How to Grow Ramps
Ramps (Allium tricoccum) are wild leeks, native to the forests of North America. A member of the onion family, the ramp smells like garlic and tastes like sweet onions. Growing your own ramps requires mimicking their natural environment and lots of patience. When grown from seed, it can take up to seven years to the first harvest. Grown from bulbs, you will have your first harvest in two to three years. Plant ramp seeds in late summer. Plant the bulbs, which can be purchased in the spring, in March. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Choose a shady area to plant the ramps. Since they grow in deciduous forests in the wild, planting under beech, birch or poplar trees is ideal. If this isn't possible, provide a shady location for the ramp bed.
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Rake the soil beneath the trees. Remove weeds, roots and debris. Loosen the soil, and rake it until the soil is of a fine consistency.
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Amend the soil with 4 inches of compost. Spread it over the soil, and use a hoe or garden fork to mix it into the top 8 inches of the soil.
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Scatter the ramp seeds over the soil, and cover them with a 3- to 4-inch layer of hardwood tree leaves or compost. Agriculturists with North Carolina State University recommend that you avoid the use of pine bark and other commercial mulches.
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Plant ramp bulbs 3 inches deep, 4 to 6 inches apart, with the tips of the bulbs above the surface of the soil. Lay down 3 inches of leaves or compost over the area, keeping the tops of the bulbs exposed.
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Water the area to a depth of 4 inches, and keep the soil moist at all times.
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Use a hoe to dig up and harvest the ramps after the flowers die back.
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Tips & Warnings
Ramp seeds can take anywhere from six to 18 months to germinate. The seeds require late summer warmth and cold in the winter to break dormancy. If the weather isn't warm enough after planting, the seeds will not germinate until the second spring.
