Description of Siberian Giant garlic and cultivation features

Siberian Giant garlic is a winter variety that requires little care but produces an excellent harvest. As its name suggests, it tolerates extreme temperatures well.

Description and characteristics

Siberian garlic is a mid-season variety, with a harvest time of 90 to 115 days from germination. Its main characteristics are large heads and high yields. Siberian Giant is ideal for growing in cold climates. It is popular in the Tomsk, Novosibirsk, and Omsk regions. However, it is also successfully planted in other latitudes with milder climates.

The plant can reach a height of 0.7 m, with 5-7 green leaves per "bush." ​​When ripe, the vegetable has a tangy-sweet flavor and a lingering aroma. It is widely used in cooking. Since this is a winter variety, the harvest is frost-resistant and stores well.

Description of garlic:

• large bulbs, up to 100 g;
• flat-round shape;
• the husk is white with purple spots;
• a head of garlic has 6 to 9 cloves;
• the shell is pink.

This variety is easy to care for, requiring only three waterings during the warm season. Fertilizer is added along with watering. Pest control is also required. Garlic is less susceptible to diseases than other crops. However, the Siberian Giant is susceptible to nematodes and rust. It's important to carry out disease prevention before planting. Otherwise, you risk losing the entire harvest.

Prevention of diseases and parasites

To combat diseases and pests, you can use household remedies, such as potassium permanganate or salt. Prevention is an important part of garlic care; if even one infested bulb ends up in storage, the infestation will eventually spread to all the bulbs.

Before planting garlic cloves, soak them in a solution of copper sulfate or potassium permanganate to disinfect the planting material. Additionally, disinfect the soil using the same methods used for planting material.

A dangerous pest is nematodes, white worms of microscopic size. Parasites can live in the soil all winter and then migrate to the plant in the spring. A plant infested with worms will stunt its growth, and the foliage will turn yellow. To protect the harvest, the soil should be treated with a salt solution before planting. Use 1 tablespoon of salt per 3 liters of water. If signs of parasites appear, remove the affected plants and treat the area again. After harvesting, inspect each head for white spots. a sign of the presence of nematodes in garlic bulbs.

Siberian giant garlic is susceptible to rust. This fungal disease causes brown spots to form on the plant's leaves. Over time, the spots cover the entire plant, and the garlic dries out. Rust prevention is carried out before planting. The cloves are baked in an oven at 40°C for 10 hours. If rust appears on sprouted garlic, treat it with a solution of copper sulfate or tar soap.

Planting and care

To obtain a good harvest, it's important to choose the right site and prepare the soil. Garlic can be planted after squash, cucumbers, zucchini, and grains. Avoid planting garlic in the same spot repeatedly to avoid nutrient deficiencies. The site where the Siberian giant will grow should be sunny.

Preparing the soil for winter crops begins in late summer and early fall. First, the soil's acidity needs to be balanced by adding ash. Fertilizers are added later; general-purpose mineral fertilizers can be used. Organic fertilizers, especially manure, are not recommended, as they increase the risk of pest infestation. The final stage of preparation is soil disinfection.

Winter garlic is planted after the weather cools but before frost sets in. The planting time depends on the regional climate. The cloves are planted in holes 6-8 cm deep. Avoid burying the seeds too deeply, as this can cause the garlic to grow smaller and lose its key characteristic—the giant size of its bulbs. Planting garlic at a depth of less than 6 cm can result in frost damage to the seedlings, especially in Siberia.

The distance between cloves is 10 cm, between rows 10-15 cm, and the rows are spaced 35 to 40 cm apart. When planting Siberian Giant, it is recommended to use a two-row planting pattern. Do not press the cloves into the soil, as this can damage the planting material and prevent germination.

After planting, the beds are covered with soil or compost and carefully leveled. To protect against frost, the area is covered with dry leaves or grass. If using grass, remove any flowers or seeds.

In the spring, after the seedlings emerge, apply the first fertilizer. Urea is recommended. The soil should also be loosened, but only between the rows. Further care includes weeding, loosening the soil, and watering with warm water. After 3-4 leaves have formed, apply fertilizer again, this time using a mineral mixture.

Harvesting can begin when the scapes on the stalks burst. To check, you can dig up a few heads before harvesting the rest. After harvesting, the garlic is dried and stored in a dry place.