The wild garlic (Allium ursinum) often forms dense stands in partially shaded forest clearings, which are easiest to recognize by the white wild garlic flowers. There are different procedures for establishing and propagating in your own garden.
How can you propagate wild garlic in the garden?
To propagate wild garlic successfully, choose a shady to semi-shady location and propagate it either with fresh onions from specialist stores or wild sources or by sowing fresh seeds. Promote natural reproduction by protecting the plants in the first two years.
Special features when propagating wild garlic
So that wild garlic can multiply and spread well after planting, choosing a suitable location is very important. A shady to semi-shady place under deciduous trees and bushes is optimal for wild garlic, as such a location comes closest to the conditions where wild garlic is naturally found in the forest. In principle, wild garlic can be propagated by dividing and transplanting the bulbs or by sowing the seeds. The rule that applies to both types of propagation is that seeds and bulbs must be planted in the ground as freshly as possible at the planned location. You should also protect the plant in the first two years so that you can harvest larger quantities later from a naturally multiplying population.
Propagate wild garlic over onions
Since wild garlic collected in the forest always poses a certain risk of infection with the fox tapeworm or being confused 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 from a wild site in the forest. To do this, you will need a digging fork (€139.00 on Amazon) or a spade, as the wild garlic bulbs sit in the ground at a depth of up to 15 centimeters and cannot simply be pulled out of the ground with the leaves. Purchased and wildly dug onions cannot be stored either and must be kept moist for transport from August to autumn and then, if possible, buried again on the spot.
Sowing wild garlic yourself
Fresh wild garlic seeds usually only remain germinable for around 4 to 6 months. It can either be purchased from specialist retailers or collected with the wilted wild garlic inflorescences. When sowing, consider the following factors:
- Wild garlic is sown as a cold germinator in summer and autumn
- The seeds can sometimes take up to two years to germinate
- Direct sowing is better than growing in pots due to uniform soil moisture
Tips & Tricks
When sowing or planting wild garlic bulbs, make sure that they are planted over a wide area, as the stock will later become denser due to self-propagation.
