Based on what is given as ‘good practice’ in foraging (i.e. harvest half the leaves for a continuous supply from any clump) we started looking at the weight of garlic leaves per m² and how quickly it grows back, once harvested.

We quickly came to the realisation that wild garlic does not form clumps as such but grows as very dense patches of individual plants which are made up of just 1 -2 leaves, which grow very slowly and are short-lived. So from seed it might take 4-5 years to produce harvestable leaves and the plant only lives 8-10 years.

This suggests that commercial harvesting should be done by cutting patches in sequence on a 5-6 year cycle. This finding highlights the importance of not taking appearances for granted and to investigate the species population biology. This requires field investigations backed with reviews of academic research as well as foraging practices.

See our instructional film: How to commercially harvest wild garlic →

Follow these links for further information on developing sustainable, non-timber forest product supply chains:

• WILD GARLIC PRODUCT RESEARCH
• MARKETING
• CERTIFICATION