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September 5, 2002

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Weeds in Your Garden — Bite Back!

By Susun Weed

I always say the gardener’s best revenge is to eat the weeds. I’ve been doing it for thirty years and can testify that my health and the health of my garden has never been better. Here are a few hints for gardeners who’d rather eat their weeds than hate them (and for non-gardeners who are adventurous enough to try out nature’s bounty).

View your weeds as cultivated plants; give them the same care and you’ll reap a tremendous harvest. Harvest frequently and do it when the weeds are young and tender. Thin your weeds and pinch back the annuals so your weeds become lushly leafy. Use weeds as rotation crops; they bring up subsoil minerals and protect against many insects. “Interplant” (by not weeding out) selected weeds; try purslane, lamb’s quarters, or amaranth with your corn, chickweed with peas/beans, and yellow dock, sheep sorrel, or dandelion with tomatoes). And, most importantly, harvest your weeds frequently, regularly, and generously.

Overgrown radishes, lettuces, and beans are tough and bitter. So are weeds that aren’t harvested frequently enough. Give your chickweed a haircut (yes! with scissors) every 4-7 days and it will stay tender all spring, ready to be added to any salad. If you forget a patch for two weeks, it may get stringy and tough and full of seed capsules. (All is not lost at this stage. The seeds are easy to collect—put the entire plant in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for 2-3 days and use the seeds that fall to the bottom of the bag—and highly nutritious, with exceptional amounts of protein and minerals.

Unthinned carrots and lettuces grow thin and spindly, so do unthinned lamb’s quarters, amaranth, and other edible weeds. Wherever you decide to let the weeds grow, keep them thinned as you would any plant you expect to eat. Here’s how I do it: In early spring I lightly top-dress a raised bed with my cool-method compost (which is loaded with the seeds of edible weeds). Over this I strew a heavy coating of the seeds of lettuces and cresses and brassicas (cultivated salad greens), then another light covering of shifted compost.

Naturally, weed seeds germinate right along with my salad greens. When the plant are about two inches high, I go through the bed and thin the salad greens, pull out all grasses, smartweeds, cronewort, clear weed, and quick weed (though the last three are edible, I don’t find them particularly palatable). And, I thin back the chickweed, mallows, lamb’s quarters, amaranth, and garlic mustard and other edible wild greens.

Keep those annuals pinched back. You wouldn’t let your basil go straight up and go to flower, don’t let your lamb’s quarter either. One cultivated lamb’s quarter plant in my garden grew five feet high and four feet across, providing greens for salads and cooking all summer and a generous harvest of seeds for winter use.

When a crop of greens has bolted or gone to seed in your garden, you pull it all out and replant with another crop. Do the same with your weeds. We eat the greens of garlic mustard all spring, then pull it out just before it bolts (making a horseradishy vinegar from the choicest roots) — often revealing a generous crop of chickweed lurking underneath.

Some of My Favorite Garden Weeds

Annuals

Amaranth (Amaranthus retroflexus)
Young leaves, old leaves, even non-woody stalks are delicious as a cooked green; chop and boil for 30-40 minutes. Serve in their own broth; freeze leftovers for winter use. Use instead of spinach in quiche (you may never to grow spinach again). Collect seeds throughout the autumn by shaking seed heads over a lipped cookie sheet; or by harvest and dry the entire seed head. Winnowing out the chaff is tedious but soothing. There is a special thrill that comes when you toss the chaffy seed in the air, and the breeze catches it just-so, and the seeds fall back into your tray, while the prickly chaff scatters “to the four winds.”

Chickweed (Stellaria media)
Young leaves and stalks, even flowers, in salads. Blend with virgin olive oil and organic garlic for an unforgettable pesto. Add seeds to porridge.

Lamb’s Quarter (Chenopodium alba and related species, e.g. Chenopodium quinoa)
Young leaves in salads. Older leaves and tender stalks cooked. Leaves dried and ground into flour (replaces up to half the flour in any recipe). Seeds dried and cooked in soups, porridge.

