“Yes, I know its a weed. But don’t be such a bigot. ” There I said it. Let’s get that out of the way from the beginning. Just because it volunteers its called a weed, but Hello, WEED is NOT a swear word. Some of my best friends are weeds. Just because something is called a weed, doesn’t mean we should discount it. The word is only a ‘term’. Many ‘weeds’ have earned their spots in my garden.
So, what exactly IS a weed? By definition, it is a “valueless plant growing wild” – especially on cultivated ground intended for a more desired crop. Generally, a weed is seen to be a troublesome plant, causing injury to its more desired neighbours. Okay that’s rude, and I admit – if a weed was being a jerk in my garden, it would have to go. But many times, the plant hasn’t hurt our feelings. All we know about it is that someone told us it’s a weed. Who gets to decide that? Most often, we consider a plant a weed, because it has been defined that way for us by the historically respected wisdom of “they“, whoever “they” are. “They” say that this is a weed, so therefore I must despise it, and do my best to eradicate it. Simply put, “a weed is a plant considered undesirable“, but perhaps it might be undesirable in one situation – while quite desirable in another. It is merely a label for a plant in the wrong place. The term itself is a relative term, and what may be a weed to you may not be to me, and vice versa. If a weed is characterized by not being wanted, then does wanting it, mean it is no longer – a weed?
Okay, so for argument’s sake, let’s agree that a weed generally ‘volunteers‘ itself – essentially, invites itself to the party – which really isn’t polite in some circles. And by common understanding, it competes with the invited guests, for resources like water, sunshine and space. Also – not polite. So it’s a little loud, and takes up too much room at the buffet, and yes – a weed usually reproduces rather aggressively, or is invasive, but still – let’s not HATE a plant just because it doesn’t have good garden manners. A plant that is a weed in one context is not a weed when growing in a situation where it is in fact, wanted. The first time I saw an oriental poppy, it had volunteered in my garden – uninvited, and therefore ‘a weed’.
What if you found value in some of them? Would they cease to be the scourge they are now? What if those same weeds became part of your summer meals? Many are available in the early spring, before your vegetables are even ready to pick. Used to their fullest, weeds can increase the potential yield of your garden, and at the very least – make it more interesting.
Most of the weeds I talk about in this post grow from self seeding, so they are up and established weeks before your regular garden. This means that you can start eating nutritious and delicious mixed garden greens (lambs quarters, chickweed, dandelion leaves, borage, plantain, etc) in your salad as early as May (in the Edmonton area) most years. By mid June, as your garden grows and develops. you will be eating more ‘regular’ vegetables from your garden, adding more and more to your salad as the days go by and needing weeds less. But not to worry, they don’t get their feelings hurt easily. They’re there for you when you need them.
BORAGE
Borage was ‘invited’ initially, into my garden, but because it returns year after year on its own – by definition it has become a weed. If one was a weed bigot, they’d miss out on what Borage has to offer.
Borage attracts bees and other pollinators to your garden. You’ll need to remove it from spots where it will shade or outgrow nearby plants, but for heaven’s sake, don’t deny it a place simply because you didn’t invite it.
Borage is edible in leaf, flower and seed, and fairly nutritious, though the texture is not so desirable. It is for this reason that it has an honoured place in my garden.
CALENDULA
Calendula are hardy, self seeding beautifully vibrant flowers, free spirits who grow where they want. I love their gorgeous bright orange splashes of colour throughout the gardens: flower, herb and vegetable. Because I pick them for fresh flowers in the kitchen, and also to dry for later, I sometimes worry that I am not leaving enough to self seed, so I intentionally ensure some blossoms get left to go-to-seed, and when ripened I freely scatter them. My investment in the future.
My discovery of calendulas came as a gift from a neighbour who thought I’d enjoy them. I didn’t know what to expect, but trusting her I broadcast the seed and was delighted the next spring when they sprang to life, and even more so later, when they showed their cheery bright orange faces. Calendula flowers attract pollinators all season long, so they are valuable as companion plants.
CHAMOMILE
German chamomile is an annual plant that reaches around 2 feet in height. It is probably the one you’re most used to seeing and the one pictured here, and though it is an annual plant, it is an aggressive self-seeder, so it will likely return year after year. Tricky.
