Why Did The Wild Garlic Not Sprout?

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Some gardeners are amazed: how can it be - in the forest, without leaving wild garlic grows and grows in a thick green carpet, and in the caring hands of the farmer, the seeds seem to lose their strength and do not show sprouts. But wild garlic has its own little secrets, having learned which summer residents will no longer have any difficulties with growing this interesting plant

How to recognize wild garlic?

Wild garlic has many other common names. It is called wild garlic, bear onion. Until the flowers appear, the plants are very similar to lilies of the valley and it is not surprising to confuse them. Moreover, they choose similar areas for growth - shady meadows, lace penumbra near tall trees. But the shape of the flower immediately gives out a bear bow - it is a hemispherical tuft umbrella.

You can also distinguish wild garlic from lily of the valley by smell, if you pick a leaf and knead it in your hands. The flavor of edible wild garlic is very similar to onion and garlic. However, in many countries it is possible to get a fine for such experiments, because collecting wild garlic leaves in the forests is prohibited. Therefore, if you like to feast on its juicy stems, grow in your backyards. Another distinctive feature is that each leaf of wild garlic, unlike lily of the valley, has its own stalk.

Conditions for the growth of wild garlic

Ramson, like many other onions, reproduces in natural conditions by self-seeding. And one of the important conditions that is observed in this case is the freshness of the seed. If the prepackaged seeds you purchased have been lying for a couple of years, they lose good germination. The appearance of the seeds can also tell a lot about the quality of the seeds. They should not be wrinkled. To restore strength to such a seed, it must be soaked.

Another subtlety that is observed in the natural habitat, but sometimes forgotten by gardeners, is the stratification of seeds. Having fallen from the flower arrow and falling into the soil, the seeds overwinter in the soil, being exposed to temperature fluctuations. To achieve seedling emergence, the gardener also needs to carry out artificial stratification. If this is not done, wild garlic may surprise the owners of summer cottages in a year, appearing on the site of last year's sowing, along with other crops placed here this season.

Seed stratification

Seeds for stratification are set after soaking the seeds. If the soaking is successful, the seed should feel smoother to the touch. The period of stratification of wild garlic seeds is approximately three months. This is best done under snow. It is good even when the seed is frozen at the same time. To do this, in the winter months, seeds are sown in bowls and buried in the street under the snow.

Sowing is done in a soil mixture with a loose structure. The surface of the ground must be leveled and slightly compacted. Then the seeds are spread over the surface. Also crops for stratification are made in rolls of non-woven material (in a snail) and left in the cold.

Re-sowing seeds

In the spring, the container with crops is returned to room conditions and the soil is kept moist. If the seeds have not sprouted, do not be very upset. This procedure is repeated with the same seeds the next year. You can also sow before winter in order to harvest a vitamin crop in early spring.

Eating

Harvesting is advised when the weather is cool and humid. In hot weather, the taste becomes worse.

There is a wide variety of recipes using wild garlic. It goes well with other products in salads and soups. It is also fermented, salted, used as a side dish for meat and fish. It can be a great filling for pies.