A box of free rhubarb was on my walk today, so I thought don’t mind if I do and took a stick. The dog was a bit confused as to why it wasn’t for playing with 🤣. But I shall work out what to make with it, quite possibly an apple and rhubarb crumble as others been as age since I’ve had one.
(c) K Wicks
I have found in the last couple of years there are many things you can eat that grow in the garden as ‘weeds’ and are seen as a pest. Turns out not, as with much these days. So thought it might be nice to list a few things you can grow, and throw in a few things that will work their own way in, i’ll share the link to a further posts about the item, if I have one.
Hairy Bittercress – leaves can be used for salads
Dandelions – edible, and useful in many ways and one of the main offenders for being called a pest. Apart from the flower stem, the rest of the plant can be used. The leaves and petals can be used in salads, and the roots for tea and herbal remedies.
Rosemary – this is known to be edible, but i didn’t realise the flowers were edible too. A super sweet rosemary taste that is again lovely on salads.
Sheep sorrel – discovered today as its surrounded my blueberry plant. Before I tidied it as a weed, I checked and of course its edible too! The leaves have a slightly sour taste but nice, again one for salads.
Strawberries – these are super easy to grow. A domesticated variety in a pot now looking plentiful and I have wild ones taking over a planter, with potatoes as well in there so the competition for space is on.
Wood Avens / St benedicts Herb – the root of this plant is the useful bit, once washed and dried, it smells like cloves and can be used as a milder tasting spice when ground, or for toothaches as well they say.
Creeping Wood Sorrel – I didn’t realise this was edible (the whole plant is), when I did my previous post, but the little seed pods I mention, apparently they have a slight lemony flavour and can be added to, you guessed it, salads.
I also have lots of herbs growing and other fruits, and have now started some salad and vegetables, it’s amazing what you can get to grow in a restricted space, and once it’s there, other things will find their way in…
(c) K Wicks
While learning about what is edible and useful in the garden, I decided to try out the hidden and most important bit of this plant. The root. Its the pale stringy roots that have the oils, and flavour apparently. They say its like cloves, and after you dig up, wash and prepare them, you’ll know why. The clove like aroma started as soon as I had patted them dry. Quite nice actually. The process now is to dry and store for use, another for the herb cupboard.
(c) K Wicks
I believe this is a field blewitt, newly noticed this morning. There were three so thought I would pick one to formally identify. It seems that they are edible, so I may try cooking this one tomorrow…
(c) K Wicks
Yesterday was my first proper forage of the year. I thought it might be nice to film it, so you can see how you can get a good yield from just a small bush or area. I have 3 planter boxes about 2 meters long and a foot wide, with two small patches of ground for flowers and things too. The boxes have a lot going on with potatoes, herbs, poppies, jasmine and wild strawberries.
I bought 3 extra small planters about 2 ft square to put on the concrete outside the house, to make the most of that sunny patch and get as much on the go as I can for the insects and spiders to make their home in. Mostly flowers but I moved the goosebery bush in Spring as last year it had no berries. Must have been a good move as there are loads this year.
Ended up with a rather good bounty for the first sweep 😁
The birds don’t seem to help themselves to any of the fruit, but they have plenty of insects and bird food to keep them busy so far. I don’t mind sharing though, in fact my dog likes strawberries so as I pick them i have to share as I go!
(c) K Wicks
MKW Publishing 