You have to be careful planting ramsons, as it spreads like crazy and can overwhelm things, rather like mint. Best grown in a pot.
Wild Garlic
- Thread starter Ronnie
- Start date
You have to get mike to show you his little 'patch' next time you are down this way bud... Although you may struggle to spot them
al.
Mmm, ramsons and sausage....
They like damp shady woods, so find a sheltered valley with a stream in it
Now's a great time to spot them, look for white flowers poking up out of greenery. It's surprising how many small patches you see about the place, anywhere including woodlands, hedges, verges, people's gardens.
As for growing them at home rather than digging them up they are very easy to grow from fresh seed. Just gather it when ripe and sprinkle over bare soil.
As for growing them at home rather than digging them up they are very easy to grow from fresh seed. Just gather it when ripe and sprinkle over bare soil.
How true Harvestman,a border in my front garden is overun with them,and spreading to the rockery.
Tried the flowers and buds for the first time last year - real revelation
http://www.eatweeds.co.uk/wild-garlic-recipe
Just for the record...it is technically illegal to dig up any wild plant in the UK.
But as discussed below, the collective wisdom seems to be that its Ok to pick the leaves/ buds/flowers.
It is legal to gather the four Fs : fungi, foliage, flowers and fruits.
Look out for Dog's Mercury which invariably grows in amongst the wild garlic and is poisonous. Risky when cutting off foliage in clumps.
Look out for Dog's Mercury which invariably grows in amongst the wild garlic and is poisonous. Risky when cutting off foliage in clumps.
Don't forget Allium Triquetrum! Grows in all the hedgerows 'round these parts and tastes fantastic. Eat the leaves, flower heads and the triangular stem chopped up any old how
Just a heads-up that wild garlic is thriving in a woodland near you and is crying out to be picked now!
I confess I didn't take any pictures of the huge verdant beds of pungent wild garlic I found last weekend, but here's some stolen from the internet:
Tastes grate chopped up fine, warmed in melted butter and smeared on bread - grill til a wee bit toasty then serve.
Also want to try the pesto ala Fearnley-Whittingstall:
http://www.rivercottage.net/recipes/wild-garlic-pesto/
There is tons of this around at the mo, Loads at Lotherton Hall and Nostel Priory (Yorkshire!) sadly none in our permissions wood!
So that's what all that stuff was! I've just got back from a trip to the Forest of Dean. The stuff was everywhere...
I shall remember for next time
I shall remember for next time
Just stuck a few leaves in my pocket on my way home, washed them chopped them roughly and stuck them with some cheese in a sandwich Interesting point about them not making your breath smell like regular garlic does. Garlic can make your breath smell without even eating it, if you handle it the particles that cause the smell are small enough to enter through your skin, these are then excreted throught the mouth causing bad breath.
Interesting point about them not making your breath smell like regular garlic does. Garlic can make your breath smell without even eating it, if you handle it the particles that cause the smell are small enough to enter through your skin, these are then excreted throught the mouth causing bad breath.
I don`t understand it. I spent two hours wandering through my local Sulham woods last weekend looking for wild garlic. I couldn`t find a single plant, not one. I have some in my garden and use it as an edible so I know what I was looking for. There was nothing anywhere I don`t understand it. Maybe it doesn`t grow so well here in Reading in the South-East.
Does anyone else who lives in the SE have any problems in finding it?
Does anyone else who lives in the SE have any problems in finding it?
Not sure about Reading but it grows in the Chilterns although not so plentifully as I'd like in the places I go walking.
greensurfingbear
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
had my first batch this week. used the flowers and the leaves with chicken of the woods mushroom and had them in a yummy omelette with eggs from my own hens
Just found a big patch in the garden! Son and I munching the flowers as a tasty snack. Planning to cook a chicken dish with some leaves tonight. Thinking about taking some bulbs in the autumn too since I have the landowners permission ;-). I'm told the bulbs are best left this time of the year as they have exhausted themselves pushing up the plants. Better to wait until the Autumn.
That ice cube method works very well, especially when mixed with nettle tops which are also abundant this time of year, add some parma ham and you've got a great camp side pasta meal with a couple of cubes.
Word of warning to those preserving in oil, in short only do this by heating the oil and infusing with the bulb, you get a nice smokey garlic oil, and edible crunchy bulbs to boot.
The problem with just dumping them in there is that garlic is low in acid, and Perfect breeding ground for botulism, left in oil the environment becomes perfect for the bacteria to repoduce. Not good.
Also please don't pull the bulb if you can resist, they take years to reform enough to leaf again, the leaves on the other hand regrow if you cut above the stem.
Word of warning to those preserving in oil, in short only do this by heating the oil and infusing with the bulb, you get a nice smokey garlic oil, and edible crunchy bulbs to boot.
The problem with just dumping them in there is that garlic is low in acid, and Perfect breeding ground for botulism, left in oil the environment becomes perfect for the bacteria to repoduce. Not good.
Also please don't pull the bulb if you can resist, they take years to reform enough to leaf again, the leaves on the other hand regrow if you cut above the stem.
Has anyone on here tried growing the stuff from seed? I quite fancy getting a patch going in my garden.
Dave
Dave