Wild chamomile is sometimes referred to as Pineapple Plant or Pineapple-weed, is an annual ‘weed’ that commonly grows in inhospitable areas like gravel driveways, cracks in sidewalks, road sides and of course in fields – any place where it gets plenty of sun and heat.
Pineapple weed gets its nickname from its appearance and scent. The shape of the blossom is reminiscent of a pineapple, and when you pinch one of the flowers you will smell the sweet, light sent of pineapple. Like the other chamomiles, it has medicinal qualities. It is a sedative herb that relaxes the digestive system and settles the stomach (including motion sickness). Also good for calming nerves, and as a mild relaxant to help you sleep. Because of its soothing properties it is used to help reduce stress and anxiety.
Its hard to say how to grow a ‘weed’ because just the nature of a weed means it grows wherever it darn well feels like it. Usually the problem is to stop growing where you don’t want it. But I find that to be true only until you find a useful purpose for it. Afterward it suddenly gets picky about its growing environ. Wild chamomile grows in cracks and seams and gravel, but in my garden it grows in a protected area, where weeds can be safe. But because it is used to abuse and inhospitality, it doesn’t thrive in a wholesome environment. Poor thing. So if you have a terrible spot in your yard, plant pineapple week in it. You’ll both be happy.
Pick it to use fresh, or to dry for winter use. Of German Chamomiles you can use the flowers and leaves, and even the stems, but I only pick the flowers because they’re so plentiful I don’t need anymore than that. But for the pineapple weed, because its so small and I usually don’t have a lot to pick from, I pick the blossoms and leaves, and if the plant is young and tender, I pick the stems too. Swish the plant around in water then flick off excess moisture or run through a lettuce spinner.
To make an infusion / cuppa tea, take a large handful and steep in tea pot with boiling hot water for 10 – 20 minutes. Easier to keep hot if you gently simmer in a small pot on very low heat. Strain as for any tea, and drink with a touch of honey or a dash of stevia to sweeten if desired. Adding a pinch of mint leaves gives it a nice flavour. Brew lots and chill it for a nice refreshing iced tea later.
CHICKWEED (common chickweed and long stalked chickweed)
I’ve taught classes where I have brought chickweed growing in a pot to show, and had people convinced they’ve never seen it before. I believe they have, they’re just not used to seeing it that up-close-and-personal, or perhaps that well taken care of. The plant lies low and trails the ground, the perfect ground cover. It is easy to pull up and get rid of, but don’t be so quick to try to eradicate it. It is one of my most valued plants (weed or no weed). Learn what it looks like and treat it with the respect it deserves.
Hated by many gardeners, chickweed can be transformed from a pest to a deliciously tender ‘vegetable’ by anyone with an open mind. Hardy, self seeds, highly recommended. With a delicate flavour, chickweed is a nutritional power house: calcium, essential fatty acid, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, silicon, sulfur, zinc, vitamins B1 B2 B3, C and E.
Common Chickweed that we so often find in our gardens, is a tender plant, branching out from a central root. The small leaves are bright green and sometimes referred to as ‘mouse ears’. The flowers are tiny, white and star like. Although its an annual, chickweed self seeds and so if you’re lucky, you can inadvertently bring in some seed with garden soil if you bring any plants into the house for winter. Common in most gardens, especially in damp partly shady areas.
Chickweed is super easy to eat right on the spot while you’re working in the garden. Be careful not to pull it up by the root as you don’t want to kill it. I know, that is contrary to what you’re naturally inclined to want to do with ‘weeds’, but once you understand and experience the value of chickweed, it will be a valuable and protected plant in your garden. Coarsely chop to add to a salad, throw into a smoothie or steam with other greens. There is no shortage of ways you can incorporate chickweed into your daily summer diet, and you will feel better for it. I promise.
Long-leaved Chickweed is a native plant to the Edmonton area. Also known as long-leaved stichwort or long-leaf starwort, it is a perennial clump-forming plant with stems that are erect or straggling, often branched. It can grow up to 20 inches long. It’s flowers are small and delicate, white with five parted petals.
It normally grows in wet meadows, woodlands, and in marshes where the soil is moist and fertile with full sun. It is considered protected in the wild, and as most native plants are endangered it should never be picked and transplanted. The only way to get one is to purchase a plant or seed from a responsible organization like EDMONTON NATIVE PLANTS SOCIETY which you can look up online. They also have a face book page. They propagate for the purpose of sharing the plants to interested gardeners.
using:
The native, long leaved chickweed plant is edible, and can be used in all the same ways one would use common garden chickweed.
