Few of the truly shade-tolerant vegetables are as productive, versatile and useful as wild garlic (Allium ursinum). You can usually smell it before you see it and it tells you that spring is either already here or on the way. The plant is easy to grow from seeds or bulbs. The ideal planting time is from October to mid-March, so there is still plenty of time to grow it. Below you will find out how to plant wild garlic and what care it needs!
Wild garlic is a wild plant that can be found in the forests in early spring. If you have wild garlicgrow in your gardenthe forest is the right place to collect the best seeds. Growing wild garlic from seeds is a relatively simple and inexpensive method of obtaining plants. The plant's seeds are round and black, while the bulbs are small and elongated. It is best to sow the seeds directly in the garden in autumn. In spring you can transplant them when the plants are already established and have reached the desired number.
Seeds or bulbs?
Wild garlic bulbs are available in garden centers. Plant them at a depth of 3 to 4 times their size, about 10cm apart. After a few years in the ground, the bulbs will spread out and form large clumps. After flowering, divide them and replant them to have even more wild garlic in the garden.
A cheaper but longer method is to grow wild garlic from seeds. It can take up to four years after sowing before the plants are strong enough for their first harvest. The seeds must be sown fresh. They will only germinate if sown within four to six months of the seed maturing.
So if you want to collect your own seeds, you should use them quickly. Sow the seeds in moist and fertile soil, in shade or partial shade. After sowing, the seeds are covered with soil and overwintered. In spring, when the first snow has melted and the frost has disappeared, wild garlic sprouts again.
Suitable growing conditions
Although wild garlic is mostly harvested in the wild, it is increasingly being sown in the garden. It likes moist and shady locations or forest-like conditions.The plant is suitablebest for humus-rich and moist soils and grows well in shady gardens near rivers, streams and deciduous forests. It loves nutrient-rich, moist and well-drained soil.
Care of plantings
The cultivation of wild garlic is usually organic and therefore does not require the use of fertilizers. It is a seasonal production of wild garlic, as it is only available for a few months of the year, and is therefore comparable to the cultivation of asparagus. Just remember to water it regularly during dry periods.
Also read:Wild garlic or lily of the valley: How to tell the difference
Propagation of wild garlic
If you have wild garlicplant in your own garden, remember to propagate it. The plant can be propagated in various ways. It is planted out in spring. You wait until the seeds are ripe, collect them and sow them. However, it must be stratified before sowing. In this case, it will take longer to reach a height suitable for picking.
Flowering time and harvest
The flowering time of wild garlic depends on the respective region: in the lowlands it blooms from the end of March to May, in the mountain regions until June. When the seeds are ripe, the upper part of the plant dries out very quickly.The onions willharvested in the summer and fall months before they ripen and then stored in a cool place for a few days.
Proper storage
Freezing and drying wild garlic is not recommended as this will cause it to lose its many medicinal properties and its taste and aroma can quickly evaporate. If you dry it, it will no longer taste like the wild garlic you harvested. Therefore, eat it immediately after picking. You can also marinate it in oil or flavor it with salt. Unopened flowers and bulbs can be acidic. Like classic onions, wild garlic onions can be stored in a dry and cool place for six months.