Mallows (Malva neglecta and related species)
Leaves of any age and flowers (the closely related Hibiscus flowers too!) are delicious in salads. Roots are used medicinally.

Purslane (Portulacca oleracea)
The fleshy leaves and stalks of this plant are incredibly delicious in salads and not bad at all preserved in vinegar for winter use.

Biennials

Burdock (Arctium lappa)
Roots of non-flowering plants harvested after frost make a vinegar that is deep, and richly flavorful as well as a world-renowned tonic. Petioles of the leaves and the flowering stalk are also edible.

Garlic Mustard (Alliaria officinalis)
Year-round salad green. Leaves used in any season, even winter. Roots are harvested before plant flowers. Seeds are a spicy condiment.

Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota)
Leaves finely chopped in salads. Flowers are beautiful edible decorations. Roots of non-flowering plants, harvested in the fall, and cooked.

Perennials

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinalis)
Leaves eaten at any time, raw or cooked, but especially tasty in the fall ? not spring! Roots harvested any time; pickle in apple cider vinegar for winter use. Dandelion flower wine is justly famous.

Sheep Sorrel (Rumex acetosella)
Leaves add a sour spark to salads. Cooked with wild leeks or cultivated onion and potato they become a soup called “schav.”

Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica)
Young leaves cooked for 40-45 minutes and served in their broth are one of my favorite dishes. Seeds can be used in baked goods, porridge.

Yellow Dock (Rumex crispus) Roots pickled in apple cider vinegar are tasty and a boon for enriching the blood. Leaves, especially young ones, are eaten raw or cooked.

Susun Weed, green witch and wise woman, is an extraordinary teacher with a joyous spirit, a powerful presence, and an encyclopedic knowledge of herbs and health. Ms. Weed’s four herbal medicine books focus on women’s health topics including: menopause, childbearing, and breast health. For more please visit www.susunweed.com.

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August 9, 2002

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Doggy Design

Guest post by Felicia Friesema

Gardening, as you may well know, is a constantly changing learning process that tests our willingness to give in to the natural world, to submit ourselves wholeheartedly to a process that denies us what we think we want in favor of what the garden wants. You want fresh zukes? Battle powdery mildew then. Dreaming of a leaning tower of tomatoes? Gotta squash the caterpillars early on. You get the idea. What we want isn’t always what we get. But sometimes, Nature smiles on us and gives us something bigger and more unusual than ever before. For me, it took a dog playing in the grass for Nature’s light bulb to go off over my head.

Emma, our persnickety canine, is queen of all she surveys. Aside from a small, community-style, garden plot for summer veggies, the backyard was hers to rule with an iron paw. Stray cats, opossums, and curious crows dared not enter the domain for fear of her wrath. Our own lack of interest in clearing out old Bermuda grass from our clay-based soil meant that it stayed that way for some time, untouched, untrimmed, and often times, unloved.

It’s a mid-sized yard, about 50 feet long and 35 feet wide. My community gardening days back in the city of Baltimore had taught me how to cram as much as I could into a 6′ by 10′ garden plot as I could. The result was a jungle of tomatoes, cukes, zukes, and herbs that you couldn’t walk through by mid-July. Moving to a house with a backyard in sunny Southern California opened many doors garden-wise, but I stuck to what I knew and carved out a square plot for myself among the weeds. And then I saw Emma walking through the grass.

The area around the plot was often referred to as the tundra. And through this tundra, Emma had carved a winding path through the weeds and grasses that led to the back of the yard and around the garage. I realized then that she had done the hardest part for me already. All I had to do was follow her guidelines and I would have a series of well-defined beds and borders.

I started with a centerpiece. As Emma entered the yard, she would make a wide turn to the right before swinging left to head toward the back. This left a natural curve that had me thinking it was part of a circle. Off of that curve, I constructed the first garden element: the Pasta Island.

