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Planting and caring for wild garlic in open ground will not cause difficulties, since the plant is wild and unpretentious to growing conditions. Bear onions will not grow under the scorching rays of the sun in an area with poor soil composition. If you choose the right site and plant wild garlic, in the spring the plant will delight you with fresh herbs, and your diet will be replenished with a significant amount of vitamins and microelements.
Is it possible to grow wild garlic in the garden?
In its natural environment, wild garlic grows under deciduous trees. This symbiosis dictates the biological cycle of the plant. In early spring, before the leaves form, the first sprouts of wild onions appear on the trees. The growing season of the crop is fast, for photosynthesis there is enough light entering through the bare branches.
Wild garlic produces leaves at the end of April, after 2 weeks the plant begins to bloom and form seed pods. The blossoming crown of trees creates shade and covers the wild garlic from the sun.By this time, the above-ground part of the wild onion is fully formed, the root-bulb enters a dormant state until next spring. In autumn, fallen leaves enrich the soil with mineral components and act as mulch for wild garlic; during the summer, last year's foliage retains the necessary moisture for the bulb.
The distribution area of wild garlic is Siberia, the Far East, the Caucasus, and the southern regions of Russia. The culture differs by type; in the temperate climate zone (Far East, Siberia) the Victory Onion grows, a plant up to 1 m tall with a branched root system consisting of several bulbs.
The most popular variety is the Bear Onion, which comes in several varieties. To grow wild garlic (Bear onion) in the garden, choose a variety suitable for the climatic zone:
- "Bear's Ear" – an early ripening variety, the leaves are collected 10 days after the first shoots appear. The crop is perennial, up to 0.5 m high. Tolerates open areas well.
- "Bear delicacy" - a herbaceous perennial bush 0.45 m high. Collection of leaves and bulbs in the temperate zone begins in early May, in the South, a month earlier - in April. The crop grows only in the shade, on well-moistened soil. Suitable for cultivating lowlands under spreading trees.
- "Little Bear" – perennial up to 60 cm high. The earliest and frost-resistant variety of the crop. In early spring, if the air temperature rises above zero during the day and the snow begins to melt, the first shoots appear.
Bulbs, stems and leaves of wild garlic are eaten. They are used as a seasoning for meat dishes, marinated, and made into salads. The plant is unpretentious in care, so it can be easily grown in the country house or garden.
What do wild garlic bulbs look like?
To plant wild garlic bulbs, the Bear Onion planting material must meet certain criteria:
- oval shape, slightly elongated;
- parallel fiber sheath;
- White color;
- in the upper part the petiole is thin, thickened at the base;
- diameter 1.5 cm.
The victory onion forms an onion of the same shape, but with a larger diameter (2.5 cm).
How to plant wild garlic in the country or in the garden
Wild garlic planted in a garden will adapt to any conditions, but in order to obtain succulent foliage and growth of the crop, wild garlic must be selected in a site. A shaded place where light-loving plants do not grow is suitable:
- under the canopy of trees;
- along a continuous fence;
- near the wall of the building on the north side;
- between bushes;
- in a wetland.
Experienced gardeners recommend making two beds, one in a more sunny place, the second in the shade, where the snow does not melt for a long time. The time for collecting wild garlic leaves will be doubled. The first “sunny” bed will enter the flowering stage. On the second, young wild garlic will only appear.
When to plant wild garlic in spring or autumn
You can plant wild onions on your site in the spring or before winter. It is preferable to plant wild garlic in the fall; by spring the bulbs will take root, become stronger and produce young foliage. The work is carried out before the onset of frost, approximately in early September.
You can plant the plant in the summer, when the ground part of the wild garlic has given seeds and withered. Depending on the region, the approximate planting time is early August. In the spring, wild garlic is bred in early May. Pay attention to overwintered bulbs.Planting material must be of good quality; choose bulbs with roots without dry fragments.
On what soil can wild garlic be grown?
In the wild, wild garlic grows on a fertile layer of humus from tree leaves. In winter, the plant is completely covered with fallen leaves. These are two necessary conditions for normal growth. The site is chosen in a shaded place; if it is located under a tree, there is no need to apply additional fertilizers. If planting is done in an open area, soil enrichment is necessary.
