Between April and mid-May is wild garlic season
Wild garlic is referred to as a true wonder herb because the flavorful leafy herb contains health-promoting ingredients such as Vitamin C, magnesium, and iron. This typical spring herb thrives preferably on shady riverbanks and in moist areas in deciduous forests. Many people venture into the woods in spring to search for this healthy delicacy. Find out what to consider during this pursuit in this blog article.
Text: Ostbelgien.eu Photos: Pixabay
Picking Wild Garlic
The prerequisite for collecting wild garlic is that gatherers can distinguish the plant from its poisonous look-alikes. Wild garlic can easily be mistaken for the toxic autumn crocus. There is also a risk of confusion with the lords-and-ladies plant and lily of the valley.
The leaves look remarkably similar. Therefore, we recommend exercising great caution when picking. Wild garlic leaves have a garlic-like smell when crushed. They grow individually from the ground, meaning each wild garlic leaf has its own stem. It is advisable to pick wild garlic leaves individually and separate them leaf by leaf from the stem.
Wild garlic can be identified not only by its garlic-like smell and stem but also by the appearance of the leaves, which are matte green on the underside.
You are allowed to pick wild garlic if it grows along the edge of a path. However, during your search, you should not deviate from marked paths. Only one to two leaves should be harvested per plant to preserve the population and allow for regrowth.
In general, harvest only as much as you need for personal use and can process promptly. During the season, wild garlic is also available at farmers' markets and vegetable stores. So, if you're not entirely sure about wild garlic picking, it's advisable to head to the market instead of the woods.
Recipe: Fresh Wild Garlic Pesto or Butter
The aromatic spring herb can be easily transformed into pesto or butter.
To prepare fresh wild garlic pesto: In a bowl, puree the wild garlic with grated Parmesan, high-quality oil, and roasted pine nuts.
For the butter, finely chop the wild garlic and mix it with softened butter. Season with pepper, salt, and lemon juice to taste.
In general, the plant starts flowering around May. At that point, the harvesting season ends as the leaves become inedible.
