Explore essential facts about garlic cultivation, from planting techniques to common pests and harvesting tips. Perfect for beginners and hobbyist gardeners interested in horticulture.
Which is generally considered the best season to plant garlic cloves for optimal bulb development in most temperate regions?
Explanation: Autumn, or fall, is ideal for planting garlic because cloves have time to establish roots before winter dormancy, leading to larger bulbs. Spring can work but often results in smaller yields. Summer and winter are unsuitable due to temperature extremes and poor growth conditions.
When planting garlic, how far apart should individual cloves typically be spaced in the row to allow healthy bulb growth?
Explanation: Spacing garlic cloves 10–15 cm apart provides sufficient room for each bulb to expand underground. Closer spacing like 3–4 cm may cause crowding, while 25–30 cm and 50 cm are unnecessarily wide and waste garden space.
During its main growing period, what is the most suitable approach to watering garlic for optimal results?
Explanation: Garlic grows best in consistently moist, well-drained soil, but excess water can cause rot. Flooding the bed can lead to fungal issues, letting soil dry out stunts growth, and watering just once is insufficient for the growing season.
Which of the following is a common pest that can damage garlic crops by feeding on their leaves?
Explanation: Onion thrips are common pests in garlic, sucking sap from leaves and reducing yield. Potato beetles primarily target potatoes, cabbage loopers attack brassicas, and grape phylloxera are pests of grapevines.
What is a reliable visual sign that garlic bulbs are ready to be harvested from the garden?
Explanation: Yellowing and drying of lower leaves is a key indicator of garlic maturity. Red stems are not typical, bulbs splitting usually means over-maturity, and flowering is uncommon as most gardeners remove flower stalks (scapes) to promote bulb growth.