In early spring, the first crop that pleases the summer resident is winter garlic. But sometimes this joy is overshadowed by the sudden yellowing of the garlic feathers. Let's try to figure out together why this is happening, and what measures need to be taken urgently.
There are the main and most common reasons why garlic turns yellow.
Garlic turns yellow due to frost
It is necessary to strictly adhere to the recommended planting dates for this vegetable crop. In regions with a warm climate, garlic is planted in November, and in other areas in September - October. If you do not follow these terms and plant the garlic too early, then it will have time to release green feathers even before the onset of cold weather. It goes without saying that this garlic foliage will freeze during frosts, and turn yellow with the arrival of spring.
There are exceptions even if the landing dates are met. Sudden severe frosts in winter or unexpected spring frosts after sustained warming will also lead to yellowing of young green feathers.
You can protect garlic from such weather problems with a mulch layer. After planting garlic in autumn, immediately mulch the garlic beds with falling leaves. A thick leafy layer will keep this healthy vegetable crop free from frost.
If, nevertheless, it was not possible to protect the garlic from frost, then you will need to apply spraying with biological products. The solution should fall exactly on the frozen garlic leaves. Anti-stress drugs should come to the aid of plants (for example, Epin, Zircon, Energen).
Garlic turns yellow due to lack or excess of moisture
Garlic does not tolerate a lack and excess of moisture. In case of prolonged absence of precipitation and hot weather, it is recommended to water the garlic every other day. With average spring weather - watering is carried out 2-3 times a month. And if spring presents with constant and prolonged rains, then you can forget about watering, since excessive moisture will harm the plant significantly.
Watering is not required for those garlic plants that are under a reliable layer of mulch.
If possible, it is necessary to maintain a water-air balance favorable for garlic, even if it is disturbed by the vagaries of the weather.
Garlic turns yellow due to diseases or pests
Very often, summer residents use garlic in joint or mixed plantings to protect themselves from the invasion of pests or the appearance of various diseases. But there are "troubles" from which garlic cannot protect itself - these are common vegetable diseases (for example, rot or powdery mildew) or numerous harmful representatives of the fauna (for example, a tick, onion fly or nematode). With their appearance, the culture begins to hurt, the leaves of the garlic turn yellow.
The first thing to do is to find the cause of the yellowing garlic feathers. Dig up one of the heads and garlic and inspect it carefully.Any changes in the appearance of the garlic (for example, a pink bloom on the bottom), damage (for example, the appearance of mold or rot on the roots and on the cloves) or larvae indicates the presence of harmful insects.
Infectious and fungal diseases can be defeated with the help of various chemicals. You can destroy the onion fly with salt irrigation (for 5 liters of water - 100 grams of salt). But it is impossible to defeat the nematode. Therefore, you should always remember about timely preventive measures:
- Before planting garlic in autumn, it is recommended to keep its cloves in a disinfecting manganese solution for twelve hours.
- The seed should be renewed as often as possible (at least once every three years).
- It is necessary to change the garlic beds annually.
- Use mixed plantings (such as garlic and calendula or marigolds). Only the roots of these flowers will not admit the nematode to the beds with garlic, as they are poisonous to it.
Garlic turns yellow due to a lack of nitrogen and other trace elements
Lack of nutrients in the soil can also cause garlic to turn yellow. There is only one way to solve this problem - to make the necessary dressing on time.
Of course, you need to start with preventive measures at the beginning of spring. While the earth has not completely thawed, it is enough to fertilize the garlic beds at least once and the deficiency of chemical elements and microelements will not threaten the garlic plantations.
It is recommended to irrigate with a special liquid fertilizer, which consists of ammonium nitrate and potassium sulfate (5-6 grams each), superphosphate (10 grams) and 10 liters of water. This amount of top dressing must be used for one square meter of land area. Usually, it is enough to apply fertilizer once, but to consolidate the result, you can repeat this procedure after a month.
Adherents of organic farming can get by with natural natural dressings. Garlic is watered with various herbal infusions with the addition of wood ash.
If the garlic feathers have already begun to turn yellow, then the vegetable plantings are first abundantly sprayed with any liquid complex fertilizer diluted according to the attached instructions. And the next top dressing should be applied at the root, after about 7-8 days.