DANDELION
In addition to just good nutrition, dandelions have the potential to provide some therapeutic health benefits. They contain powerful antioxidants which we all know is important to a healthy immune system, and research also indicates they may have anti inflammatory properties as well as being a natural diuretic. Dandelions contain bioactive compounds that are known to assist in reducing cholesterol, and for generations they have been used to promote a healthy liver.
Personally, I don’t know about all that stuff. Some people are passionate about the health benefits, and of course some are always skeptical. But for sure they are nutritious and are unlikely to cause harm, as long as you’re not allergic, so for me – that’s good enough for now. I consider them a gift from Heavenly Father, and I’ll use them where I can.
Dandelions are a power house of nutritional value: highly nutritious, containing vitamins C and B6, thiamin, riboflavin, calcium, iron, potassium and manganese. Compared to spinach – the well respected “super food” – dandelion greens have 8 times more antioxidants + 2 times more calcium + 3 times more vitamin A + 5 times more vitamin E and K. That should be enough information to at least compel us to want to give them a try. Dandelion acts as a mild laxative that promotes digestion, stimulates appetite and balances the natural and beneficial bacteria in the intestines. They are a unique addition to your well balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.
using:
Dandelion greens are one of the healthiest of green vegetables. Yes, they’re a little on the bitter side, like radicchio and endive only more so. It seems that “bitter herbs” are the ones with all the nutrients in them. (How ironic is that?) So be creative, and be persistent in finding ways that you can enjoy them.
*Leaves / the greens: are more tender and less bitter in the early spring. Simply snip the leaves from your protected plants, as you would any other garden green. Wash in warm water, and dry as you would leaf lettuce. Cut them up to add into a salad to distribute among the other greens. Studies indicate that bitter flavours are great for digestion and curbing sugar cravings. Eating more dandelion can be as simple as sprinkling a handful of chopped leaves into your next salad. Later, the leaves get quite strong tasting with that bitterness unique to dandelions. I have heard the blanching them helps to get rid of the bitter taste. To blanch, put into boiling salted water for 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Strain them and transfer them to ice water.
Served with cucumbers and crumbled feta.
recipe: DANDELION OMELETTE for one
6 – 10 dandelion leaves, washed, stem removed and lightly chopped.
1 stalk of garlic chives with bulb, chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Boil some water and blanche the leaves for a minute or two. Strain and set aside.
In a little oil, saute chopped garlic chives over medium heat till tender (just a minute or two).
Add the blanched greens and saute another minute or so. Turn heat down a bit, and pour beaten eggs over vegetables.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper or your fave seasoning. Cook omelette till eggs are set.
Turn out onto plate and serve.
*Flowers: can be picked when they are nice and young. Wash them by gently swishing in cool water. You’ll be surprised how much dirt will settle in your water when you thought they were clean. Remove all green from the underside, not because it’s bad for you, but because it doesn’t taste good. Toss into your salad whole. Some people batter the blossoms and deep fry them like a fritter.
Or make a dandelion iced tea. NOT kidding! It is quite delicious and very refreshing. Pick lots of dandelion flower heads, being sure to wash them in cool water. Put them in a clean pot and pour boiling water over to cover and a few more inches. Let them steep for an hour or two till completely cooled. You can drink anywhere along the line, the only difference is gonna be whether its hot or cold, and the strength of the infusion of course. I drink it hot, room temperature and cold from the fridge. I like it all ways, but probably chilled is my favourite. Surprisingly it does not need any sweetener.
*Roots: are better later in the year, but before frost. When digging, make sure you dig deep down to get as much of the root as possible. Cut them off the plant and soak them in water to loosen the dirt. Brush and rub together to clean, changing water as needed.
To make a coffee-like hot drink (decoction): chop into small pieces no more than 1/2 an inch. Heat your oven to 350° F, and place roots on a pan to toast for 10-15 minutes. Don’t leave them alone, as they will burn easily. Check every three or four minutes and move them around when they begin to toast to try to keep the toasting even. The pieces should smoke a little and give off a chocolaty aroma while cooking. When most of them look like ‘chocolate’ pieces, and snap apart easily they are done. Allow them to cool, and then store them in an airtight jar out of sunlight.
