Rather than foraging for wild ramps, grow your own by planting ramps in your garden.
Gardeners who want to grow ramps successfully must replicate the conditions where ramps naturally grow.
In the wild, ramps grow in moist, deciduous forests with ample shade and rich earth.
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Ramps are particularly well suited for forest gardening and shady plots.
Ramps also thrive in the shade of deciduous trees, including maples, hickories, and birches.
However, its important to order ramps from reliable suppliers.
Credit: Alice O’Brien
Growing Ramps from Seeds: Most ramps are grown from seed, but this method requires patience.
Slow-growing ramps can take five to seven years to reach a harvestable size when grown from seed.
The best time to sow ramp seeds is either in spring or autumn.
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Autumn planting tends to be easier because ramps planted outdoors go through the necessary freeze/thaw cycle that jumpstarts germination.
Cover the seeds with 1 to 2 inches of leaf mulch.
Planting Ramps Bulbs: If you want to harvest ramps sooner, grow them from bulbs.
Credit: Bob Stefko
When grown from bulbs, ramps are ready to harvest in three to five years.
The best time to plant ramp bulbs is in early spring, from February to March.
To plant ramp bulbs, prepare the planting site by removing any leaves and adding compost if needed.
Adding mulch over the new planting helps lock in soil moisture and insulates the ramps from the cold.
Shade cloth mimics the shady cover of deciduous forests and prevents ramp leaves from developing sun scorch.
Soil and Water
Ramps grow best in rich, moist soil with apH between 6.8 and 7.2.
Ramps are water-loving plants that need moist soil all year round.
Fertilizer
Ramps might not need fertilizer when planted in rich,well-draining soil.
However, wild ramps often grow in soil with higher-than-average calcium levels.
Plant bulbs and young plants or sow seeds 4 inches apart in rich, well-draining soil.
The ramps will eventually fill the container but don’t plan on repotting because ramps don’t transplant well.
Weeds are a bigger problem for ramps than insects.
When ramps die back in summer, it can be easy to forget theyre in your garden.
How to Propagate Ramps
Propagate ramps by harvesting seed and sowing it or bydividing the bulbs.
Seed:Ramps seed matures in late summer.
Sow the seed in a prepared bed in the fall.
How to Harvest Ramps
Ramps are vulnerable to overharvesting, even when theyre grown in gardens.
When gathering ramps, be gentle and dont pick more than 10 to 15 percentof the ramps each year.
Ramps are usually harvested in April or May when their leaves are still green and without yellow coloration.
Use a hand shovel to loosen the soil beneath the ramps and lift the bulbs gently from the earth.
Trillium
Whentrillium(Trillium grandiflorum) is planted successfully and left undisturbed, it spreads gradually.
Plant this graceful perennial in a shady spot where you could enjoy its spring blossoms.
Trillium grows best in part shade or full shade.
It doesn’t like to be transplanted.
Zones 4-8
Bluebells
Virginia bluebells(Mertensia virginiana) thrive in moist, shady woodland controls.
The blue, nodding flowers can reseed prolifically and naturalize in an area over time.
They are used in the kitchen in the same way as onions and garlic.
However, ramps closely resemblelily of the valley plants, which are toxic to humans and animals.
ensure you know which plant you have before tasting it.
Ramps don’t attract many animals, mainly because of the garlic scent it sends out.
Deer seldom nibble on it, but a hungry deer might eat it if nothing else is available.