It is necessary to plant wild garlic before winter or in spring in a previously prepared bed. The soil should have a neutral composition and allow air to pass through well. Site preparation:
- Acidic soils are neutralized with lime or dolomite flour (in the fall for spring planting) or in the spring if planting is planned before winter.
- After adding alkali to the soil, add peat, compost or humus.
- The bed is dug up to the depth of a spade bayonet.
Before planting wild garlic, from above at the rate of 1 m2 pour in the following mixture:
- 8 kg – organics;
- 35 g – phosphorus fertilizer;
- 25 g – potassium-containing products;
- 20 g – ammonium nitrate.
They dig up the ground and begin planting wild garlic.
How to plant wild garlic
The optimal way to propagate the crop is to plant wild garlic bulbs in the fall. In spring, foliage quickly appears on the plant, but the process of bulb growth is slow. It is formed only in a four-year-old culture. Purchasing planting material is not easy. You can borrow from neighbors in the area or bring wild onions from the forest.
Dig out the bush in early spring or late autumn, when the plant is dormant. Take into account that the root system is deepened by about 10–15 cm. Work must be carried out with care so as not to injure the root. Each bulb should be well formed. Carefully separate the young shoots from the mother bush. All parts of the bush are planted on the site. Sequencing:
- Make furrows 7–10 cm deep.
- Place seedlings at intervals of 20 cm.
- Deepen the bulb 2/3 into the furrow, distribute the roots, and fall asleep, avoiding the air space near the root.
- Water and mulch with a layer of peat, cover with leaves on top.
In early spring, part of the mulch is removed, since wild garlic is a frost-resistant plant that is not afraid of night frosts. In the first two years of the growing season, the stem with peduncles is removed; this measure helps the development of the bulb. Cutting leaves is possible in the 4th year of garden wild garlic growth. If bulbs are used, care must be taken to replace the crop with new seedlings.
How to grow wild garlic in a country house or on a plot
Growing wild garlic in a country house or garden plot is a long process. The plant grows quickly, and the annual growth of the bulb is insignificant. Wild garlic grows only 0.5 cm per year. The annual crop produces only a small, thin sprout. In the second year it forms two small leaves. Only by 4 years is it a full-fledged adult bush with powerful leaves and arrows. Do not cut off all the leaves from one bush, do not touch the bulbs. The arrows are ready for consumption when the seed pods appear on them.
In one place, Bear Onion forms a strong bush for no more than 7 years. Then the plant ages and degenerates.Growing wild garlic in the country does not require special agricultural technology. If the location and composition of the soil meets the requirements, maintenance is minimal.
Watering schedule
Wild onions require moderate watering; only in moist soils does the plant produce healthy, well-formed foliage. The frequency of watering is determined by weather conditions. If the bed is located in the shade and the soil is mulched with leaves or straw, rainfall 2 times a week will be enough. In the event of a dry summer, if the bed is located in an area open to the sun, watering is carried out daily. Moisten the soil in the morning; manipulation in the evening is undesirable due to the threat of night frosts.
Loosening and mulching the soil
Loosening the soil is undesirable, as the root can be damaged. To weeds with a deep root system (wheatgrass, nettle) do not damage the bulb as they grow; they are removed manually.
Mulching is mandatory immediately after planting. Peat is poured in a layer (15 cm), covered with fallen leaves on top. The mulch is renewed every spring. Straw or pine needles are not used to cover the soil. Straw does not retain moisture well enough. The needles create a layer that is too dense and blocks access to oxygen. High soil moisture is undesirable for bulbs.
Do I need to feed wild garlic?
If you follow the recommendations for soil preparation and nutrients, Bear Onions last for 5 years. Every spring they mulch with peat, which is also a top dressing. If the plant is planted in infertile soil, add superphosphate and ammonium nitrate. When growing a crop with an onion, for better root formation, it is fed with potassium-containing agents and phosphorus.
Conclusion
Planting and caring for wild garlic in the open ground does not cause difficulties even for novice gardeners. After mass destruction, the plant was listed in the Red Book, so collecting wild onions is prohibited. When conditions close to the wild habitat are created in a garden or summer cottage, the plant feels comfortable and reproduces well, occupying a large area for the growing season.