I have a coffee grinder but I’ve never used it for coffee. LOL. I just throw these toasted root bits into the blender and blend to a coarse crumble – like cocoa nibs. You can store it like this too. To prepare drink, pour boiling water over top of the nibs and brew like you would a loose leaf herbal tea. Let it sit as long as you want, and strain like you would herbal tea leaves. Test for strength and adjust your amounts according to taste.
FEVERFEW
Feverfew is a cheerful, ferny plant with lots of pretty small white daisy-like flowers with bright yellow centers. It is adaptable and low maintenance. It loves full sun and well drained soil, but is agreeable to partial shade. When the flowers are mature / ripe, their yellow centers will begin to dry and brown into seeds. I usually take two or three of these seed heads and sprinkle them among my entire garden. That will give me hundreds of volunteer pop-up plants for next summer. They are a biennial which means they flower and go to seed in their second year. They don’t come back the next spring, but lots of little feverfew babies do.
In its second year, in a favourable spot it can grow to up to 20 inches. A nice bushy, ferny plant. Feverfew is easy to remove where you don’t want it, and its easy to transplant too. Its just an easy going friend, who doesn’t take offense. I allow it to grow profusely in my herb garden, flower gardens and even a few in my vegetable garden. Just because we’re friends, and we get along well.
Feverfew is such a pretty plant, it brings me joy. The taste however, . . . it may have medicinal qualities, but it would never make it in the kitchen. That’s okay. You can’t be every thing to everybody. The taste is strong and bitter to me. My mother-in-law said she’d have to put it in a mouthful of something else to eat it. And that is exactly what I would have to do. Be creative. You only have to eat one leaf.
Feverfew is NOT a pain reliever, so don’t take it when you’re in the middle of a migraine. It is a preventative. I have never suffered from a migraine, and rarely get bad headaches, but those who take one pill a day, or one leaf a day as prevention, swear by it. It is effective in decreasing frequency and severity, and many people I have spoken to about it, say that their headaches are significantly fewer and more manageable.
It is also used to relieve chronic premenstrual cramping.
HORSERADISH
So many people are afraid of planting horseradish. They’ve heard nightmare stories about how invasive it is, and the truth is, if you don’t want to eat it, there isn’t much point in growing it. Yes, it will come back every year, so I guess that makes it a bit of a weed, but open your mind. It is a very helpful plant to have around as a companion plant, but also as a salad green in addition to the sauce you make from its root. And therein lies the secret of controlling it. If you eat it, you EAT THE ROOT. Harvesting it is how you control it. Digging out the root at the end of every season, prevents it from getting too far ahead of you, and robustness is pretty important if its gonna continue to come back.
Yes, horseradish’s most commonly used part is the root, known for its strong, pungent flavour (and its heat) – that you either love or hate. But don’t discriminate against the leaves, as they are quite edible and very delicious when they are young. They have a sharp, bitter, and peppery taste — similar to arugula and kale and yes, even radish. Snip one or two fresh young leaves and chop up to add to a mixed green garden salad. I’m not suggesting a “horse radish leaf salad”, but to have some horse radish IN your mixed green salad is completely delicious. Try incorporating some of the young leaves into your next garden pesto. Or even add to the greens in your stir-fried vegetables. Be creative. Don’t be a garden bigot by not allowing certain ‘herbs’ or vegetables in your garden to show you how wonderful and versatile they really are.
LAMBS QUARTERS
Like many weeds, lambs quarters self seed, so they are up and established weeks before your regular garden. Also called goose foot or pigweed – lambs quarters is a relative of spinach and quinoa. Sometimes known as wild spinach, and considered a weed in most gardens, it deserves more credit than it usually gets. Highly nutritious, rich in V C and E, essential fatty acids, iron, calcium, minerals and antioxidants.
Like spinach, beet greens, swiss chard and most other greens lambs quarters contains some oxalic acid which when eaten raw in large quantities can inhibit calcium absorption.
These plants are so loaded with calcium however, that the amount of calcium not absorbed due to oxalic acid is minimized. Its a good idea to rotate your ‘greens’ for that reason anyway. Variety is a good thing. The black seeds are edible and very nutritious. Very good source of protein.
