Why do some tie Garlic on a knot? I tell you how to do it correctly

Once I looked into the neighbor's garden, I was surprised - why is her garlic tied in knots? A popular sign for the harvest? She shared with me a secret and it turned out that such an action has a scientific basis and now I myself do it all the time!

The fact is that garlic, by its nature, spends a lot of energy on growing tops, doing this even during a period when heads are already forming underground. That is, nutrients go to greens, and the underground part ripens more slowly.

Tying the tops of the garlic makes a difference - the nutrients are sent mostly down, and the leaves are in this form dry out faster, as a result - large, juicy heads of garlic with dense protection of scales ripen, capable of a good long stored.

The question may arise - is it not easier at all to cut off garlic tops in general, instead of knitting something? Not easier! Because such a gross damage to the aerial part "shocks" the plant and it will try to survive, not form a crop.

Tie the garlic on a knot 4-5 days before the expected harvest, and the proximity of the vegetable's readiness for this, guided by my own experience, I advise you to determine by the fact that the shoots slightly slope down, the ends of the feather turn yellow.

You need to work with gloves - the foliage of garlic by the time of harvest loses the tenderness of spring greenery, it becomes such that you can easily cut yourself.

Complete cutting of the tops harms the plant, but if the weather is expected to be dry and clear for the next few days, it is better to make an oblique cut 3 cm from the tip of the feather.

This will be a small stress for the plant, contributing to a faster wilting of the aerial part. To prevent infection of the garlic through the slices, I must sprinkle them with wood ash.

If the tops have grown by 20-30 cm, then one knot is enough, if it is about 40 long, two are better. This is not difficult, the main thing is to grab the leaves, twist them together, and then tie them - so the knots will definitely not loosen.

I do not recommend watering the garlic after this procedure - this will negatively affect its keeping quality. He will definitely be ready for harvesting when the tops turn yellow and begin to lie down, and the onion dug out for a sample will have a strong husk and dense, non-decaying teeth.

And finally, I want to give some advice - garlic should be harvested in dry, but not sunny weather and before storing it should be dried in a well-ventilated area.