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yummykaz

Ramps?

yummykaz
16 years ago

My daughter just moved to Dover. There are many mysteries in the yard as she just moved into a previously owned house. She told me there are a bunch of wild onions. I told her I had heard of things called Ramps in NE. Can you tell me if this is a ramp and edible:

Also an etiquette question: In the Texas forum, we often ask each other 'please id this' and include a picture . Do you accept this on the PA board?

Thanks so much,

Becki in Texas

Here is a link that might be useful: In my Backyard

Comments (8)

  • paul316
    16 years ago

    It looks like a very immature garlic variety. I had things very similar to that on the land we bought 3 years ago. When mowing to expand our lawn they would leave an odor similar to onions. We found out they were garlic and discovered a very large patch of them in the corner of the field. We found out thats where my wife's great grandfather and grandfather used to have a patch of garlic. We did some reading, learned to care for them and now continue a tradition started some 70 years ago. Any how by no means am i an expert, this is a good forum and iam sure some one will identify what its is.

  • Tracy Brant
    16 years ago

    It doesn't look like the photos of ramps (wild leeks) that I am finding in a google search. I think it is more likely to be wild garlic, or leftover cultivated garlic from a previous home gardener.

    I have wild garlic all over my yard in the spring, and so does just about every yard in my area (Berks County). I am pretty sure it is edible (if you don't spray your grass with lawn chemicals), but the tiny bulbs are harder to harvest and clean than cultivated garlic.

    Welcome to the PA forum! I have asked for plant IDs in the past, and everyone has been very nice.

    Here is a link that might be useful: One sample of photos and info about ramps

  • paveggie
    16 years ago

    Wild "onion" or "garlic" is common in some PA places. Generally considered a weed in lawns and difficult to eradicate. Ramps have a broader leaf and are "kinda shy" woodland plants.

  • lawncheney
    16 years ago

    Those grow all around the streams around here.

    They taste really good, but make your breath smell like death!

  • westhighlandblue
    16 years ago

    Its a wild onion. I have had quite a few patches growing in my lawn and plant beds (on a large sunny hill). I had luck digging them out with a hand held pick ax.

  • eibren
    15 years ago

    There is an older thread on this which may prove of interest:

    http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/edible/msg101522083119.html

    Apparently all onions are slightly poisonous--but as a child my daughter ate wild onion all the time with no apparent problem.

  • wv_gardener
    15 years ago

    It's not a ramp, I can assure you of that. This is what a ramp looks like:

    Here is a link that might be useful:

  • Pipersville_Carol
    15 years ago

    I've always called that "onion grass". Tried using it like chives last year, but the flavor is really strong and acrid.

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