Ornamental garlic are close relatives of chives, onions and leek. Perfectly spherical inflorescences of most garlic species fit perfectly with many bedding plants, giving contrasting combinations, e.g. withtritome ,pustynnik ,delphiniumordecorative grasses
Garlic is found in the Northern Hemisphere and has about 300 species. They belong to the lily family.Among them there are short (about 20 cm) and very tall plants, reaching 1.5 m.The latter is the most popular Allium giant garlic from Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asia giganteum.In June, dark purple inflorescences 20-30 cm in diameter appear on long shoots.
Decorative leaves are sensitive to gray mold. It should be planted in secluded places, and for the winter cover the onion with bark. Aflatunense garlic A. aflatunense grows to a height of about 80-100 cm and at the beginning of flowering its flowers are lilac, then turn purple.
A bit shorter than it, growing wild in Turkey and Iran, is the whitish A. christophii garlic, with gray-green leaves and inflorescences mounted on shoots, 40-60 cm high. It blooms from late June to late July. Earlier, in May, A. karataviense caratawan garlic blooms.Its inflorescences are mounted on thick shoots reaching a length of 30 cm. Initially, they are silvery-white, with time they turn pink.
The fruit stands are purple-red, which in combination with gray-green, wide leaves makes the species decorate the garden throughout the season. It is recommended for rock gardens and for discounts.
Golden garlic, A. moly, from southern Europe, belongs to the lowest plants of this genus. Its inflorescence takes the shape of a flat umbel and appears at the end of May.It blooms for about 30 days. It is one of the few species that can tolerate a semi-shaded position.It also includesgarlicbearA. ursinum, a plant with a strong, a characteristic smell that occurs in our forests.
Growing and caring for garlic
Most garlic prefer a sunny place with a fertile, permeable and calcium-rich substrate. They can stay in one place for several years, so the soil should be weeded and fertilized with compost before planting them.In early spring, just before flowering, it is worth supplementing the plants with compound fertilizer.Water them during summer droughts. When the garlic becomes too dense, it needs to be burst. This usually happens after 4-5 years of cultivation.
In summer, in July or August, as soon as the leaves turn yellow, dig out the bulbs. You cannot wait for the leaves to dry completely as they would then be difficult to find. After digging up, place the onions in a place that is sheltered from rain, in a shady and airy place.
In late September and early October we plant again. The depth of the holes depends on the size of the bulbs and should be equal to twice their height. When planting, flat adventitious bulbs can be separated.They become round after 2-3 years and then they can bloom.If we want to obtain a large number of posterior specimens, we can try to propagate them from seeds sown in the autumn for the inspection or on the seedbed. The seedlings emerge in early spring.
During the season they have to be watered and twice, in April and June, with compound fertilizer. When the plants start to dry up, dig out the young onions and store them in a box covered with sawdust until the fall.
