Garlic WIN

[rydra_wong]

A couple of years back, I planted some wild garlic round the base of an apple tree in a very dim and dingy corner.

Today (after a long period in which my garden was horribly neglected) I looked round and realized that the corner is full of wild garlic.

Apparently, like mint, it's one of those of those plants that will try to stage a coup if you end up in hospital for five months turn your back.

I am rubbing my hands with glee and plotting tasty salads.

Comments

[loligo]

Yay! I love food that takes care of itself.

The North American equivalent are ramps. I just planted a couple out in my woods this spring, where I very much hope they will run rampant. *g*

I made pesto with garlic scapes last spring, when some appeared in my CSA box. It was outstanding. I wonder if wild garlic might be suitable for that, too....

[rydra_wong]

European wild garlic is definitely milder in taste than regular garlic; it would be interesting to see how it works in a pesto.

I have serpent garlic too (or will have if it's survived), and the stems make a very intense pesto.

But for this evening, supper will be salad with wild garlic leaves and poached eggs ...

[amethysta]

You don't happen to have the Latin name for wild garlic? I would love to try some!

[rydra_wong]

I do! Allium ursinum.

[rainbow]

Oooh, the OGL email list just had a discussion on European bear paw garlic; I'm guessing it might be the same thing?

[rydra_wong]

Wikipedia says it's also known as "bear's garlic", apparently (and possibly apocryphally) because brown bears like to dig it up and eat it.

And aha, some Googling around turns up various references to "bear paw garlic" defined as allium ursinum.

What's the OGL list?

[rainbow]

Some day I will have ramps,w hen I have an easy to get to damp spot for them.

OGL is the very, very active Organic Gardening Discussion List. It's been around about 15 years. I'm not terribly active on it, but love it. Discussions range all over and go off-topic as well as on.

If you're interested in checking it out, you can subscribe by emailing LISTSERV@LSV.UKY.EDU with the "SUBSCRIBE OGL" in the body of the email.

[amethysta]

Thank you!

[sara]

Mmmmm, green garlic. This time of year I put green garlic in EVERYTHING.

[juliet]

mmmm wild garlic. If it's spreading like that, any chance you could dig me up a bulb or two towards the end of summer when it dies down? I can offer something else (garlic chives? strawberries? rocket seed?) in swaps!

[rydra_wong]

Definitely -- just remind me later in the year or I'll forget.

[juliet]

Definitely -- just remind me later in the year or I'll forget.

Hello! I have had a note to do this in my diary for months, & I think it's finally the right time of year.

Would you be able to dig me up a wild garlic bulb or two? If you'd like some garlic chives in return, I have LOADS which helpfully self-seeded... actually I have a lot of regular chives, too.

[rydra_wong]

Would you be able to dig me up a wild garlic bulb or two?

Definitely, assuming I can find them. Want me to post them? Or should I see if I can use the Arch desk as a bulb-drop?

[juliet]

bulb-drop at the Arch sounds good :)

[rydra_wong]

Wanna PM me with the name I should leave them for?

[bluemeridian]

Heee! I just found some rather tenacious mint in the garden and re-potted it this morning. :)

[rydra_wong]

I'm sure it's even now plotting its escape.

[alphaviolet]

Ooo... that sounds great.

Do you know other plants that do that too? I know mint and basil do.

[rydra_wong]

Salad burnet, which is trying to take over my garden from the other side. IMHO it's only tasty in small amounts, though.

Also yarrow, which has many uses if you're into herbalism.

[sashajwolf]

Yay! Must see about getting hold of some for my garden, too - I got some in my veg box for the first time last week, and it made a lovely risotto along with some mushrooms, spring onions and parmesan. I'd love to try the idea of making pesto with it, too.

[rydra_wong]

Ooh. That risotto sounds excellent. I can report that it was very nice raw in a salad with poached eggs on top.