Wild garlic (Allium ursinum) often forms dense stands in half-shady forest clearings, which are most easily recognized by the white wild garlic blossoms. There are different procedures for settling and multiplying in your own garden.

Peculiarities in the propagation of wild garlic

So that the wild garlic can multiply and spread well after planting, the choice of a suitable location is very important. A shady to semi-shady place under deciduous trees and bushes is ideal for the wild garlic, as such a location comes closest to the conditions at the natural places where wild garlic was found in the forest. In principle, wild garlic can be propagated by dividing and transplanting the bulbs or by sowing the seeds. For both types of propagation, the rule applies that seeds and bulbs must be planted as freshly as possible in the planned location. You should also take care of the plant in the first two years of standing so that you can later harvest larger quantities from a naturally multiplying stock.

Propagating wild garlic over onions

Since wild garlic collected in the forest always poses a certain risk of infection with the fox tapeworm or confusing it with poisonous plants, you can alternatively purchase wild garlic bulbs from specialist retailers. If you have permission from the property owner. you can also dig up some wild garlic bulbs at a wild site in the forest. For this you need a digging fork or a spade, since the wild garlic bulbs are up to 15 centimeters deep in the ground and cannot simply be pulled out of the ground with the leaves. Onions that have been bought or dug up in the wild cannot be stored in the same way and must be kept moist for transport from August to autumn and then buried again on the spot as soon as possible.

Sow wild garlic yourself

Fresh wild garlic seeds usually only remain germinable for about 4 to 6 months. It can either be purchased in specialist shops or collected with the withered inflorescences of wild garlic. When sowing, consider the following factors:

  • Wild garlic is sown as a cold germ in summer and autumn
  • The seeds can sometimes take up to two years to germinate
  • Direct sowing works better than growing in pots due to the even soil moisture

tips and tricks

When sowing or planting wild garlic bulbs, make sure you plant them over a large area, as the stock will later become denser due to self-reproduction anyway.

WK

Category:

Herbs