I recently went to a workshop and learned about the weeds of the west. With organic gardening you have to be comfortable with weeds and learn how to pull them or use them to benefit your garden.
(1) Amaranth grows tall and looks like a large leafy green plant. People plant this in their gardens. The kind that grows wild is best harvested before the seeds appear on the plant. You can eat it after the seeds are there but it tastes more bitter. The leaves are good in stir fry, just add a little honey. The seeds are not edible on the wild version of amaranth. The seeds are edible on the garden variety. I have no clue how to tell the difference between the plants.
(2) Purslane. They are yummy in eggs. Mexicans know how to cook these up but I have no clue what dishes they put them in. Normally you see them in small quantities as ground cover. However, I have some wild purslane that loves my yard, is as large as a bush, and is climbing up the trellis. Crazy! There are 2 varieties that I know of. Both varieties are growing in my yard. The variety with the thin leaves is what you will find in farmer markets and sold for $11 a grocery bag. I'm told it tastes better than the wide leaf variety although I've never done a taste test to determine which I like better.
(3) Puncture vine. Hate this stuff. It makes little goatheads that HURT when stepped on barefoot. (We rarely wear shoes around here. They are way overrated. ;-)
(4) I found it humorous that in the book Weeds of the West, cactus was considered a weed. Really? I guess since it grows wild. Anyways, I've learned how to harvest nopales (pads) and prickly pear tunas (fruit) this year. Next May I hope to harvest cholla buds.
Here's what I've been up to in my yard:
(a) Re-dug one of my two in ground gardens in the front yard. Secured a pathway with pavers, mixed mulch, compost, worm castings, and sifted AZ clay dirt together and am now ready to plant. I hope to do a square food garden with this plot since I've never done square foot gardening before.
(b) Here is what is growing: okra, 2 sunflowers, squash, 3 basil plants, lots of purslane, and beans.
(c)I've been sifting AZ dirt like crazy these days. I borrowed a sifter and have to return it tomorrow. I love the feel of AZ dirt, so moist (only after it rains), cool, and smooth. It feels therapeutic.
What I need to do:
(a) Now that the temps are below 100, I need to find a lemon tree and grapes to plant so we can use our new greywater system.
(b) I need to keep amending my garden beds in the front yard and plant, plant, plant. I need to add Fish emulsions, EM and Diatomaceous Earth to the beds for best crop production.
Thanks for reading!
(1) Amaranth grows tall and looks like a large leafy green plant. People plant this in their gardens. The kind that grows wild is best harvested before the seeds appear on the plant. You can eat it after the seeds are there but it tastes more bitter. The leaves are good in stir fry, just add a little honey. The seeds are not edible on the wild version of amaranth. The seeds are edible on the garden variety. I have no clue how to tell the difference between the plants.
(2) Purslane. They are yummy in eggs. Mexicans know how to cook these up but I have no clue what dishes they put them in. Normally you see them in small quantities as ground cover. However, I have some wild purslane that loves my yard, is as large as a bush, and is climbing up the trellis. Crazy! There are 2 varieties that I know of. Both varieties are growing in my yard. The variety with the thin leaves is what you will find in farmer markets and sold for $11 a grocery bag. I'm told it tastes better than the wide leaf variety although I've never done a taste test to determine which I like better.
(3) Puncture vine. Hate this stuff. It makes little goatheads that HURT when stepped on barefoot. (We rarely wear shoes around here. They are way overrated. ;-)
(4) I found it humorous that in the book Weeds of the West, cactus was considered a weed. Really? I guess since it grows wild. Anyways, I've learned how to harvest nopales (pads) and prickly pear tunas (fruit) this year. Next May I hope to harvest cholla buds.
Here's what I've been up to in my yard:
(a) Re-dug one of my two in ground gardens in the front yard. Secured a pathway with pavers, mixed mulch, compost, worm castings, and sifted AZ clay dirt together and am now ready to plant. I hope to do a square food garden with this plot since I've never done square foot gardening before.
(b) Here is what is growing: okra, 2 sunflowers, squash, 3 basil plants, lots of purslane, and beans.
(c)I've been sifting AZ dirt like crazy these days. I borrowed a sifter and have to return it tomorrow. I love the feel of AZ dirt, so moist (only after it rains), cool, and smooth. It feels therapeutic.
What I need to do:
(a) Now that the temps are below 100, I need to find a lemon tree and grapes to plant so we can use our new greywater system.
(b) I need to keep amending my garden beds in the front yard and plant, plant, plant. I need to add Fish emulsions, EM and Diatomaceous Earth to the beds for best crop production.
Thanks for reading!
No comments:
Post a Comment