How to Cultivate Garlic at the Beginning of September, Know the Method and Precautions

Generally, garlic is sown in the month of October because it is a winter (Rabi) crop. However, there are some experimental farmers who sow it at the beginning of September, i.e., at the end of the monsoon. The reason is the desire to earn more profit, but sowing garlic at this time is risky because there is a chance of seed rotting, fungal attack, and waterlogging. If you are ready to take this risk, then we will tell you how to sow it and what precautions to take...

1. Soil and Climate

• Sandy loam or loam soil with pH 6–7 is suitable.
• The field should have very good drainage.
• Do not plant in heavy rainfall or swampy land.

2. Field Preparation

• Since in August continuous rainfall leads to waterlogging in the fields, make raised beds.
• Keep drains between rows so that water can drain out quickly.
• Apply 20–25 tons of well-decomposed farmyard manure or compost per hectare.
• Along with this, apply neem cake (200–250 kg/hectare) for better results.

3. Seed (Cloves) Preparation

• Select healthy, big, and disease-free cloves for seed.
• Seed rate: 500–600 kg cloves/hectare.
• Treat seeds with Carbendazim (2 g/kg) or Trichoderma (4–5 g/kg) before sowing.
• Seed treatment is very important in monsoon, otherwise fungus may occur.

4. Time and Method of Sowing

• If the field is ready, sow garlic at the beginning of September (i.e., when rainfall slows down).
• Sowing depth: 3–4 cm.
• Spacing: (a) Plant to plant: 10–12 cm (b) Row to row: 20–25 cm.
• While sowing, keep the pointed part of the clove upward.

5. Fertilizer and Manure (per hectare)

• Nitrogen (N): 100 kg
• Phosphorus (P₂O₅): 50 kg
• Potash (K₂O): 50 kg

Method:

• At the time of sowing, apply the full dose of phosphorus + potash + half nitrogen.
• Apply the remaining nitrogen as top dressing after 30 and 60 days.

6. Irrigation and Moisture Management

• Do not irrigate during rains, only focus on drainage.
• Water stagnation causes root rot and fungal attack.
• After the rains stop, irrigate lightly at an interval of 12–15 days.

7. Pest and Disease Management

• Root rot and fungus: Seed treatment + Trichoderma + Neem cake.
• Leaf blight: Spray Mancozeb/Carbendazim 0.2%.
• Thrips and aphids: Spray neem oil (5 ml/liter) or Imidacloprid.

8. Harvesting or Digging

• Green garlic: Green garlic will be ready in 2 to 2.5 months. During this time, market rates remain high. If possible, sell the entire crop as green garlic; it will become a highly profitable short-duration crop.
• Mature garlic: The remaining garlic crop will be ready in 5 months. Harvest when leaves turn yellow and bend down.
• Cure the bulbs in shade for 7–10 days before storage. For higher profits, process it into powder/paste and sell.