Garlic leaves turn yellow in spring: what to do

Garlic is a favorite seasoning and a "first aid" for colds, which is why it's so widely grown in gardens. However, garlic can also become ill itself, in which case it requires assistance. Why do garlic leaves turn yellow? What to do in spring? First, it's important to note that yellowed garlic leaves aren't just a visual defect, but also the first sign that something is wrong with the plant.

Causes of yellowing

If the garlic leaves turn yellow in the spring, it's because of poor agricultural practices, which is why the garlic simply stops growing and its cloves begin to rot.

The main reasons for the phenomenon of yellowing leaves in spring include:

• Excess or lack of moisture;
• Low levels of nutrients needed for proper growth;
• Incorrectly selected soil;
• The harmful effects of low temperatures in winter;
• Diseases and pests.

Diseases and pests are another formidable enemy of garlic. Among the most common are:

Downy mildew

The disease can be recognized by signs such as the appearance of pale green spots on the leaves without a clear shape, which then turn into a gray coating, which leads to yellowing of the leaves and the death of the plant.

This is a fungal disease that results from improper temperature control during garlic cultivation. Mold forms on the outer layers of the scales and then penetrates the bulb, softening it.

Fusarium

This is also a fungal disease caused by excess moisture. In this case, the disease manifests itself during the plant's maturation period, with the garlic foliage quickly turning yellow and dying.

Onion fly

The pest primarily begins to affect garlic leaves, so before planting this crop, they should be disinfected in water at a temperature of 40 degrees Celsius for two hours.

How to "help" garlic

Having established the reason why garlic leaves are turning yellow, we can move on to the question of what to do in such a situation (video). It is possible to save the garlic harvest if the following steps are carried out in a timely manner:

• Apply complex fertilizer;
• Add potassium sulfate to the soil;
• Garlic beds should be watered with a solution of table salt, or a weak solution of potassium permanganate should be used for these purposes;
• If the soil is very humid, it needs to be loosened.

It's important to remember that you first need to figure out why your garlic leaves are turning yellow before deciding what to do. The gardening steps outlined above can be a good preventative measure.

Other ways to deal with yellowing leaves

Yellowing foliage is often caused by fungal diseases and rot. In this case, you can use a folk remedy: soak garlic seedlings in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 20 minutes before planting, or replace the potassium permanganate with a special preparation called Fitosporin Maxim.

Important! Also, in this case, it is necessary to check whether the manure used to fertilize the soil is the source of rot and disease.

However, warming up before planting will help combat downy mildew, which, as a reminder, appears as fuzzy pale green spots.

Since garlic prefers neutral soil, you can prevent foliage yellowing by adding ash to the soil or by liming the soil to reduce acidity. If the soil lacks nitrogen, you can solve the problem with urea or specialized nitrogen fertilizers.

Another reason why garlic leaves turn yellow, and what to do about it, is due to improper planting timing. To avoid yellow leaves in the spring, plant garlic between mid-September and early October. If you follow these timings and plant garlic correctly, the sprouts won't have emerged by winter, and the planting material will easily and safely survive the winter in the ground.

If onion flies have attacked your garlic (yes, even despite the plant's pungent odor, they still happily eat it), another folk remedy will help. Sprinkle the garlic beds with a mixture of tobacco dust and wood ash. You can also plant carrots near the garlic; the combined scents of these vegetables will repel the pest. How to feed garlicso that it grows better.

Knowing why garlic leaves turn yellow in spring and what to do in such situations can not only save your garlic crop in time but also prevent a host of other problems that can arise while growing. After all, rather than treating the plant, it's better to prevent the risk of disease and pest attacks right away. And of course, don't forget to carry out timely agricultural maintenance.

Good luck in the garden!