Seeds - Wild Garlic
It is said that bears would first eat pungent wild garlic after their long winter hibernation to regain their strength. This is not surprising, as wild garlic contains a wealth of vitamin C, iron, sulfur, magnesium, and essential oils, among other nutrients. In addition to its healthy properties, wild garlic—also known as "bear's garlic"—captivates primarily with its sophisticated flavor, which transforms even the simplest dishes into a fine gourmet experience. Long forgotten, this local herb has been making a major comeback in upscale cuisine for several years now.
Properties
| Plant Information | |
|---|---|
| March to May | |
| Low feeder | |
| Allium ursinum | |
| 20 - 50 cm | |
| Perennial | |
| Green, white flowers | |
| Ideal substitute for garlic, with a scent that dissipates after a short time. Especially delicious in salads and soups. | |
Planting instructions on the envelope
Wild garlic is a cold-germinator and should be sown no earlier than autumn and no later than February, as the seeds require temperatures of at least 1-5°C to germinate. Ideal cultivation is in trays with nutrient-poor seed compost. This should be kept consistently moist (not wet) and placed in a protected, shady spot outdoors. After germination in the spring, it should be thinned out into pots or directly into the garden. During the growing season (Feb–May), it likes to be slightly moist, while it should be watered very sparingly for the rest of the year. Further information on handling and using wild garlic can be found on our website.
Detailed Planting Instructions: Wild Garlic
Garlic has been considered delicious and healthy for many hundreds of years, if not since antiquity—though this claim might be a bit exaggerated, as there are people who simply do not care for its taste. Many find it too strong. Perhaps these foodies should try wild garlic! While its aroma is somewhat similar, the flavor is a bit fresher than that of conventional garlic. If you do not use wild garlic immediately after harvesting, the garlic note continues to fade, replaced by the rich amount of chlorophyll present in the herb. Those who are already fond of garlic, however, will likely find plenty to enjoy in wild garlic as well. For them, it is time to get this "forest garlic" into the home garden!
What makes wild garlic so special
Wild garlic (more on this below) is a hardy plant that is forgiving to the grower—even if you don't unconditionally fulfill all its planting requirements. The leaves give off a delicious scent. In case you want to try wild garlic (which also grows in the wild) and go looking for it in the forest in spring, be warned: not only are the leaves of the autumn crocus—which develop in the spring—poisonous and very similar to those of wild garlic, but the leaves of lily of the valley are also toxic and are often mistaken for wild garlic. The amounts of poison in these plants are considerable and have already cost some people their lives.
Moving on to more pleasant matters, namely the versatile ways you can use wild garlic. As a vegetable in its own right, it makes a complete side dish, but we more commonly use it in the kitchen to make dips, pesto, or herb butter. Wild garlic also tastes good in a spring curd, where you can even use it as a substitute for chives. If you enjoy the taste, you are well-advised to use fresh wild garlic by chopping it finely and mixing it into pesto, salads, or butter. When heated, wild garlic releases a good portion of its flavor.
What you need to know about planting
Humus-rich soil that is well-drained, a location that is at most half-sun, and preferably moist soil—that is what makes wild garlic happy. Other types of alliums often struggle with moisture, but wild garlic is tough in that regard. If there is significantly more shade than sun, that is just fine for it. Oh, and the season is not insignificant either. It doesn't hurt to sow wild garlic in winter; it is a cold-germinator and doesn't even mind frost during the germination phase.
Sow the seeds about five centimeters deep into the soil and cover them with a layer of humus. If there are many birds in your area, cover the sown area with brushwood, otherwise some bird species will soon dig the seeds back up. A planting distance of 15 centimeters in all directions is sufficient. As spring approaches, the wild garlic in the ground begins to stir. The seeds start to germinate and leaves and bulbs quickly form. These help the perennial and persistent wild garlic survive both cold winters and dry summers.
Caring for and harvesting wild garlic
Nevertheless, wild garlic does want to be watered occasionally. Sure, in the wild, the plant has to take what it gets. But particularly in southern Germany, where wild garlic is more common than in the north, summer rainfall is often regular enough for the plant to survive outside the garden. During longer dry spells at home, you can, of course, provide some help. Make sure the soil stays halfway moist at all times. That is all you need to consider. In winter, you can safely leave wild garlic to its own devices.
Wild garlic can be harvested all year round. To ensure you always have fresh "forest garlic," you should, of course, only pick as much as you actually need at the time of harvesting. The next day, you can harvest fresh again. By the way, it is a myth that wild garlic becomes poisonous or tastes bad after its flowering period in April and May. What happens after flowering is that the leaves become slightly more fibrous than before and lose a little bit of their flavor.
