Wild garlic is a popular wild vegetable because of its essential oils, which smell like garlic cloves. In Germany its distribution extends across the central and southern regions. Many gardeners like to plant the plant in the garden.
What does wild garlic root look like and how is it used?
The root of wild garlic consists of an elongated, slender main bulb and rare secondary bulbs. The bulbs can be dug up in spring after the leaves have withered and used in the kitchen in a similar way to garlic cloves or as a substitute for capers.
Growth
Wild garlic develops elongated bulbs that are two to six centimeters long and slim. These form from the base of the two leaves. A whitish to yellowish skin protects the rhizome in the initial phase. With age, the membranous coat reduces to just a few bristles. The herbaceous spice plant develops a main root and only rarely secondary bulbs.
Spread
The leek plant reproduces primarily through seeds that are spread by water or by mammals. This factor explains the clumpy and patchy appearance of the perennial. It rarely develops underground runners with daughter bulbs. Therefore, vegetative spread does not play a major role.
The typical picture of a vegetation community with wild garlic is nevertheless characterized by a mass population of the plant. The reason for dense carpets of wild garlic leaves is the high seed production. A stand of wild garlic with an area of one square meter produces 9,000 seeds per year.
Usage
The leaves turn yellow two to three months after sprouting when the upper soil layers warm up significantly. They draw their energy from the leaves and store it in the bulbs. This process is important so that the plants will sprout again next spring. After the leaves have completely withered, you can dig up the rhizomes and use them in the kitchen like garlic cloves or as a caper substitute.
Wild garlic in the garden
Fresh tubers are planted promptly in the garden due to the high risk of drying out. The planting time extends from spring to autumn. To ensure that the perennial grows he althily, it makes sense to improve the soil with compost. Wild garlic prefers fresh to moist conditions.
Plant correctly
Wild garlic is available in pots in spring. After the planting date, there should be no more frosts as they damage the foliage. Wait until the Ice Saints in mid-May to plant. Meanwhile, you can accustom the potted plant to the outdoor climate during the day.
How to plant wild garlic bulbs:
- point up
- about ten centimeters deep
- with a distance of 15 centimeters
Are root barriers useful?
Since wild garlic spreads uncontrollably, you must contain the population if necessary. The frequently recommended barriers in the substrate (€36.00 on Amazon) have no effect because the plants mainly spread via seeds. In favorable locations, the leek plant can appear carpet-like.
Propagate by division
If the crop grows too densely, dig up the bulbs after planting. Thin out the clumps by deadheading and digging up the plants. These can be easily divided by hand and either planted elsewhere or used in the kitchen.
