Winter garlic for planting in Moscow: where to buy retail

Autumn and early winter are the hottest times for any summer resident or villager with a garden. It's time to harvest, store supplies in the cellar or pantry, and make preparations. Some work the soil, preparing it for winter, while others buy seeds for winter crops that can be planted now, before the cold weather sets in. After all, not all grass withers and goes dormant in winter.

5 tricks for a big harvest

Winter garlic Garlic is a popular choice for planting. It doesn't require special care and is always in demand. Any surplus can be shared with friends or sold at a nearby market. If your plot is small, it's best to buy seeds retail; sellers offer larger quantities for wholesale, and storing garlic all year round doesn't make sense. Therefore, it's best to buy a small amount.

Mid-September is the ideal time to begin planting before winter. However, it's important to plan for planting two to three weeks before the first long frost, so the garlic has time to develop its root system and establish a strong foothold.

Given the temperate climate, mid-September – or at most October – is a good time. However, sometimes the cold snap starts earlier, so you need to pay attention to the nighttime temperatures. If it's -10 or -15 degrees Celsius for the second time in a row, you can't wait any longer.

Where can I buy winter garlic for planting in Moscow, retail, so I can plant it on time? What are some good guidelines to know for an effective, cost-effective harvest?

We do not plant twice in the same chosen place.

Garlic has its own habits and likes to change its "home" frequently, so when planting for the first time, don't waste your time and plan your planting sites right away. Ideally, you should plant it a second time only after five years. That means changing the planting site five times. However, this isn't always possible, so at a minimum, rotate the planting sites every two to three years as best you can.

Also, avoid planting new onions where onions or other nightshade plants (such as tomatoes, peppers, or eggplants) were previously grown, as this can lead to fusarium wilt. Avoid planting melons where pumpkins, squash, pattypan squash, cabbage, or legumes, which are extremely favorable for garlic, were previously grown. Strawberries are also excellent neighbors.

Do not feed anything (especially manure)

Garlic prefers fertile but fairly neutral soil. Various fertilizers (especially manure) affect the overall environment. They can oxidize or oversaturate it with nitrogen compounds. Where can I buy winter garlic for planting in Moscow? What can I fertilize it with if I'm not completely sure about the soil? Peat moss is suitable, but before... winter planting of garlic Then dig over the chosen area, mixing it with the soil to about the depth of a spade. You can add no more than 20-30 g of superphosphate fertilizer or 20 g of potassium per square meter. Before planting, you can also add a small amount of ammonium nitrate – approximately 10 g per square meter.

In general, this garlic prefers light, sandy soils that aren't over-fertilized with heavy fertilizers. Plant in sunny, damp spots. If you have a low-lying plot with heavy soil, choose a higher elevation.

Make sure the soil isn't too dense, otherwise the garlic won't hold and will be pushed out and freeze. Soft soil, on the other hand, will quickly pull the garlic down, preventing the heads from growing large.

Soak before starting

Prepare a solution of regular, pink potassium permanganate and soak dried garlic cloves in it to disinfect them from various diseases. As a deterrent, experienced agronomists recommend diluting the solution with table salt (one tablespoon per liter of water) and soaking it for only three minutes. A similar solution, copper sulfate (one teaspoon per 2 liters of water), should also be soaked for no more than three minutes.

Don't push it

Remove the "mother" stem, which will free up the cloves and prevent growth from being stunted. Plant them spacing them 10-15 cm apart. Where can I buy winter garlic for planting in Moscow? Retailers are available for planting in rows, spaced 20-25 cm apart.

Don't press them too hard. Instead, dig a finger-deep hole and place the cloves, 3-4 cm from the tip of the tassel to the surface. However, if you're late planting and cold weather is approaching, plant deeper. The soil will protect you from the cold, but the harvest will be less abundant.

Mulching is a must

Water if the soil seems too dry, but only before planting. Afterward, be sure to mulch all the holes with peat moss and humus, adding sawdust. You can spread brushwood over the beds to prevent snow penetration. Remove the mulch in the spring.

Where to buy garlic

You can buy garlic for planting through classified ads or by visiting markets where gardeners sell various vegetables and preserves. You can also find companies that sell garlic and have a warehouse in Moscow.

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Most producers on classifieds sell vegetables wholesale. It's not profitable for them to sell small quantities at retail. However, you can find ads offering the current (2016) harvest at retail for around 100 rubles.

We've already discussed where to buy winter garlic for planting in Moscow at retail: visit local markets, check online ads, and research seed sales. There are also individual growers who import garlic to Moscow at their own price. These companies typically sell to retailers, but can also import larger quantities wholesale, depending on your needs.