Alliaria petiolata
Garlic mustard
Common names: Jack-by-the-hedge, Hedge garlic
At a glance
- Light
- Partial shade
- Spacing
- 25 cm, rows 30 cm
- Lifespan
- Biennial
- Sowing
- May–Aug
- Harvest
- Mar–May
- Hardiness
- Hardy down to −20 °C
- Water need
- Medium
- Origin
- Native to Germany
Photo: O. Pichard · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Description
Alliaria petiolata is a biennial herb in the Brassicaceae family that grows along forest edges, hedges, and in partially shaded garden corners. When a leaf is crushed, it releases a strong garlic aroma, which is the basis for its culinary use. In the first year it forms a flat rosette of leaves; in the second year it produces a flowering stem bearing small white flowers and then self‑seeds.
Care instructions
Sow in a partially shaded spot; the plant will often self‑seed. In the first year it only forms a leaf rosette, flowering occurs in the second year. The soil should be humus‑rich and slightly moist; water during dry periods, especially in the first year. It tolerates cold well and does not need winter protection. Harvest young leaves before flowering for the mildest flavor, suitable for pesto or salads. Leave some plants to self‑seed for natural succession.
The care notes were machine-translated from German.
Garden year
SowingMay–Aug
HarvestMar–May
Germination
- Soil temperature
- from 2 °C, ideally 10 °C
- Days to sprout
- 30 to 120 days
- Light
- Sprouts in light or dark
- Sowing depth
- 0.5 cm
- How to start
- Sow straight into the bed
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
humus-rich, moist, nutrient-rich, lime-loving
Garlic mustard loves fresh to moist, humus-rich soil with a good nutrient supply, as found at woodland edges and in hedgerows. Loose, chalky soils suit it especially well. It tolerates waterlogging poorly, but it also avoids completely dry, poor sites.
Feeding
Light feeder
As an undemanding wild plant, garlic mustard needs no specific feeding. A mulch layer of leaves or compost in autumn is entirely enough to keep the soil rich in humus in the long term. In nutrient-rich garden soil it grows vigorously anyway and spreads readily.
Overwintering
In the first year, garlic mustard forms a hardy leaf rosette that stays green even under snow and needs no protection. Only in the second year does it shoot up in spring, flower and seed itself. Cutting back before winter is not necessary.
Propagation
Methods
- From seed
The easiest way to propagate it is by self-seeding, because garlic mustard seeds itself abundantly at suitable sites. If you want to establish it deliberately, scatter the seeds directly on a partly shaded spot under trees and shrubs from late summer. They are cold-stratification seeds and need a period of frost before they germinate in spring. You are best off moving sown rosettes to their final place in autumn of the first year.
Companion planting
Good neighbors
legume family (Fabaceae)
particularly well establishedLeguminous plants collect nitrogen in the soil, from which Brassicaceae benefit as heavy feeders.
For example PeaBush beanPole beanBroad beanSnow peaWrinkled pea and 36 more species in the catalogue
Source: classic companion planting (DACH-Gartenpraxis)
carrot family (Apiaceae)
You can pair celery and dill with all Brassicaceae because they repel the cabbage whitefly with their scent, a proven companion.
For example CarrotCeleriacDillParsleyFlorence fennelCoriander and 21 more species in the catalogue
Source: Bio-Gärtnerei Mixed-culture Practice
mint family (Lamiaceae)
You will notice that the intense scent of basil, thyme, and others confuses the cabbage whitefly and keeps it away from the cabbage family.
For example LavenderThymeBasilRosemarySageHyssop and 43 more species in the catalogue
Source: bio-gardening intercropping practice
nasturtium family (Tropaeolaceae)
Nasturtium serves as a trap plant for you. Aphids and cabbage whiteflies prefer it over the brassicaceae next to it.
For example NasturtiumMashua
Source: Trap plant practice in organic horticulture
Companion planting is partly traditional gardening lore. Where the reason is known, it is given.
Some of these explanations were machine-translated.
For your garden
Grow Garlic mustard yourself
Gartenkern tells you when frost is coming, when to sow and when to harvest, for your location.
Free, no time limit
Notes from real gardens
What other gardeners have written down about this variety, anonymous and voluntary.
No notes shared yet. Will you be the first to write one down?