The Pasta Island is a raised circular bed, about 5 feet across, constructed of reclaimed stones from and old demolished patio, that sat cupped on the left side of the curve of Emma’s path. The stones are actually a very lucky find under a pile of old leaves. Their texture and shape meld perfectly with the lines of Emma’s path. Being a themed veggie patch, the island contains tomatoes, onions, basil, oregano, parsley, and bell peppers.

With the centerpiece finished, I added two more semi-circles leading up to the Island and a long wavy raised bed to the right, leaving Emma’s path intact and adding greatly to the overall appeal. There wasn’t a straight line anywhere. The soil was easier to amend, now that I had easy access to it via the path.

It’s like a domino design effect. Once the main elements, the island, the semi circles, and the right hand wave border, were installed, the rest of the garden opened up to me like a massive sunflower. Suddenly there was space for a patio made from reclaimed concrete paving stones. And next to the patio the was room for a mini perennial Mediterranean garden full of rosemary, oregano, lavender, thyme, tarragon, and a bay laurel tree in a large pot.

Emma took to the “new” paths right away, speeding through the veggies as though it were an obstacle course designed just for her. The natural shapes keep her out of the veggie beds as well, since we’re not intruding on her own backyard rhythms or making her redefine her territory. And at last my eyes are comforted by gentle, meandering curves, no longer confined to rigid rows. The veggie garden is now a decorative garden in its own right, easily adaptable to crop rotations and soil amendments and pleasant enough for a summer night glass of wine shared by the light of citronella candles.

Now if I could only teach Emma how to dig up weeds.

All Photos courtesy of Felicia Friesema

Felicia Friesema is a community garden advocate and Development Coordinator for the YWCA of San Gabriel Valley. Her dedication to community gardening extends to her own backyard, which she has turned into a community garden for her friends, allowing them to plant any vegetables and flowers they wish.

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October 30, 2001

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Preparing Your Garden for Winter

Guest post by Zesty

“Now is the winter of our discontent”
-Richard III, By: William Shakespeare

Ah yes. There is nary more apt a quote when it comes to gardeners. Last Sunday, I reconciled myself to the inevitable and commenced getting my garden ready for winter. It’s not a tedious task with particularly a lot involved. It’s more the symbolism of it all that gets me misty. Another season has come to an end and it will be at least six months before I’ll have the scent of roses to greet me as I leave the house (well either that or dung. It depends if the police horses have been in my neighborhood.)

Any gardener knows that most plants are hardy creatures. Preparation for winter is not a “must do”. You won’t be faced with a plot of mud come spring just because you decided to stay inside and eat potato chips and watch videos. But let’s face it: winter’s a bitch and anything you can do to lessen its impact on your little patch of Eden will be well rewarded.

So what did I do? Essentially, three things: cut, clean and protect.

The first thing I did was get everything trimmed down so that I could clean up the garden more efficiently. The main items I pruned were my butterfly bush and roses. The butterfly bush was trimmed to about half a metre. I trimmed the roses to just under a metre high. I don’t give them a hard prune (i.e., to 6 inches or so) until the spring.

Pruning is particularly important for climbers. I have a yellow climber in the southeast corner or my garden that is about four-and-a-half metres high by the end of the season. (This is without a trellis or wall support.) This needs to be trimmed down to prevent wind damage, not only to the plant but to passersby as well. All it takes is a good January wind to give some poor soul a face full of thorns, although technically, I’m not sure if a rosebush could be charged with assault.

I usually stop pruning my roses overall by early September. That way, rose hips develop by late October. The little round bulbs are a nice bit of decoration in the garden through the winter, especially after a light snowfall.

I would also recommend that you invest in a good quality pruner, preferably a paired set with a thinner pruner for blossoms and stems, and a thicker pruner or shears for stalks and branches. Some of the rose bushes I pruned had stems of about half an inch.

