Every spring, the inhabitants of the temperate deciduous hardwood forests of eastern North America turn to the brown earth of the leafless woods in search of the season’s first wild edibles. Among the most famous of these plant foods is Allium tricoccum, also known as “wild leek,” “ramps,” or “spring onion.” Wild leeks are among the first greens to grace the forest floor, emerging shortly after the snow melts and the frost melts. Their soft green leaves poke up through the brown leaves pressed down by the weight of the winter snowpack. At first, the leaves are smaller than a pinkie finger, but within days, if it’s warm, they are thumb-sized, then two thumb-sized, then half the size of your hand.
Like most spring ephemerals, wild leeks take advantage of a small window of time between snowmelt and the foliage leaving the forest canopy to make the most of their life cycle. During this time, the ground is frost-free, the days are warm, and sunlight is abundant on the forest floor. Perennial herbs with well-established roots, bulbs and corms remain dormant all winter, carbohydrates stored in their roots during the previous season. When the conditions are right, all the energy stored in its underground root systems moves upwards, producing stems, leaves and flowers with amazing speed. Wild leeks, as well as speckled lilies, trilliums, Canadian mayflowers, and spring beauties can break the ground, leaf and flower in a matter of weeks. This is the opportune time to harvest these plants. In short, you harvest the part of the plant that contains the most energy. Before leaves emerge and before the leaves get medium size, the energy is mostly in the underground parts of the plant, where it is stored throughout the winter: roots, bulbs, tubers and corms. As the leaves get bigger, more energy is transferred to them, and they are the most nutritious part of the plant to eat. When flower buds and flowers emerge, that’s where the energy is, and, finally, it goes into the fruit. Most omnivorous mammals, like black bears, know this well and eat accordingly.
Growing Ramps from Transplants
Ramps can also be grown from transplants if you are careful to take a large plug of soil and not disturb the roots. Harvest about a cubic foot of soil from the edge of the patch, digging far from the nearest sprout you can see. Take the whole plug home and carefully place it in a moist area under shade trees.
I have also heard stories of people buying them from the farmer’s market and taking them home to plant. I don’t know how successful they are since the ramps are abused a lot in the cleaning process.
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