: the appearance of pests requires urgent processing of the bushes. For example, an onion fly or root mite will very quickly take a liking to an unprotected plant and will feed on it without any obstacles. Then your garlic is clearly not good.
Diseases will also develop rapidly, leaving no chance for culture to cope on its own. And the lack of nutrients without your help will recover much longer than it is time to collect the bulbs. Therefore, it is so important to monitor the health of the plant and take action in time. Experienced gardeners say: To get a high-quality harvest, we process garlic both in spring and autumn!
Growth enhancement treatment
If the soil has not had time to warm up, the culture will not be able to receive nutrients in the required volume. To enrich the soil with the necessary elements, nitrogen fertilizers are added to it.
For this, humus (1 part per 12-15 parts of water) or urea (1 tbsp. L. Per 10 l. Water) is suitable, the resulting mixture is top dressing. Then add a solution of potassium sulfate (15-20 gr.) And magnesium (100-200 gr.), The proportions are designed for 10 liters. water for each substance.
After making a test, you can understand if there is a problem with soil over-acidification. It is purchased at an agricultural store. But if there is no such opportunity, observe what grows on the site and near it: horse sorrel, plantain, horsetail, buttercup, wood lice - will be your indicator plants, if they thrive, you need to do deoxidation. To do this, scatter 1 glass of wood ash per 1 sq. m. of soil, it will also be a good top dressing. However, remember: this is only an urgent measure, and full deoxidation should be done in the fall, before planting.
At the same time, remember that it is pointless to combine ash with nitrogen fertilizers, they neutralize each other, at least a month should pass between such dressings. You need to be wary of fertilizing with potassium, ash is already rich in it, perhaps you should refrain from it for some period.
Treatment against diseases and pests
Remedies for processing garlic can be natural or chemical.
The former include tinctures of poisonous herbs, pepper, ash, tobacco, etc. It would be reasonable to prefer natural methods of struggle, they are not dangerous for humans, they do not accumulate in soil and plants.
But their effectiveness will not always be sufficient, then it is worth using chemistry. For such situations, you should keep a working sprayer and personal protective equipment.This must be taken responsibly, because almost all substances for processing crops are very toxic.
Pests and the fight against them
- Garlic and onion fly. Their activity is noticeable by withering and curling leaves, and yellowing of young shoots. To get rid of flies, the leaves are sprayed with ammonium carbonate. This nitrogenous foliar fertilizer will rid you of the pest and will be a good top dressing. In addition to salt, an infusion of tobacco dust with liquid or laundry soap can help.
- The root mite causes rotting of the bottom of the garlic; to combat it, Apollo, Keltan, Masai, Vertimek, etc. insecticides are used.
- The stem nematode leaves light streaks, after which the leaves curl and dry. Its population will be reduced by Mercaptophos and Phosphamide, the latter is also good against ticks and worms. It should be borne in mind that these poisons remain in the stems for up to 20 days, and do not harvest too early.
- The onion moth covers the stems with cavernous tunnels, in which the greenish larvae of this insect can be seen. We process them with infusion of tobacco, ash or red pepper.
- The onion winepress is characterized by red, yellow-headed larvae that eat a garlic bulb. Take it out by scattering tobacco dust around the stem, or a mixture of naphthalene with soil and sand in a 1 to 1 ratio.
- The onion hoverfly grinds off the stalks, leaving stripes that turn yellow and dry out; the insecticides Karate Zeon and Connect will help from it.
Diseases and the fight against them
- Downy mildew covers the leaves with yellow and brown spots, which eventually become covered with a gray bloom. Popularly it is sprayed with a solution of baking soda and soap, mustard, or potassium permanganate. In advanced situations, chemicals are used: arceride, Bordeaux liquid, ridomil, copper oxychloride, etc.
- Rust manifests itself in the form of red bumps, which are removed with Bordeaux liquid, or the bacterial preparation Alirin-B, it copes well with many varieties of fungi. And in the early stages, ammonia, or saline solution can help.
- Fusarium is manifested by brown stripes, with the onset of infection, it is sprayed with lactic acid whey or soda ash. And if the disease has covered a large area, chemistry is used: Course, GLORIA Prima, Gardena, Cicle Beetle.
Prophylaxis
If it so happens that you have not processed the garlic planted for the winter, pour the onions with Fitosorin, Maxim, 1% solution of copper sulfate or potassium permanganate in the spring. This will protect the plant from fungus that grows rapidly on untreated crops. Immunostimulants like Epin and Zircon will help garlic fight disease if you make mistakes when choosing a place to grow or when selecting seeds.
Thyme, calendula or mint planted next to the garlic will scare away pests, the same goes for carrots, which will save you from onion flies. And in order to prevent the appearance of several types of ill-wishers at once, ash with tobacco dust is scattered under the stem, fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizers will also become a good protection. There is another important nuance: the onion fly begins in April, approximately when the cherry blossoms. At this point, you need to sprinkle a mixture of sunflower ash and tobacco dust between the rows, this will scare off the pest.
Conclusion
And although the best protection of culture begins in the fall, spring also requires preventive, or even urgent, measures. For garlic to be healthy and fertile, it is important to monitor its health throughout all stages of growth. Remember that some diseases are similar to each other, keep this in mind for the treatment to be effective.
For example, yellowing can be caused by nutritional deficiencies as well as frost damage, acidic soil and even pests. Pay attention to unique symptoms, and don't jump to conclusions when they overlap.By detecting a threat in time, you will be able to maintain high yields, sometimes even avoid the use of toxic drugs.