https://www.treehugger.com/lawn-garden/eat-dandelions-9-edible-garden-weeds.html
Instead of trying to get rid of those lawn and garden weeds, harvest them for free homegrown meals.
All too often, homeowners and gardeners wage war in their lawns and gardens against the plants that grow incredibly well there, but that aren’t intentionally planted. And many times, the justification for these battles all comes down to the words we use to describe them.
When we buy and plant packets of common flower, vegetable, or herb seeds, we spend a lot of time, energy, and water in our efforts to get those seeds to germinate and grow, and take pride in our green thumb and homegrown food supply.
But when a plant that we identify as being a weed is found growing in our lawn or garden, out comes the trowel and hoe (or for the ruthless and impatient gardeners, weedkillers such as RoundUp), and we may spend the entire growing season keeping these opportunistic and resilient plants at bay, in order to have neat and tidy garden beds and uniform lawns. And it’s too bad, really, as many of the common garden weeds are not only edible and nutritious, but can be a great homegrown (and free) addition to our meals.Part of the resistance to eating plants that we believe to be weeds, in my opinion, is that we are conditioned to only consider the items we find in the grocery store as food, and not things that the rest of the neighborhood sees as unwelcome invaders in lawns and gardens. And unless we’ve been exposed to eating plants that are seen as common garden weeds, and had them prepared for us, we’re probably not likely to try to eat them on our own. Once in a while, we might come across dandelion greens or purslane for sale in the produce section of the grocery store, or the farmers market, but for the most part, many common edible garden weeds aren’t available anywhere else except for our lawns or garden beds. And that’s a shame.
Although the edible weeds that you can find in your yard might be different ones than the ones I find in my yard, due to weather, soil conditions, and geography, here are some of the most common garden weeds that can be used for both meals and medicine:
1. Dandelion
The quintessential garden and lawn weed, dandelions have a bad reputation among those who want grass that looks as uniform as a golf course, but every part of this common edible weed is tasty both raw and cooked, from the roots to the blossoms. Dandelion leaves can be harvested at any point in the growing season, and while the youngest leaves are considered to be less bitter and more palatable raw, the bigger leaves can be eaten as well, especially as an addition to a green salad. If raw dandelion leaves don’t appeal to you, they can also be steamed or added to a stir-fry or soup, which can make them taste less bitter. The flowers are sweet and crunchy, and can be eaten raw, or breaded and fried, or even used to make dandelion syrup or wine. The root of the dandelion can be dried and roasted and used as a coffee substitute, or added to any recipe that calls for root vegetables.
2. Purslane
Purslane can often be found in moist garden beds, lawns, and shady areas, where it lies close to the ground and often goes unnoticed. This humble garden weed, however, is a nutritional powerhouse, and is outrageously rich in in omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. It can be a great addition to a salad or stir-fry, or used to thicken soups or stews. Purslane is a succulent, with a crispy texture, and the leaves and stems can be eaten raw or cooked to add a peppery flavor to any dish.
3. Clover
Other than the occasional four-leafed clover hunt, this common lawn weed goes mostly unnoticed, even though it is becoming popular as a lawn replacement altogether. Clover is an important food for honeybees and bumblebees, and clover leaves and flowers can be used to add variety to human meals as well. Small amounts of raw clover leaves can be chopped into salads, or can be sauteed and added to dishes for a green accent, and the flowers of both red and white clover can be eaten raw or cooked, or dried for tea.
4. Lamb’s Quarters
The young shoots and leaves of Lamb’s Quarters (also known as goosefoot) can be eaten raw in any vegetable dish, or sauteed or steamed and used anywhere spinach is called for. The seeds of the Lamb’s Quarters, which resemble quinoa, can also be harvested and eaten, although it takes a lot of patience to gather enough to make it worthwhile as a main dish.
5. Plantain
This common lawn weed (not to be confused with the tropical fruit also called plantain) is not only a great medicinal plant that can be used topically to soothe burns, stings, rashes, and wounds, but is also a great edible green for the table. The young leaves of plantain can be eaten raw, steamed, boiled, or sauteed, and while the older leaves can be a bit tough, they can also be cooked and eaten as well. The seeds of the plantain, which are produced on a distinctive flower spike, can be cooked like a grain or ground into a flour, and are related to the more well-known psyllium seeds, which are sold as a fiber supplement and natural laxative. Note that this is a medicinal plant, so be careful with it.
6. Chickweed
This rather unassuming garden weed can be harvested and used for both food and medicine. Chickweed leaves, stems, and flowers can all be eaten either raw or cooked, where it adds a delicate spinach-like taste to any dish. The plant can also be used as a topical poultice for minor cuts, burns, or rashes, and can be made into a tea for use as a mild diuretic.
7. Mallow
Mallow, or malva, is also known as cheeseweed, due to the shape of its seed pods, and can be found in many lawns or garden beds across the US. The leaves and the seed pods (also called the ‘fruit’) are both edible, either raw or cooked, and like many greens, are often more tender and palatable when smaller and less mature. The older leaves can be used like any other cooked green after steaming, boiling, or sauteing them.
