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Talkback: Wild garlic
veggiepatch1
Posts: 40
in Talkback
I am still waiting for our wild garlic to grow in the woods. I love eating wild garlic raw - lovely on toast or just on their own or in a salad as the taste is so much milder than garlic cloves.
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The way wild garlic spreads, I doubt if someone picking a few leaves will do any harm!
Not sure about UK law but Manx law states that you can pick wild flowers etc but not dig them up. I agree with Swiss Sue though, I think trying to stop it spreading is more of a problem.
atway, are the leaves quite broad and about 15cm tall? If it is wild garlic, it is apparently invasive; I keep it in check by planting it in a hole in horticultural membrane covered in pea shingle. Will post photo 2morrow if you like
I know they're not lily-of-the-valley or arum lilies but are all these alliums good to eat?
Yes, Google "wild Garlic", you'll be pleasantly surprised
Apologies for a second reply but I had to ask my friend who introduced me to Wild Garlic.
The law apparently is that we can pick the leaves, and you need a lot of them if you want to use them as food. We are not allowed to dig up plants from woods. She, like me grows a lot of it and got her plants on line from "Jekka Herbs"at great expense as the postage was as much as the 4 plants she received!! I thought it was a joke as they are soooo easy to grow and multiply before your eyes!!
The garlicky smelling plants with small onion like white bulbs with leaves similar to spring onions are Chives. They have lilac flowers on a stalk like a lollypop. And yes, you can eat them. The flowers are delicious in salads.
There is a similar herb with white flowers but flat chive like leaves which is used in stir fries called "Chinese Chives"
For more details, the RHS herb site is excellent.
I hope this was helpful and enjoy growing and eating them