The underside of Lamb’s Quarters’ leaves and top of the new leaves are covered in a fine pink dust. Resist the temptation to wash it off as it is full of calcium and protein. It contains even more protein than kale. When lamb’s quarters is young, the entire above ground plant is edible. The stems and leaves can be eaten raw, steamed, or sautéed. Can be used any way and in any recipe that spinach is used, including a ‘spinach’ salad.
When I am in my garden, I will often pick the tender new plants and eat them while I work. I never pull them to get rid of them. They’re much too valuable for that, I’ll just break them off.
I’ll also add them to salads, or to any other green that I steam.
MULLEIN
Mullein is a big, tall, unique looking plant with long fuzzy leaves, and in the flowering years it can reach six or seven feet tall. Introduced to North America with European settlers, it is considered a weed, that grows wild in fields and ditches in many parts of BC and Alberta. Some of the leaves can grow about two feet long.
Mullein is a hardy biennial in the western states and provinces from zone 3 to 9. It loves sun and dry, so its the perfect plant for the backdrop of a country flower garden, or along sunny fence lines. It is drought resistant so once it gets established, it will pretty much take care of itself. It requires winter dormancy before it can flower. Yes its a weed, but its a great ‘weed’ so don’t be a bigot; bees love the yellow blossoms and birds eat the seeds. If you don’t want the seeds to disperse freely, then remove the flower stalk before it seeds. Personally, I don’t mind plants that self seed if they’re easy to pull up where I don’t want them. Mullein is easy to pull up, so I mostly let the wind or birds plant them where they want and I pull them up where its not gonna work for me. In fact, that’s how it came to me. As a gift from either the wind or some of my bird friends. I didn’t know what it was for a couple of years. Since its a biennial, it was different the second year, and confused me when it didn’t come back the third year, but a few babies took its place. My philosophy is to never kill something I don’t understand, and since it was new (and very interesting), I decided to let it prove itself to me. I figured it out finally and we understand each other now, and have a good relationship. It grows tall, so it needs room to be what it wants to be, but its so fun for the kids to touch the soft fuzzy leaves that I want it in a place where they can enjoy it.
As a biennial, the first year is the leaf year, getting only about three feet tall; the stalks and blossoms grow in the second year. Its small, yellow flowers are densely grouped on a tall stem, which grows from a large rosette of leaves. It won’t come back the year after it seeds, so if you can manage it, its good to have a few mullein plants in various stages of their development to ideally, you always have the tall yellow flowered stalks.
In the spring, when a cluster of a few plants appear here and there, I keep two or three at most in any given area and remove the others to replant elsewhere or two give away. With a little care, they’re easy to transplant.
Mullein is reputed to have expectorant and cough suppressant properties that make it useful for relief of the symptoms of sore throat and coughs. It has been used traditionally for respiratory conditions such as cough, asthma, pneumonia, and colds, but there is limited scientific research to support the claims. Currently the jury is still out on the medicinal uses of Mullein so for now, I use it only as an ornamental herb in my garden, and will continue to stay on top of continued research.
ORACH
Orach is closely related to spinach and lambs quarters. It is a self seeding annual, that stand erect and grow very tall. The leaves are most tender when they are young of course. Freely branching stems carrying many more leaves that decrease in size from bottom to top. Often the stems and leaves are tinged with red or purple. Sometimes they are all red, called Red Orach, and often referred to as “red spinach”. Aside from the fact that it is valuable as a food, it is extremely attractive in a vegetable, herb or even flower garden.
growing:
In my opinion, orache is far superior to spinach as a crop vegetable because it can be harvested over a much longer period of time. I brought my first orach plant in as a transplant. A gift from a friend of my mother in law’s. For twenty years I’ve let it grow where it wants and then took out what was in an unsuitable spot. This year (2021) is the first year I have actually purchased seeds, and am planting a deliberate patch of orach. It will go to seed, but letting it, will produce make the leaves less tender. It responds very well to pinching, producing a lot of new stems covered in succulent young leaves. So pinch away, as soon as you see flowers appear.
using:
I use Orach like spinach or beet greens or lambs quarters. When young, in a salad, when a little older and less tender, then I add them to anything I use normal ‘greens’ for.