8. Wild Amaranth
The leaves of the wild amaranth, also known as pigweed, are another great addition to any dish that calls for leafy greens, and while the younger leaves are softer and tastier, the older leaves can also be cooked like spinach. The seeds of the wild amaranth can be gathered and cooked just like store-bought amaranth, either as a cooked whole grain or as a ground meal, and while it does take a bit of time to gather enough to add to a meal, they can be a a good source of free protein.
9. Curly Dock
Curly dock (also called yellow dock) leaves can be eaten raw when young, or cooked when older, and added to salads or soups. The stems of the dock plant can be peeled and eaten either cooked or raw, and the mature seeds can be boiled, or eaten raw, or roasted to make a coffee substitute. Dock leaves are rather tart, and because of their high oxalic acid content, it’s often recommended to only eat them in moderation, as well as to change the water several times during cooking.
Remember to steer clear of eating plants foraged from near roads; they may be tainted with pollutants. Also do not eat plants that have been treated with garden chemicals.
[Disclaimer: This is not meant as a field guide, so before you start eating the weeds out of your lawn or garden, be sure that you’ve positively identified them as an edible plant, and know how to prepare them. Unless you know for sure, steer clear of plants that grow outside your yard, in places where they may be sprayed or treated, or in places that neighborhood dogs and cats use to do their business.]
This updated article was originally published in 2014.
Yep, I believe most of those weeds like to pop-up in my garden each year. This is good to know, should the supply chain break down entirely. Also, ever since I found out that dandelions are one of the first pollen sources in the late winter / early spring available for my bees, they are not on my list to mow or remove any longer.
Anything from the dandelion is edible except for the flower stem. It is a perfect liver tonic. I use it in all my bone broths. In spring I dig them up and freeze them for bone broth for the rest of the year. Got this cool tool which make it so much easier.
https://www.acehardware.com/departments/lawn-and-garden/gardening-tools/gardening-tools/7499841?x429=true&msclkid=5da2df174d391231d6c98163521cb65f&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Shopping%20-%20Sod%20%26%20Turf%20Tools1&utm_term=4581252637765239&utm_content=Sod%20%26%20Turf%20Tools&gclid=CKbPi4f2p-gCFU4IiAkdyvELuw&gclsrc=ds
Once you’ve got the dandelion our of the soil, you pump it like a shotgun to release it, nice touch.
You forgot ‘yellow sorrel’ which likes like clover but with a tiny yellow flower. It’s tart and lemony, makes a good salad garnish. Oh and wild onion, which is a perfect substitute for chives.
Actually, I really am just trying to get people thinking outside the frozen food box. I have an encyclopedia on what’s edible, what’s medical and what’s poison. Several, in fact.
Good article, for the non-sprayers. Amaranth grows like wildfire. I grow some in a section of my garden as a cover crop, purple pygmi type, and I have to thin it like crazy to keep it from overtaking stuff. The leaves aren’t too tasty, but super healthy, best in soups imo. Giant Amaranth was fun to grow, ours grew 9′ tall and started falling over though one year. The seeds provide gluten free high protein source, and you can make bread etc out of it. Although the seeds are crazy small and not easy to grind unless you have a modern grinder.
Be careful with Purslane b/c it looks alot like the Corsican Curse, a weed that is amazingly hard to get out of a garden.
I did submit a twofer, but it was kind of a wrap-up of my very profound day.
It starts with a rambling account of the journey home. Realize those journey stories by a child born on the Cusp of Capricorn and Aquarius who actually met her Cosmic twin in basic training and has seen what my own life might have been if I weren’t so weird.
Cusp of Capricorn and Aquarius.
My best friend who died two weeks before Poppa Grooch was an Astrological Cusper as well.
March 23, in fact. Coming up very soon. Cusp of Rebirth. I went down and put some Patriot Rocks on her tombstone. I may need some Holy Ghost Powered Rocks soon.
As a matter of fact, I think I’ll post something distracting about Astrology. Something fun and creative, not just gloom and doom.
THanks for posting this, Maggie. I told my husband if we wanted fresh salad greens we may have to start eating baby dandylion leaves.
From my nurse daughter this morning: 2 nurses she works with were “deployed” to NYC. They sent her a pic taken on the 747. Only 9 people total including crew were on board.
I came up with a brilliant idea. I just dropped off a shitload of wheat, beans, rice and salt (and a deluxe package of toilet paper and an extra package of Depends left over from Poppa Grooch. She said she doesn’t need them and I sternly said “Just In Case.”
And, I suggested, to my cousin, that someone come in there with a camera and let my mother hold up each can of that LDS long term food and tell people what she would do to feed a lot of people. All those cans of wheat and rice… same/same.
She and I sang together, prayed together and I hit the road.
Onward, Christian soldiers.
Who downvotes that?
I’ve just set up a meeting with the Ham group out of Poplar Bluff and thanks to my smart-aleck son who insulted the HAM radio instructor first class, I’ve radios and no license. It isn’t the time, is it, to attract unwanted FCC attention.
