How to Pick Garlic Mustard

Pick garlic mustard early in spring when the leaves are tender. Picking early, before the flowers develop seeds, helps control unwanted spreading.

Obtain permission from the property owner if you are picking garlic mustard on private property. In wild areas, make sure the land is clean and free of pollutants and pesticides.

Grasp the base of the stem close to the soil line and tug gently until the roots come free from the soil. The roots release best in damp soil conditions. Breaking the stem or leaving part of the root system behind encourages garlic mustard to spread.

Cut the roots from the stem using a pair of sharp pruning shears. Place the garlic mustard stalk and the leaves in a bucket to take to the kitchen and the roots in a separate bucket to take to the discard pile.

Wash the garlic mustard and remove the leaves from the stems. Add garlic mustard to green salads and light stir-fries, or sprinkle chopped leaves on meat dishes for flavor and color.

Discard roots, seed pods and flowers in the garbage or take them to an invasive species discard area.