Edible weeds

[Linzy]

Well after doing abit of research ive discovered that you can eat horsetail. I fear its not going to be very nice but im going to eat it as my theory is that as soon as it realises im making a crop of it, its going to disappear of my lottie. (wishful thinking i know)

So i wandered what weeds other people eat and any recipe suggestions cause im thinking guys that this is the way forward, find a couple of weeds that taste ok and you can have plenty of free food and zero weedin.

[chris]

well, you can eat dandelion leaves - the young ones at least anyway (obviously being cautious that they haven't been sprayed/treated with anything nasty)... in salads. I believe that they're diuretic though.

[veggiechicken]

Nettles are good, chickweed, fat hen, hairy bittercress.......
I don't think of them as weeds - its foraging for wild food.

[kathycam]

I love fat hen and nettles. Nettle rissotto is great. I use dandelion leaves in salads, I keep meaning to use the roots to try and make coffee.

[mothhawk]

Apparently you can eat lesser celandine as long as it is cooked first. Check out the Eat Weeds website for more ideas.

[Linzy]

Im going to have to give nettle rissotto a go that sound yum

[Verinda]

Nettle quiche is yummy too. Nettles are also really good for you.

[Alison]

I'd agree that nettles are great - you can make a lovely pesto with them too as well as soup, in fact the young tips make a great spinach substitute.

On the subject of more nasties that you might encounter you can even eat Japanese Knotweed - Eating and drinking Japanese Knotweed by Andy Hamilton | The urban guide to becoming self sufficient 'ish', not tried it though as thankfully I haven't got any of the horrible stuff

[salome2001]

let the lovely Alys help you out...

The Thrifty Forager (Paperback) - Alys Fowler - 9781856269124

[Verinda]

I wish rushes were edible, we could eat them morning noon and night!

[VirginVegGrower]

I wish rushes were edible, we could eat them morning noon and night!

Make baskets

[Nicos]

I know there are certain types of moss which are edible.
You'd need to check which ones though!

[veggiechicken]

I wish rushes were edible, we could eat them morning noon and night!

There are uses for rushes (if this is the rush you mean) Juncus effusus Soft Rush PFAF Plant Database
The Plants for a Future website is the best I know of for finding out about edibility and uses for plants

[Verinda]

Thank you VC (:

Irish Rushes and Sedges - Sea Rush



I think these are the rushes that we are over run with. I probably could make something or other with them but just the sight and feel of them drives me mad! They are sooo prolific!