When to Plant Allium Moly

Plant Description

• Allium moly grows 10 to 12 inches tall. Blade-like leaves arise in spring, followed by loose flower clusters in May or June. The flowers last two or three weeks and are great for cutting if you can tolerate their slight garlic smell. This pretty pleaser is a member of the onion (Allium) family and is closely related to both the edible varieties and the ornamental alliums. It is subject to few pests and diseases, appearing often on animal-resistant plant lists.

Growing Conditions

• Like all alliums, Allium moly prefers well-drained soil of average fertility. Versatile, it will take full sun to part shade. The farther north you live, the more sun you want to give it. As a bulb, the plant is drought-tolerant. In fact, if it sits in wet soil, it is prone to various root rot fungi. Golden garlic makes a fine addition to a rock garden, brightening the partly shady spots where many other alpine plants won't thrive.

Planting

• Plant Allium moly from about Labor Day to the first hard freeze. Incorporate one-third to one-half garden compost or soil conditioner, such as finely shredded bark, into the planting hole. Make the hole as deep as a shovel. Place the bulbs 2 or 3 inches apart in the hole so the root ends are about 5 inches deep. Fill the hole with amended soil, gently tamping it to remove large air pockets. Water the hole with a half-gallon or so of water to settle them in.

Tips

• Two inches of organic mulch, such as shredded bark, moderates soil temperature and protects the bulbs from freezing in cold climates. In warmer climates, mulch minimizes the freeze-thaw cycle, which can heave soil and displace the bulbs. If you have an established Allium moly clump, divide the bulbs in fall. Simply dig up the clump, separate the bulbs from each other, then plant as recommended. Mark their location in spring so you can find it after the foliage has withered. The plant's bulbs freely multiply and set seed, making them great in a naturalized bulb display.