The Secret Life of Ramps

Ramps!Told in Three Phases

Emergence

Development

Disappearance

What am Ramps?

Ramps are wild leeks. Allium tricoccum.

These are not rampsThese are wild chives

Allium schoeneprasum

Ramp grow north as far as Quebec; west to Oklahoma and south to Georgia.

EmergenceRamp like to grow in sandy soil near streams,

Ramps like well drained calcium rich soil. These conditions are also favored by trout lilies, may apples and trilliums, so you if notice any of these plants-look close! Ramps may be near by.

Ramps also grow close to beech, birch, maple and poplar trees.

Don’t be greedy in foraging for ramps. Ramps take 5-7 years to grow.

DevelopmentAfter the leaves die back, the flower stalk emerges. The flower blooms in mid summer and seeds develop in late summer.

The seeds mature atop the leafless flower stalk.

Ramp seed needs both warm and cold to germinate.

The seed requires a warm moist period to break root dormancy.

It then needs a cold period to break shoot dormancy.

If not adequate warmth after seeding, seeds will not germinate until the second spring. It can take 6-18 months to germinate!

The seeds will then fall off the stalk and fall to the ground to germinate.

DisappearanceOnce the woods grow up, you have to know where the ramps where if you are going to look for seed.

You have to know exactly where you are looking for ramp seed.

CleaningOne of the easiest way to clean ramps are several trips through a water wash.

One of the prettiest spring vegetables.

This ramps presentation brought to you by Kim at kim.today