Content
On some varieties of winter garlic, so-called shoots form, which many gardeners try to remove in a timely manner. They are intended for seed ripening. In the future, seed material can be collected from the inflorescences. But many gardeners do not set themselves the goal of collecting seeds. In addition, the formation of arrows takes a lot of effort from garlic. Therefore, to increase productivity, it is customary to pick them. This leads to the question: when to remove the shoots from winter garlic?
Why do you need to cut off the arrows of garlic?
Winter varieties of garlic fully ripen by mid-July. The shoots begin to appear on the plants around the first week of June, just after all the feathers have formed. The arrows are located in the center of the neck of the bulb. Because of this location, all useful substances are directed precisely to it. Thus, the plant fulfills its biological role - the formation of seeds.
This whole process requires a large amount of different minerals. Initially, the plant devotes all its energy to the formation of the arrow itself, and then directs all the remaining energy to the formation of seeds. It follows from this that it is necessary to pick the arrows from garlic even before the plant begins to bloom. This is the only way to preserve the necessary nutrients for fruit growth.
Firstly, garlic with arrows is significantly delayed in growth and you will have to wait several weeks longer for ripe fruits. And secondly, productivity drops very significantly. Of the expected number of fruits, only a third can be harvested. Experienced gardeners have noticed that as soon as arrows appear, the plants immediately slow down in growth.
Do not rush to remove absolutely all the arrows from the plants. Some gardeners use them to determine whether the garlic is ripe or not. A cracked seed pod indicates that the fruits are ready to be harvested. Plants with arrows left can be left and seeds can be collected for sowing later.
When to delete
There are 2 most common opinions about when it is best to pick arrows from garlic. They both have their pros and cons. So, let's look at each of them separately:
- It is necessary to cut off unwanted shoots immediately after they appear. On the one hand, this method guarantees that the appearance of the arrow will not in any way affect the growth and development of the bulb. But at the same time, very soon the shoot will sprout again and the procedure will have to be repeated. It is possible that you will have to repeat what has been done more than once throughout the growing season.
- You can tear off the arrows after they begin to curl. In this case, the shoot will definitely not germinate again, since it simply will not have enough time before the harvest begins. However, during its growth, the arrow will have time to take away a large amount of nutrients.
As you can see, it is very difficult to find the ideal time to remove shoots.Nevertheless, it is customary to pluck the arrows at the moment when they have not yet grown more than 15 cm in length. Over this period of time, they will not cause severe damage to the growth of the plant. In addition, the likelihood of re-germination is lower.
From what is described above, one thing is clear that it is imperative to pick the arrows from the garlic. And how exactly you will do this depends only on you. Some can remove shoots several times a season, others tear off almost formed arrows.
How to pick correctly
It is impossible to say exactly how to pluck shoots correctly. You can simply choose a method that is convenient for you. In this case, under no circumstances should you pull out the shoots, as this may damage the stem itself. At first it may seem that the plant is not damaged in any way. But soon the stem begins to turn yellow and dry out.
The best option would be to simply pinch off the shoot at the base or break it. Some gardeners argue that due to uneven picking in this case, the plant will take a long time to heal. Those who find this a serious problem can use special gardening tools. For example, pruning shears or garden shears are suitable for these purposes. You cannot do without special tools even if the shooters have become numb. While young shoots can be easily cut even with a kitchen knife.
It is best to remove shoots in the morning in sunny weather. Then, throughout the day, the cut area will be able to dry completely. The shoot should not be cut at the very base, but slightly higher (about 1 cm).This is done so as not to harm the stem itself.
Conclusion
Now there are definitely no those who still doubt whether it is necessary to remove unwanted shoots from garlic. As you can see, the arrows only slow down the growth and development of the fruit. Many remove shoots manually, while for others such cleaning is carried out only with the help of special tools. The main thing is to remove the shoots in time, otherwise the garlic bed will not only lose its attractive appearance, but also will not bring the expected harvest. Below you can also watch a video that shows how some gardeners perform this procedure.
