GARLIC PRODUCTION GUIDE

It grows best in areas of mild climate. In the early stages of its growth, it requires a cooler environment. During maturation, a dry weather with moderate high temperature is required.

Garlic can also be grown from sea level or above. It can grow in all types of soil but they prefer a sandy loam, silty loam and clay loam. Consider to have a fertile soil, rich in organic matter. It should be a well-drained place. It is a necessity to maintain a good soil moisture supply during its growth and development.

A hectare area need 1,000 kg. of garlic seedpieces. The land should be properly and thoroughly tilled. It should be well-prepared 6 weeks before planting. Plow the field 3 to 4 times at 7 days interval. The purpose is to improve soil texture. You have to apply animal manure before the bed preparation. Mulch it with 3-5 cm layer of rice straw after planting to conserve moisture and control weeds.

Cut straw and weeds close to the ground after the rice is harvested. The soil should be dry in a desired moisture level. You can construct small canals around the rice paddies to ensure that no standing water will stay in the paddy after an irrigation is made due to heavy rain.

A one hectare area need 7 bags of complete fertilizer (14-14-14), 2 bags of urea (46-0-0), 2 bags of superphosphate (0-18-0) and a bag of muriate of potash (0-0-60). Apply superphosphate and complete fertilizer as basal fertilizer prior to planting. Another combination of urea and muriate of potash 30 days and 70 days after planting.

Irrigate lightly but frequent to provide continuous presence of uniform moisture supply throughout its growing period. Regulate watering during bulb formation to have a proper ripening. When the tops begin to fall over, then stop the irrigation to avoid rotting, reduced quality and watery bulbs.

Select only a healthy planting materials. Control humidity in the field with lower planting density and proper irrigation. Control foliar disease by spraying the proper control measures. Remove all infected leaves. Harvest only mature bulbs. Cure it properly. Maintain good ventilation and air circulation during the curing, packing and storage.

To prevent army worm, used overhead irrigation by spraying water and soap solution. Remove infected leaves. An extract from pepper can be use to spray the plant. The use of ash around the plant can control this pests infestation. Further, you have to manage weeding properly to have sufficient presence of natural enemies against insect pests.

Harvest when it is already 80% of the leaves to turn yellow while started to fold over. The bulbs should be pulled properly from the soil 100 days after planting.

Harvested bulb are to be cured 14 days under dry shade. Proper drying method is needed to reduce the presence of diseases during the storage. This is also to have a good skin color.

After the curing, cut leaves 12 cm from the top of the bulb. You can select a good bulb according to its size and quality of the bulb in a well-ventilated area to keept it dry.