Learn how to turn edible weeds into delicious, nutritious food!
Galinsoga – Galinsoga parviflora Description This leafy, upright, summer annual has the common name used by my Dad ‘gallant soldier’ and is cursed as an invasive weed, yet it is valued as a pot herb in other parts of the world. I find it a pretty plant with its pointed, oval yellowish-green leaves in opposite […] Read more
Greetings everyone, Exciting news that I’ve had a little movie made about my work and my love of weeds and eating them. Aaron Smart a professional film maker has created this lovely little film which was entered in the Byron Bay Film Festival and which made the first cut. Unfortunately it didn’t win a prize […] Read more
Purslane – Portulaca oleracea Description This has to be one of the least appreciated edible weeds with huge hidden benefits. It has 4mg per gram of Omega-3 fatty acid, compared to .89mg in spinach, so I had to include this gem. Purslane is a bit like a succulent with fleshy, hairless, rounded leaves growing on […] Read more
Weed Pesto Play around with this recipe and invent your own version with whatever plants you have most of and love to eat. 5 rosemary sprigs 12cms (approx) longhandful of parsleybig handful of chickweedhandful of NZ spinach4 large nasturtium leaveshandful thyme sprigs 5cms longfew dandelion leavesSmall puha plant10 oxeye daisy leaves8 plantain leaves5 sage leaves6 […] Read more
Thought all you gardeners would enjoy this conversation between God and St. Francis. It is funny because it is so true. GOD:Frank you know all about gardens and nature. What in the world is going on down there on the planet? What happened to the dandelions, violets, milkweeds and stuff I started eons ago? […] Read more
What has Shakespeare got to do with weeds you might ask? It turns out Shakespeare was very familiar with the wild flowers and folklore of his home town of Stratford-Upon-Avon in Warwickshire here he was born and grew up. He assumed his audience would know the plants, their common names and vulgar associations as well. […] Read more
Dove’s Foot Geranium – Geranium Molle Description I hadn’t met this plant until 2012 and now I seem to have it everywhere in the garden. It seems like a very friendly plant with incredibly soft grey-green leaves reflected in its name molle (Lat) for softly-hairy, that are round and dissected into lobes which go about […] Read more
There are a number of weeds that provide lots of nutrition in winter. Well over my cold covered in the last Blog, in this edition I feature 5 health boosting weeds I’m enjoying in smoothies at the moment. To the left is Cleavers or Galium aparine that incredible lymph, kidney and blood purifier which is growing well […] Read more
This feathery leaved perennial grows in patches on cultivated land, road sides, lawns or in pasture. It has a pleasant smell and sends up tall flower stalks about 50cm high with clusters of white or occasionally pink flowers. It grows on arable land, waste areas, road-sides, and lawns and spreads by creeping underground roots. Read more