Garlic in Early Spring
WALKING down the garlic fields to review the growth, condition of soil i.e. when we can start working on the farm. Also to determine about fertilizing garlic plants.
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TEST soil before fertilizing your farm.
At Food 4 Life, we apply organic foliar fertilizer spray on the garlic plants.
Harvesting Garlic
USING an under-cutter to harvest garlic. A shovel is not efficient if you have 3.5-acres of garlic to harvest.
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THE under-cutter cuts the roots about 6 to 8 inches below the garlic bulb. The roots of garlic plant can grow to 24 to 30 inches long, which is very hard to pull out with no undercutting.
#1 Mistake of New Gardeners
Soil Series
SIFTING SOIL is very important. It removes large twigs, stones and breaks up large lumps of the soil. If you are using soil blocks, sifting will remove anything that can plug up the blocks. Space in small plug trays will not be filled with this debris.
DIY soil sifter is very easy to build at home.
How To Prevent Pests in Seedlings
Soil Series
THIS SOIL BLOCK RECIPE is what I use to make my soil blocks. These works for different sizes of soil blocks.
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THE BOILING WATER kills the larvae that are in the soil. Since I started adding boiling water into my soil mix, I no longer have any thrips, whiteflies and etc., that would be nibbling or sucking up the sap of my seedlings.
SEEDLINGS are no longer dying off from pest stress.
How To Seed Tiny Seeds
Soil Series
SEEDING TINY SEEDS is not difficult. You do not need any fancy contraption to seed perfectly or easily. Just a pot label marker is all you need, and of course, the soil mix in blocks or tray plugs.
Moisten the tip of the label marker in water to make it adhesive for the tiny seeds. Pick up 1 to 2 seeds at a time. Remember to push the seed gently into the soil mix to ensure good contact.
How To Prevent Pests in Seedlings
Soil Series
THIS SOIL BLOCK RECIPE is what I use to make my soil blocks. These works for different sizes of soil blocks.
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THE BOILING WATER kills the larvae that are in the soil. Since I started adding boiling water into my soil mix, I no longer have any thrips, whiteflies and etc., that would be nibbling or sucking up the sap of my seedlings.
SEEDLINGS are no longer dying off from pest stress.
When & How to Transplant Seedlings
Soil Series
TRANSPLANTING seedlings in soil blocks?
The hint is to transplant them to a bigger soil block or pot when the first 2 true leaves are just sprouting. Depending on the type of seeds, the initial sprouting process may take 6 to 10 days.
At the initial 2 true leaf stage, the roots are not too long and will not be severely disturbed during the transplanting process.
TIP: Remember to make sure the 1/2" soil blocks have been watered before transplanting them. This will help the roots to seek moisture downwards in the larger block or pot.
Moisten the tip of the label marker in water to make it adhesive for the tiny seeds. Pick up 1 to 2 seeds at a time. Remember to push the seed gently into the soil mix to ensure good contact.
Garlic Scaping Quickly
GARLIC SCAPING QUICKLY & EFFICIENTLY is very easy. When you are not saving the scapes for cooking, you can use the double handed method of scaping. I call this the "POP & DROP" method. You just snap off the scape, and drop it on the ground.
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If you want to keep the bulbils, then you leave the scape to continue to grow and flower.
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How to Water Soil Blocks Easily
Soil Series
WATERING seedlings in soil blocks is very easy.
Use another 11x19 solid bottom tray (no holes) fill it with water to about 1" depth.
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Then immerse the tray with the soil block seedlings into the tray of water.
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It takes about 2 to 5 minutes for the soil blocks to absorb water depending on the size of the soil blocks and how dry they are.
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TIP: Use a spray bottle to wet the top of the soil blocks to speed up the water absorption process.
How to Crack Garlic Efficiently.
CRACKING GARLIC HAS NOT BEEN EASIER, we show how we crack garlic for planting when it's thousands of pounds being hand-craked.
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This method also applies to cracking garlic for cooking.
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How to Prepare Raise Beds for Planting
NO-TILL METHOD. This method of preparing the raised beds ensures that the soil's microbes are not overly disturbed. It makes sure that the microbes are still healthy and alive.
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This method also applies to any type of beds as well.
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How to Plant Garlic in Raised Beds
NO-TILL METHOD. Planting garlic in raised beds, showing the distance of planting garlic within a row and the distance of each row.
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Plus, it also shows how much to fertilize the garlic before planting.
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Soil Blockers for Seedlings
Soil Series
THIS SOIL BLOCK RECIPE is what I use to make my soil blocks. These works for different sizes of soil blocks.
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THE BOILING WATER kills the larvae that are in the soil. Since I started adding boiling water into my soil mix, I no longer have any thrips, whiteflies and etc., that would be nibbling or sucking up the sap of my seedlings.
SEEDLINGS are no longer dying off from pest stress.
How to Choose Garlic Clove for Planting
CHOOSING THE RIGHT GARLIC CLOVE is critical in growing large garlic bulbs. Not all large bulbs have large cloves, sometimes they have smaller cloves. So choose large cloves over large bulbs.
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Large cloves = Large bulbs
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How & Why It is Important To Remove Garlic Scape.
REMOVING GARLIC SCAPE IS CRITICAL. This video clarifies why it is important to remove garlic scapes.
Timing of removal is also important. Removing the scape too soon the garlic bulb will not store properly. Removing too late the garlic bulb will be 30% smaller.
Canada Thistle - When To Remove It?
Part #1
CANADA THISTLE, THE BANE OF FARMERS and gardeners. It is also a beneficial plant as well. It attracts aphids, hence a trap plant. and provides food for Lady Bug and other beneficial predator insects.
The trick is when to remove the Canada Thistle.
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Canada Thistle - When To Remove It?
Part #2
CANADA THISTLE, THE BANE OF FARMERS and gardeners. Removing it at the right time, will cut down the constant weeding of it all summer.
The trick is when to remove the Canada Thistle.
Building Planter Using Hugelkultur Method
HOW TO BUILD A CONTAINER PLANTER that grows successfully every time takes a little patience.
The trick is to build it using the Hugelkultur method and soak each layer thoroughly with the NURTURE GROWTH Bio-Fertiliser mix.
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