PLANTAIN
Plantain is a low growing perennial weed common throughout most of the world, introduced to North America (like so many things) with settlement by Europeans. Whether you knew the name or not, the chances of you being familiar with plantain is very high, as it is found on disturbed ground almost everywhere – city, town, farm, meadow, woods, … you name it. In earlier days it became known as “white man’s foot” because it was common along roadsides and other disturbed areas. The seeds would stick to the boots of the travelers and to their animals. It grows and spreads in areas close to people and domestic animals. Interestingly, it is also wind pollinated so not dependent on bees, and the seeds along the spikes are popular with birds.
For all the above reasons, it has come to be a noxious weed in North America. Kind of ironic as the definition of noxious is “injurious to physical or mental health“, and plantain although perhaps irritating to farmers, can be very beneficial and in different parts of the world it is actually cultivated as a crop.
I have transplanted plantain plants to a ‘protected area’ of my garden, where weeds are allowed to grow in peace and safety. It has taken me a few years to educate the people I live with about the value in some plants so that the ‘weeds’ can be left to thrive. They don’t pretend to understand me. They just roll their eyes and shrug their shoulders and promise to stay out of the protected zone. Last year, I had to transplant in two more plantain plants because my well meaning mom dug them out in the spring lol. But I think we’ve made progress. I have put up a sign in that section of my garden that say “Let it Grow“. It was my daughter’s slogan; I voted for “Weeds have rights too”, but she was the one who made the sign so she had veto power.
The seeds and tiny flowers extend just about the full length of the spikes. The leaves are broad and oval shaped. The stocks holding the tiny flowers grow up from the roots.
They say that plantain leaves are edible, though you’d want to eat them very young in the spring as they get bitter and a little tough as the season wears on. I have never eaten them so don’t have an opinion. The seeds are also edible and when cooked will swell. I’ve never eaten them either.
It is used as a fresh poultice (called spit poultice) for insect bites. To make a ‘spit poultice (I know, I don’t like the name either), pick several leaves, and mash them together. You can put them in your mouth and chew up to make a green mush – hence the name. This could take you awhile as the leaves can be fibrous and …. well, chewy. The enzymes in your saliva apparently help release the healing and antiseptic properties from the leaf, and give it the proper texture to apply to the bite area. Wrap with gauze or other clean fabric to keep it on for several hours, replacing when it dries out. Similarly it is valued for its soothing quality and is used in salves for open sores.
Fun fact: because of its excellent water solubility, plantain seeds – also known as “psyllium”, is commonly used in commercial bulk laxatives. The seeds absorb water and become a thick, viscous compound that resists digestion in the small intestine. This resistance to digestion allows it to help regulate high cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood sugar levels, as well as relieve mild diarrhea and constipation. Unlike some other sources of fiber, the body typically tolerates psyllium well, making it a helpful natural choice.
Most of the psyllium seed used in North America comes from India as the herb is not commercially grown in North America. People use psyllium as a dietary supplement, available in the form of husk, granules, capsules, or powder. Manufacturers also fortify breakfast cereals and baked goods with psyllium. Psyllium husk is the main active ingredient in Metamucil, a fiber supplement that reduces constipation.
POPPIES
Poppies are the perfect example of why we should wait to see
what something is before we decide its destiny.
One of my garden’s most pleasant surprises is the sudden midsummer splash of RED interspersed here and there. I first discovered Poppies quite by accident, in the little Ukrainian neighbourhood of our tiny farm-town – Calmar, Alberta. We were a year or two into our very first real garden, in our very first real home – an old, rundown house that we loved and fixed up. I worked hard in my garden, trying to keep it as weed free as possible, but one evening when I was wrapping it up for the day, I surveyed my work and noted a single tall weed in the middle of my potato patch. It looked so strong and healthy I didn’t have the heart to pull it out, so I left it. The very next day it rewarded me with a big, gorgeous red flower the like of which I had only seen in pictures. My neighbour confirmed it was indeed, a poppy – a “weed”. That was my first experience with the idea that the word ‘weed’ is a relative term. We really shouldn’t get so tied up in the word, as if it defined value. And yet we know we do. I learned that my poppy produced seed, the same poppy seed so popular in Ukrainian baking, and so began a life long friendship: Me and poppies.
