Kitchen Garden Forum

Today I have been given some wild garlic seeds. Searched back on the forum & found some lovely recipes, so that's encouraging but nil about growing from seed.

Any advice appreciated - know it can be invasive so is it best in pots, when best to sow, when will I get a harvest - etc etc!

Westi

Shame nobody's come up with an answer. It likes damp shady woodland, round here it often shares its habitat with bluebells. I can't really see it being too happy in a pot. I've no idea how long it would take to do anything, maybe like a lot of bulbous things it would spend a couple of years rather grasslike with a single leaf.

To be honest if you grow culinary garlic I wouldn't bother with Ramsons. They are very invasive and are best left on the verges and in woodlands. I know the trendy chefs pop out and gather some but they are not a crop for gardens. We have areas of steep banks here on the island that are smothered with them and you can smell them before you can see them... and it's not particularly pleasant.

Sorry to be a wet blanket but I think you'll grow them for two or three years and harvest disappointment.

MW

I'm with MW: I wouldn't grow it, either. There's plenty in our highways and byways to forage, easy to sniff out — a nice way to spend a country spring walk. It's a disastrous garden plant, seeding everywhere. I don't think it's particularly good eating, either, but that's only my opinion.

Thanks Everyone! I have no damp shady woodland either home or lottie & with it's bad reputation will leave alone in the ground! Might do an experiment in a pot though just for fun then can cut off the seed heads - kidding myself really as it won't make it until that point as it won't get watered enough!

Never tasted it as haven't got any sites near here where it grows wild & what I have seen in the shops always looks past it's sell by date.

Westi

We let it roam wild at the bottom of our orchard, at the edge of our brook and in the margins. It is a pungent but gorgeous smell and I wouldn't say it was in anyway undesirable.

As for taste - it's like garlicky spring onions with garlic chives as an extra.

Oh Tigger - that sounds a lovely mix of onion flavours - love all alliums! Will try it in pots - & see what happens as I don't have a shady, damp spot but do have a shady spot & a big pot in a tray of water may well work! Anyway seeds were free - nothing to loose.

Westi