Bear onions, wild garlic or wild garlic - a perennial herb that is valued for its rich composition, which includes many useful substances. Another advantage is that bear onions can be grown right on your garden plot.
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Plant description
Ramson can be found in mixed and coniferous forests, water meadows, mainly near water. Such a plant loves wet and light soil. Very often it forms dense thickets.In Russia, bear onions grow mainly in Siberia.
It belongs to the lily family and is revealed in all its glory in late April and early May.
In appearance it is a grassy, bulbous, low plant, the size of which varies from 10 to 50 centimeters. A small onion, with a diameter of 5-10 centimeters covered with pinkish or crimson scales. It emanates a distinctive garlic flavor. Bottom leaves, long 30-40 centimeters have a lanceolate form. They surround a low, but strong stalk, the thickness of which is 4-10 centimeters.
Each plant produces one peduncle, up to 30 centimeters high. Umbrella inflorescences consisting of small light-green flowers are located on it. Fruits in the form of a box with dark brown seeds ripen in August.
The chemical composition of bear onions
The leaves of the plant are very useful for the human body. This is due to the fact that 100 grams of the product contains the following trace elements:
- 730 milligrams of ascorbic acid;
- 4.2 milligrams of carotene;
- 100 milligrams of vitamin C;
- alanine glycoside;
- essential oils;
- phytoncides;
- lysozyme
Growing up
Growing wild garlic at home is a fairly easy process that does not require constant attention and strong labor costs.
As a site for planting, it is recommended to choose shady areas located near the house, fence, tall trees or shrubs. Ramson does not tolerate direct sunlight. The soil should be fertile, loose and slightly acidic. The best option would be a soil mixture containing peat. Before landing on 1 square meter of land make a bucket of humus.
Propagation of wild garlic occurs by dividing the bush or seeds. In the first case, the adult plant is dug out of the ground and divided into 2-3 parts, and on each of them there should be bulbs with roots. It is recommended to carry out such works in the early spring. The distance between plants should be 20-30 centimeters, and between rows 30-45 centimeters.
When planting seeds, it is worth remembering a few rules:
- First they need to be stratified. To do this, the planting material is wrapped in a wet cloth and covered with wet sand, then placed in a room with a temperature of 0 + 3 degrees. In this state, the seeds should lie for 3 months;
- By the winter they are sown in boxes with fertile soilwhile maintaining a distance of 15 centimeters and a embedment depth of 5-10 millimeters;
- The first shoots will appear only in the spring, At the same time, plants can be planted in a permanent place.
On average, wild garlic is grown on a garden plot for 7 years. Leaves can be collected only for 3-4 years of a plant life. The next crop will ripen in 2-3 years after harvest. In the same period, you can dig up the bulbs and update the planting of the bear bow.
Plant care consists of regular watering, loosening the soil and removing weeds.. In early spring and late summer, the soil is fed with complex mineral fertilizers.
Pests and diseases bypass bear bow. The only problem that can be encountered due to waterlogging or excessive acidity of the soil will be rust, which subsequently flows into gray rot.
Ramson is a very healthy plant with a peculiar taste. It is used as a remedy or spice.
Useful properties and contraindications
Bear onions are often used as one of the main ingredients in traditional medicine recipes. Only fresh leaves of wild garlic have medicinal properties, after drying of useful substances in the chemical composition becomes much less. The bulbs dug in September can be used both fresh and pickled. Thus, they can be harvested for future use. Bear onions are used as an additional therapy in the treatment of the following diseases:
- atherosclerosis;
- diseases of the cardiovascular system;
- lack of vitamin C;
- gout;
- diabetes;
- metabolic disorders;
- hypertension and other heart diseases;
- intestinal infections;
- the presence of worms in the body;
- wild garlic is also used as an antiseptic.
Considering the bitter and not very pleasant taste of bear onions, the possibility of overdose and, accordingly, side effects is minimized. However, it is worth remembering that such a plant is not recommended for pregnant and lactating women. Also people with inflammation in the areas of the gastrointestinal tract, pancreas and gall bladder.
The use of wild garlic in traditional medicine
Alcoholic tincture prepared on the basis of leaves, is used as a means for rubbing diseased joints and bruises. Tincture of bear bow will also be useful in gout, intercostal neuralgia, radiculitis, etc.
The gruel made from the ground leaves of a bear's onion is used as a compress if the joints or muscles are damaged.
The juice obtained from the leaves, has effective healing properties. With it, you can improve the overall condition of the body, get rid of pain in the stomach and intestines, increase appetite. This tool is used in 10 drops every hour. In the off-season, instead of leaves, you can use bulbs, which also squeeze the healing juice.
To get rid of the unpleasant taste of wild garlic, juice can be diluted with milk.
If you pour 10-20 grams of leaves with one liter of water and insist 2-4 hours, you can get an excellent adjuvant for colds. With it, you can ease the cough and bring down the temperature.
For gastritis, colitis, bronchitis or tuberculosis, take an infusion made from 3-5 grams of chopped herbs and 300 milliliters of boiling water. Means insist for an hour, then filter and take 150 grams 4 times before meals.
For diseases of the cardiovascular system, diabetes, general loss of strength, chronic bleeding of the gums and lack of vitamins, an infusion of 3-5 grams of crushed bulbs and wild garlic stems, which are brewed in a glass of water for 1 hour, helps well. Consume an infusion of 100 milliliters 3 times per day.
Use in cooking
The leaves and bulbs of this plant have a bitter and spicy taste, so they are used as a seasoning for meat, fish and vegetable dishes. You can add all spring salads and soups to freshly gathered ramson leaves. In reasonable quantities, it will give them spiciness and unique taste.
Many cooks believe that bear onion leaves are especially well combined with cottage cheese and other dairy products.
Bulbs of wild garlic are added to hot dishes and various fillings. For harvesting in the winter they can be pickled, pickled, etc.
It is worth remembering that the systematic use of the leaves and bulbs of this plant has a beneficial effect on digestion, the work of the liver, stomach and gall bladder.