Wild garlic in the area?

[Braizen kitchen]

Hi everyone,

Does anybody know of wild garlic growing locally that the public are allowed to pick? I?m in East Dulwich but any of the surrounding areas are fine. I?m cautious not to pick in places I shouldn?t be!

Many thanks, Clare

[carlafindle]

Nunhead cemetery

[JohnL]

Do we pick it anywhere around here - I thought not as a few years ago the woodlands were stripped.

You need a forest.

[Penguin68]

You also need to be careful not to mistake it for very poisonous lily of the valley http://paulkirtley.co.uk/2012/lily-of-the-valley-convallaria-majalis-ramsons-allium-ursinum/

[Melihoople]

Dulwich woods usually has a lot. I don't if picking is allowed. I just like to identify.

[DulwichFox]

I believe It is illegal to uproot Wild Garlic in the UK.

DulwichFox

[Penguin68]

Although all the wild garlic plant is edible (and none of the lily of the Valley) the bulb is described as 'disappointingly small' - normally the leaves only are harvested (cut with scissors) preserving the plant - ideally leaving a few leaves to sustain the plant and leaving the flowers to form seed. Uprooting in entirety as DF says (and I also believe) is illegal. Any wild foraging should be careful to ensure continuity of supply in future.

[Sue]

Melihoople Wrote:

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> Dulwich woods usually has a lot. I don't if

> picking is allowed. I just like to identify.m

I thought there was a notice somewhere asking people not to pick the wild garlic in Dulwich Woods.

Have I imagined it?

You are hardly likely to pick lily of the valley by mistake! It doesn't smell of garlic :))

[UlStED]

Might be a bit further than you'd like but we saw loads and loads of wild garlic at Box Hill last spring (near the stepping stones) and in previous years also near Ightam Mote.

[Huggers]

I have masses in my garden, it?s overwhelmed everything else and grows spring summer autumn

[Angelina]

you're not allowed to pick it in the woods as they were stripped bear.

If you're interested in foraging, you have probably read this

https://britishlocalfood.com/foraging-british-law/

[edcam]

They have loads for sale at Borough Market. Probably wise to get some there.

[DulwichFox]

What's wrong with normal Garlic ?

What's the difference. ??

I'm actually very confused ! Does Wild Garlic actually have Bulbs/Cloves ??

DulwichFox

[edcam]

DF - the leaves are used and have a much milder flavour than ordinary garlic. They make a great soup or pesto and it only appears for a few weeks each year.

[DulwichFox]

Thanks edcam. That seems to make sence.

Foxy.

[JohnL]

Huggers Wrote:

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> I have masses in my garden, it?s overwhelmed

> everything else and grows spring summer autumn

Back in the woods in Gower - we had masses of Bluebells and Wild Garlic and eventually some hybrid emerged that was blue garlic.

My mother swore this was true and it showed nature was going crazy. Nobody believed her :)

[Sue]

JohnL Wrote:

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> Huggers Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > I have masses in my garden, it?s overwhelmed

> > everything else and grows spring summer autumn

>

> Back in the woods in Gower - we had masses of

> Bluebells and Wild Garlic and eventually some

> hybrid emerged that was blue garlic.

>

> My mother swore this was true and it showed nature

> was going crazy. Nobody believed her :)

I'm not surprised. That sounds highly unlikely to me :))

[Braizen kitchen]

Thanks everyone!

[emjorealdavies]

I have an abundance of three-cornered leek in my garden - not quite wild garlic but similar :) if anyone wants some feel free to PM and I'll give you a load!

[Sue]

emjorealdavies Wrote:

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> I have an abundance of three-cornered leek in my

> garden - not quite wild garlic but similar :) if

> anyone wants some feel free to PM and I'll give

> you a load!

That's a very kind offer, and I was all set to PM you, until I googed it (as I'd never heard of it) and found this:

An invasive species brought over to the UK from the Mediterranean, it is an offence under Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act in England and Wales to plant or otherwise cause to grow this species in the wild.

So geting some leaves would be fine, but I'm not sure I'd want to plant it on my allotment :))

[emjorealdavies]

Yes hahaha it's a nightmare, it's taken over the garden! It's a rented property so we didn't plant it, but trying to use as much of it as possible to get rid of haha :) You're welcome to pick some for cooking if you'd like :)

[TE44]

http://wildfeast.co.uk/tag/three-cornered-leek

Three cornered leeks grow in my garden, I eat the bulbs to keep them down. Just found this info on link above, how ants help the spread moving seeds and pickling seeds, might try that this year. I love the flowers.

Edited to say the ants don't pickle them, ha ha

[Beej]

Wild Garlic soup is lush and I can't wait for the season to start which is only just round about now. We always go through to Ighaham Mote where there is masses of the stuff, you can freeze it too. And obviously there's no need to uproot it, just pick away there's enough for everyone if you travel just outside the city.

[Brian up the hill]

Being a volunteer in Sydenham Hill Woods, we work very hard to keep them in shape. We maintain the paths, pick up litter, remove invasive species, survey the wildlife and many other tasks besides. We would ask that no-one picks wild garlic in these woods. Not only is it illegal but trampling causes permanent damage to the ecosystem there. This is especially so now the ground is sodden by the enormous amounts of rain we've had. There is a noticeable deterioration in the state of the main paths from the extra footfall resulting from the closure of Cox's Walk bridge. We are doing our best to address this but please do not exacerbate it by trampling over sensitive areas in search of wild garlic. Furthermore, the areas where is is found are also important for our native bluebells and trampling will cause serious damage to these as well. Please don't.

[Sydney Carton]

Keep it up Brian