Just sayin. I’ll wait on the radios for now, but at least we will know what cemetery we will meet and greet and then walk and talk.
Ahead of time is the best way to get ready.
Since my son will possibly head this way at some point and since he also has some beans but won’t need them, if you had an open air meet and greet or drop off spot, he could toss them out the window as he drove by.
I actually made him learn to read road maps but I doubt he carries one. He’s a Rocket Scientist, but he’s a Millennial.
Meanwhile:
https://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/Chinese-airlines-return-SFO-15140380.php
3 Chinese airlines resume flights to SF.
Flight from Shanghai to Vancouver landed last night:
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/CES597
Daffodil:
NOT an edible weed….just saying.
Thus, the need to read the book. You might be surprised at the essential oils which can be distilled from any and all flowers in the wild. I gave my mother an herbal blend of mint, thyme, daffodil and a lot of clove for heat and she swears it makes her feel better.
She could be lying. She’s a saint, though, so you better watch your mouth and your damned thoughts.
Hey, you put the pic of the daffodils and then never mentioned them in the rest of the posting. And I think you need to watch your speculation as to my “mouth and my damned thoughts.” You titled the piece “Please eat the dandelions: 9 edible garden weeds” and then show a pic of a bunch of daffodils, which get ZERO mention in the piece. My only thought was “hey, those are daffodils, and one shouldn’t be thinking they are edible.”
And from poison.org: “All parts of the daffodil contain a toxic chemical, lycorine. The part of the plant that contains the highest concentration of lycorine is the bulb. However, eating any part of the plant can cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. These symptoms usually last about 3 hours. More severe problems such as low blood pressure, drowsiness, and damage to the liver have been reported in animals that ate very large amounts of the plant but have never been reported in humans.” Glad it worked out ok for your saintly mother.
Lambs Quarters
That stuff is hardy and healthy. Grows almost anywhere properly tended it could feed a lot of people.
Cliff
And doesn’t require leaching while being tender, can be eaten in salads or lightly cooked.
Hey Magpie,
Why a picture of daffodils? They are toxic. Even deer won’t touch them.
That’s kind of why… I forgot to mention you really can’t eat just any plant, didn’t I?
Should Admin publish a disclaimer so there isn’t a horde of people grazing on the daffodils? I published this on my hillbilly blog they love the photo… they know the field of daffodils where I took the photo, probably. And, they know you cannot eat the daffodils, at least not very many.
A queen of Heaven is buried in that field is why. I took the photo.
Given our litigious society I would definitely have Admin take down the photo. Your article is about edible plants and someone unfamiliar with them might assume that dafs are OK, eat some flowers, get sick and sue you and TBP.
Purslane is an old favorite. It’s highly invasive, so if you plant it make sure it’s in a “controlled” area. It was eaten by many in the Spain of the 70s, but by the 21st century it was fed to pigs. Here in Argentina, nearly no one knows about it. Then again, it’s not meat, so…
I’ve got an ag engineer looking for snail breeding pairs. Snails aren’t eaten here either. They’re easy to raise and quite nutritious, but they’re not “meat” either.
My guess is that when the smoke clears from all the virus/economic collapse situation, there’ll be a lot less meat on offer, save for what’s raised locally. Now if only it were possible to nuke Buenos Aires from orbit, just to be sure. The country remaining has everything going for it, but only for those willing to scale back on consumption expectations and ramp up their capacity for adaptation to harder times that will eventually bring rewards.
No need to plant purslane. Just till a section of your yard and it will show up.
Thank you, excellent post. I just might caution against many in suburbia from attempting this, dandelions in most yard are probably rich in Round Up, Severin and an ungodly host of additional toxic poisons.
See? This will bring a hundred people to my blog to see their own beloved Veteran’s name on my blog and they will laugh at all the dumbasses who think you can eat daffodils.
…and I sent a thousand messages none of you seem to be able to read.
I have another two meetings scheduled at various cemeteries. Ones where there are red, white and blue rocks.
Cattails are edible, the part down near the root. Peel off the outer stalk and saute in butter like onions. Also, Polk Salad, just don’t eat the toxic parts.
In Vermont, I read that folks eat the early tender leaves of the maple tree. (cooked)
I’ve heard that too and wondered if HSF has tried any. I’ve tried a lot of things I’ve read about to see if it was a taste/flavor worth pursuing for me. I tried those thin mimosa leaves, thinking it might be like a salad green. It. Is. Not.
And earthworms are awful no matter what you do. Grasshoppers aren’t bad roasted.
Snake is tough.
What you’re calling Lambs Quarters hubby calls Pig Weed. I planted some Magenta Spreen that went to seed a few years ago so now some of the Lambs Quarters / Pig Weed weeds have pink on some of the leaves. Pretty in a salad.
I have a lot of ajuga. I covered my best friend’s grave with it. In about three weeks, it will look like the Queen of heaven lies there.
It is a good medicinal herb to distill, if you know how to do it. I do.
The irony that we toil and curse and spit to rid our gardens of plants that grow easily and are useful and good for us in order to instead grow plants that may be a bit less hardy or a lot more finicky which are also useful and good for us.