As for my shorter perennials, I leave them as they are. I find the first good frost collapses them. Their decomposition then provides nourishment to the soil for the next season. This approach helped me bring my garden back from the breach, and I don’t use any fertilizers other than the odd dalliance with Miracle-Gro. I leave my annuals in the garden as well. Anything left over in the spring I just mulch/till back into the soil.

If you just don’t feel safe foregoing a fertilizer, then I would suggest consulting with your local garden centre to get something suited to your garden’s needs.

Next comes cleaning up. Oh the bounty a summer leaves behind: newspapers, coffee cups, potato chip bags, bus transfers – but hey, it’s certainly a step up from the syringe and dead rat I found three years ago. And a friendly reminder, my fellows in foliage: please wear gloves to protect yourself from any bacteria or germs.

After the garbage is cleaned up, this leaves, well the leaves. I’ve encountered two schools of thought on this. There are some who don’t bother raking up leaves and others who do it religiously. I think what kind of garden you have dictates what you should do.

A bigger garden with a lot of grass or a garden with smaller trees won’t be any worse for wear if leaves are not raked up. My garden, on the other hand is a 9′ x 11′ plot with a hundred-year-old tree on the west side. It gets absolutely drowned in leaves every autumn. Raking up these leaves prevents the acidity of the soil increasing. This is something I want to avoid, as my garden had been neglected when I got my hands on it. The soil was extremely acidic due to years of wood chips sitting there with layer after layer of leaves not being cleaned up.

So evaluate your own situation and act accordingly.

Since my garden has a layer of cedar mulch, I didn’t rake the leaves. I swept them up with a broom, as raking would have disturbed the mulch. I don’t know why, but I’ve always thought that would make a good name for a band: MULCH.

Anyway, how did I enter the world of mulching? Well last year, my landlord came to visit from Vancouver. He decided that a layer of mulch in the garden would make the front look nicer and help sell the house. I suppose according to his reasoning, the rotting porch and eaves trough hanging by a thread would be overlooked if the garden was pretty.

At first, I have to admit that I resented this. I know it’s TECHNICALLY his garden, but it FEELS like mine if you know what I mean. But it ended up being a nice bit of serendipity. My landlord put the mulch down for aesthetics, but it actually did wonders for the garden over last winter.

My garden bloomed sooner and longer through the season. Also, a rose bush I had long given up for dead and just hadn’t gotten around to removing started growing again. Weeds were also at a premium. And to top it all off, the house ended up not getting sold, and I was not thrown into the unmitigated hell currently referred to in more polite circles as “Toronto’s rental housing crisis.” Let’s hear it for mulch gang!

So consider a layer of mulch for added protection, over your entire flower bed, or built up around certain plants. I wouldn’t put down soil until spring, as the erosion over the winter is too great.

Where was I? Ah yes, leaves. Once they were removed, I did get a rake and pile the mulch up around my rose bushes as an additional bit of winter protection. Some people use soil for this or wrap them in burlap. Some gardeners do this for their small bushes, young trees, or any other low-lying plant they would like to protect as well. This is the first year I have done it. The neighbors two doors down do it every year and I have to admit that their roses have a bit more pizzazz, so I’m giving it a shot to see what the effects are on my garden.

The last bit of winter preparation is to turn off the water to your hose tap. If you don’t, there’s a good chance the water in the pipe will expand as it freezes and your pipe will explode.

And that’s basically it. Not too complicated a task that can yield wonderful results. Once finished, you can crack out the hot chocolate, light a candle, throw on that Paul Anka CD you have but won’t admit to and relax. Rest content with the knowledge that come spring, your garden will thank you for making its winter’s rest a bit more comfortable.

Zesty aka Allison Dick, has been an avid gardener for about four years. To read more about her gardening exploits check out her journal.

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June 29, 2001

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Create Your Very Own Mood Garden

Guest post by Andrea Crisp

As everyone knows, each plant has its own unique smell. Scents can alter your mood in subtle ways, so when you plan your garden, why not let your nose decide the arrangements for you?

