Delaware Valley Ramps

Delaware Valley Ramps has been a test site for a number of research projects on ramps, their forest habitat, sustainability, genetics and other issues over the years through our collaboration with Penn State University Professor Dr. Eric Burkhart and his students. His resume and the research papers that have been published so far on ramps are listed on his page.

In 2023 we were awarded a grant under the USDA's Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program to study another way to increase the sustainability of ramps. The project, called Ramp Sustainability Trial - Replanting Root Plates, studied the feasibility of "having your ramp and eating it too!" We eat the bulb and leaves of the ramps plant and normally discard the remaining root plate. This project sought to determine the viability of planting new ramp beds or augmenting existing beds by transplanting the portion of the plant not used in culinary applications - the root plate

Eight different treatments were trialed on 6 research plots within Delaware Valley Ramps property. Treatments varied the maturity of the plant from which the propagule was taken, the size of the bulb segment, the number of leaves of the plant and the color of the stem. The study found that this method is feasible with significant success depending on the treatment type. Late maturity plants with larger bulb segments showed the most success and robust subsequent growth and biomass.

No experimental variables resulted in complete failure. All replants yielded at least some success, suggesting that bulb base replanting could be a viable and successful means of propagating ramps. Success is improved when the following practices are followed: (1) bulbs should be allowed to “size up” during the spring months resulting in larger planting propagules; and (2) propagule (bulb) replant pieces should be 1/2-inch long.

The Final Research Report is available at the SARE site for you to review the methodology and results and consider adopting this practice with your ramps and ramp lands.