Allium ursinum

Description

European wild garlic is a perennial herb, all plant is edible and uses. Preferring cool moist soils under deciduous trees ramsons may form large colonies in ideal sites. A useful plant for naturalizing in woods and shady spots.

Leaves are best harvested before flowering but once in bloom the flower stalks are also used.

Sowing: directly where they are to flower at any time of year or sow indoors, then overwinter seedlings in the greenhouse and plant out the following spring. To sow directly plant seeds 20mm deep, winter cold will naturally stratify the seeds with seedlings emerging the following spring. To sow indoors surface sow onto moist well-drained seed compost, just cover with soil. Ideal temp. 18-22°C for 2-4 weeks. Then cold stratify -4°C-+4°C for 4-6 weeks then return to warmth 5-12°C where the seeds should germinate. Germination can be slow and erratic taking 18 days-12 months. Repeat the warm/ cold cycle if germination does not occur. Transplant seedlings when large enough to handle to 8cm pots and grow on. Acclimatize for 10-15 days before planting out.