If you’re planning a quiet, private garden, a mix of mild-scented flowers like lily-of-the-valleys, lilacs, and roses might be just what the doctor ordered. Thinking about a vegetable garden too? Culinary herbs, like thyme, sage, and oregano will provide a tantalizing atmosphere, as well as top your salads!

Or you might want to specialize your garden, and have it cater to all your moods. Map out the sections of your gardening area and then separate your scents. Use flowers with rich, heavy fragrances like jasmine and honeysuckle to accent your laziest moods, and for when you need a pick-me-up, revive yourself with a patch of rosemary and lavender herbs. Here’s an idea! Some plants smell stronger when you stimulate them. Try spreading some chamomile over your garden path. It’s pretty to look at, and releases a nice smell when stepped across. Let aromatic herbs lead into all your “mood” patches. And, as you expand your garden, you can also expand your aromatic range.

Whoever said planting was boring? You can make your garden do more than just look attractive. Use your nose, and give it a rich personality all its own.

Andrea Crisp is a twenty three year old Aurora, Illinois native, working toward a degree in Horticulture. Her first and foremost love is gardening in all its many shapes and forms.

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June 21, 2001

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Pop Cloche

Turn your plastic bottles into miniature greenhouses.

The cloche or bell jar is a miniature greenhouse contraption designed to protect seedlings from cold, bleak, or windy weather in order to hasten their maturity.

Traditionally, it is a dome made of glass that can be completely sealed (such as the bell jar) or have a small opening at the top. The bell jar creates humidity and warmth but must be adjusted as the heat and light intensifies. The open cloche allows heat to escape on its own and allows water to trickle down into the soil during a heavy rain instead of drowning the seedling.

Cloches can be expensive. Homemade versions can be made using turned over mason jars or other thick-walled glass items. These are pretty to look at in the garden, but they must be watched intently to avoid scorching seedlings or promoting fungal diseases.

If you’re willing to sacrifice a little beauty for a fully functioning device that is not only as cheap as it gets (as in free), but will go the distance, then the plastic bottle cloche is the way to go. I can’t praise this contraption enough. It has prevented critters such as raccoons and squirrels from trampling or eating my seedlings, and provided warmth and humidity during an unseasonal frost spell. It prevents potted plants from becoming enveloped in mudcakes formed during torrential spring rains, and forms a barrier against insects and slugs.

To top it all off, my seedlings are growing faster, stronger and healthier than ever before.

There are two devices that can be made from a bottle. The first is a full cloche that can be used as described above. The second is more of a ring that forms a barrier around the plant but leaves it open to attack from the top. It creates humidity around small seedlings and to the stem and base of older seedlings. This is especially good for protecting older tomato plants from slug attacks and can be left on all year long.

To make a full cloche:

Remove the cap and all labels from a plastic pop or water bottle.
Use a serrated knife to cut about an inch off the bottom. Try to get as close to the bottom as possible to maximize your cloche height. Alternately you can cut it down more if you prefer a shorter cloche. Just be sure to add an extra inch for support underneath the soil.
Place the cloche over your seedling and bury it about an inch into the soil for support.
Once the plant becomes too large for the cloche simply cut it down into a ring and leave it around the plant indefinitely, or remove it and throw it into your recycling bin.

To make a protective ring:

Remove all labels from a plastic pop or water bottle.
Use a serrated knife to cut about an inch off the bottom. Try to get as close to the bottom as possible to maximize your ring height.
Cut the top off where the bottle begins to form a dome. You should be left with a cylinder of plastic. This can be cut in half to create two rings or cut down to reduce the height. Just be sure to leave an extra inch because this will be buried in the soil.
Place the ring around your plant and bury it into the soil for support (and to prevent critters from going underneath).
The ring can be left around the plant indefinitely to provide protection all season long.