Just found out wild garlic spreads underground way faster than I thought

I was digging up a patch in my backyard last weekend and discovered one plant had runners going almost 4 feet in every direction. Read a study from the Royal Horticultural Society that said a single bulb can produce up to 60 new plants in just two seasons if left alone. That explains why my neighbor's lawn is completely overtaken while mine looked innocent last spring. I pulled out over 200 bulbs from a 3x3 foot area and I'm pretty sure I missed half of them. Anyone else dealt with this spreading beast? How do you keep it contained without going full nuclear on your garden?

2 comments

2 Comments

terrymitchell29d ago

60 bulbs from one plant? That's insane. I pulled maybe 30 from a patch roughly the size of a dinner plate, and I thought that was bad. Your Royal Horticultural Society study would make me want to just pave the entire area and start over. I don't blame you for feeling like you missed half, because I bet you did.

wesleypatel29d ago

Hang on, 60 new plants from one bulb in two seasons? That can't be right, can it?