That single poppy was the beginning of a dynasty. It did what all poppies do after they bloom, it went to seed. Inside a poppy pod are thousands of tiny seeds. At first white, they ripen into an assortment of grey and black. I took those ripened seeds and broadcast them all over my garden. The next year I had lots of poppies, and lots of seeds. I have taken the seed with me to every house I’ve lived in since then, and shared them with everyone who asked for some. In the mid 1980’s we lived in a townhouse for two years while Dan went back to school. My poppies were growing in the only sunny spot my small yard offered, one we prepared under our front window, with the many other flowers and herbs we brought with us. After my poppies bloomed, some stupid Neanderthal came one night and cut off all the unripe pods, taking them. When we woke up in the morning, they were all gone. Of course there was a purpose – it’s an opium poppy after all, and I supposed the thief knew secrets I didn’t know. I never grew poppies in a front yard again.
Poppies are a bright, colourful, early summer addition to any flower, herb or even vegetable garden. All they need is sun. They can grow to three feet high, maybe higher. Straight and tall, with beautiful toothed, light green leaves and striking crepe-papery flowers that tower over their neighbours. They come in lots of different colours, but of this type I have only ever had red, and slight variations on red.
I learned long ago that when they grow in clumps of several, and for crowding reasons they don’t get enough sun, they will not grow very big. Could be even just a few inches. They will flower, but just small flowers with small seed heads. Its important to thin them out to no more that two or three relatively close together, and make sure they are not shaded by nearby plants. Single poppies (with less competition for sun) will grow the tallest, making the biggest heads, hence the biggest flowers, and ultimately the most seeds.
Because I have limited space, my gardens are rather . . . . . . FULL. And sunshine becomes a premium resource. I don’t want the poppies being shaded, but I also can’t have them shading lower plants either, and I want good airflow in my gardens, so there are concessions the poppies have to make so that everybody can be happy. If it’s seeds you’re after, when the poppies have finished flowering, leave it to ripen. But they no longer need all their leaves, in fact the leaves begin to dry anyway. I pull off all the lower leaves, which allows for better air flow and more light to get to surrounding plants.
Truth be told, I’d grow poppies just for their brilliant flowers, brief as they are in bloom, but every stage of the plant pleases me. Its a lovely plant as it gets ready to flower and the flower is spectacular. Then when they’re ready, the seeds are edible, often sprinkled on top of bagels and used in muffins, breads, cakes and salad dressings. And when all is said and done, the dried seed pod is its own kind of beautiful, making a classy statement in the maturing garden, and a striking addition to dried fall flower arrangements.
Poppies are easy to grow. They want sun, and otherwise don’t ask for much. They don’t even need good soil, and will grow almost anywhere. There are many different varieties and colours, and from the same seed, I have occasionally had pink or even double flowering blossoms. Such is the miracle of genetics. The poppy is an annual flower, and I broadcast seed freely when I harvest it in September or October. It sits dormant all winter and when the conditions are right in summer, they start to grow. It is not uncommon for me to have sporadic blooms from the beginning of July through the end of August.
using poppy seeds
Truth is, poppies are the source of opium, morphine and many other drug compounds. For centuries they’ve been used from mild sedatives and pain relievers, all the way to life and soul-destroying drugs. Personally, I decided decades ago I wasn’t interested in pursuing any use other than to the ripe seeds as a food. So while I acknowledge the darker side, I’m not going to waste anytime debating where the line is regarding it.
As a food, poppy seeds contain essential minerals like calcium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, zinc and iron, as well as some B vitamins and omega 6 fatty acids so necessary to a healthy heart. They have a distinctive nutty taste and are used whole or ground into meal as an ingredient in pastries and breads. I have always loved poppy seed muffins, cakes and breads, but the true Eastern European poppy seed roll was an acquired taste. Having said that however, I really like it now. Recipes abound for tons of dishes so be adventurous and try them. My faves include:
Poppy Seed cookies, muffins, scones, bundt cakes, loaf cakes and even angel food cakes.
Poppy seeds as a topping for breads, rolls, bagels etc.
Poppy seed dressing for salads.
PLANTAIN
STINGING NETTLE
this post is a work in progress . . . . I will add to it so stay tuned.
In the meantime, as always – I’d love to hear your relevant comments.
Cindy Suelzle