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Edible Weeds

Updated on December 29, 2012

Lets Find Some Weeds We Can Eat

I find a lot of people do not like to garden because it can be a lot of work to grow plants that are not really native to the area you are trying to grow them. A big example of that is Tomatoes. Tomatoes will grow anywhere, but you have to take care of them and make sure they get the water they need and stay at the right temperatures. A lot of people try to grow them but fail or are not satisfied with their results.

Why not grow something that is native to your area. There are tons of weeds that we can grow that do not need a lot of care. Of course the more water and natural fertilizer, the better they will do. You will be amazed at some of the great plants you can pull out of the woods or even your front yard and eat them as salads and fruits.

Lets take a few minutes to look at some of the weeds you can either forage from the woods or parks near you, from your backyard or even from a crack in the sidewalk downtown. Think about transplanting some of these weeds to your garden. Most people (Ask Permission When Appropriate) will be glad to be rid of the weed and you will have something new to eat.

AmaranthAroniaLambs-quartersDandelionsChickweedGround CherryGround NutPurslaneMaypopMiner's LettuceSorrelMuskadine Grape Vines

Amaranth is a Great Grain - You Should Grow Some in Your Back Yard

I have seen people grow Amaranth in the corner of their yard and just let it grow on its own. Then at the end of the season, they pick the big clumps of grain that the plant produces. Then they make all kinds of great breads and flours out of it. It grows wild and abundantly all on it's own, and you really can't kill it.

I like seeing the Giant Amaranth that some people grow. They can get 20 feet or taller.

Aronia - A Bitter Berry That Heals the Body

This is a great plant that old farmers used to grow in ditches alond the roadside so they did not have to claim the crop with the government. It grew wild and was an amazing fruit for the body. It was something that would grow wild and did not need much to keep it growing.

Lambs-quarters - Grows in Most Places in the USA

This is a weed that grows wild and eats just like spinach. You can grow it in the corner of your yard and harvest it all summer and fall and use it as greens for salads and for cooking.

A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants - Eastern and Central North America

If you want to learn more about wild plants that you can eat, then you should take a look at this book. It tells you all about the plants you can find in the wild and what you can do with them and how they effect your body. Take a moment to visit the amazon page on the book. You can take a free preview of the book, this way you can know what you are buying before you make the purchase.

Dandelions - Are Great. Don't Kill Them

People pour gallons of chemicals on their yards to kill these poor plants. All you have to do is harvest them and throw them in a salad. They are extremely nutricious. I have even seen people make wine out of them.

Chickweed - A Diaper Rash Remedy

This is an amazing little plant that grows close to the ground. You can throw them into you salads or eat them right from the ground. You can extract the oils to make a great diaper rash remedy. The cool thing is you can find it in fields when farmers are between plantings.

Ground Cherry - Be Careful With This One

This fruit is an interesting plant. It has a fruit that looks like a cherry inside of a husk. Now you have to wait till the fruit is ripe. If the fruit is not ripe, it is toxic. That is why you have to be careful when you eat these plants. I don't think this is one you will want to grow in your yard, but it is good to know if you need food one day and you are lost it the woods.

Ground Nut - A Root You can Eat

This is another weed that will grow on their own without much help from you. They tend to take a couple of years to get big enough to harvest the tubers from the ground. When you dig them up, you will sort the big one from the small one. You will throw the small ones back into the ground to grow for the next years harvest.

Purslane - You can Find it in Your Front Yard

You can eat every part of this plant except the root. The interesting thing about this plant is it is probably growing in your front yard. It is a very good green to eat. Add it to your salads. Eat it strait. It is good for your health.

Maypop - Has the Beautiful Passion Flower

This is a plant that grows widly all over the country. It is hard to find the fruit in the wild because animals live to eat them. You can eat the fruit as is strait off the vine or you can take it home and reduce it to make a jam.

Miner's Lettuce - An Unusual Leaf and Flower

The leaves on this plant are one big circle leaf that has the stem growing through it. Then at the top of the stem is the flower. It is called Miner's lettuce because it was picked by the miners in the forest surrounding the mines on their breaks. You can find it pretty easy when you are wondering through the forest or even the park.

Sorrel - Looks a lot like Clover

Clover is edible. Sorrel tastes different than Clover. It tastes like lemoney citrus. It is a great way to add flavor to any salad. It grows along the ground acting like a carpet. You can find it in many different places all over the country.

Muskadine Grape Vines - They grow well in the Southeast

The Muskadine Grape is more bitter than the grapes you buy at the grocery store. This means they will have better nutrition for you and your family. I usually find my vines in the deeper parts of the park. If you can pull them out of the ground and get the roots into soil right away, you can get them to grow pretty quickly.

Do You Have Other Weeds You Like to Eat?

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    • puerdycat lm profile image

      puerdycat lm 

      6 years ago

      Great page! A great walk out with Mother Nature!


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