Edible Weeds – Don’t Kill The Weeds In Your Yard, Eat Them!

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Did you know that most weeds that grow in your yard are actually edible?

This means that even the worst gardener can produce food in the garden!  All you have to do is harvest it.

Edible weeds are sadly overlooked as a source of food, nutrition, and variety that can be a valuable addition to our daily diets. After all, many of the edible plants that we call weeds are close relatives to the vegetables and herbs that are cultivated in our gardens. But these edible weeds grow on their own accord and are free for the picking. — Veggie Gardening Tips

 

Here are some of the foods that will grow themselves in your yard…

 

#1 Kudzu

Being that I live in Georgia, I will start with Kudzu.  This stuff is everywhere and is taking over the southeastern United States.

It grows over other plants and vegetation and kills trees.  It can even grows over buildings and cement if left unchecked.  Still it is tasty and very nutritious.

Kudzu can be cooked like spinach, used to make jelly, and even deep-fried.

Every part of the kudzu plant can be utilized. The nutritious leaves are high in vitamins C and A, make an excellent animal fodder and can be eaten by humans steamed, boiled, deep-fried, pickled, or raw when harvested in areas that have not been sprayed with herbicides .. The most economically valued structure of kudzu is the root, which is renowned in Asia for its culinary, nutritional, and medicinal properties. The root is rich in a valuable starch that can be eaten steamed or boiled, or turned into a powder or cream for medicinal purposes.   — Appalachia Science in the Public Interest

Caution:  Never eat kudzu in areas that have been treated with pesticides!

 

#2 Honeysuckle

This weed is overtaking part of my yard, and since we find it fragrant and also very pretty, we are just creating a border to try to keep it contained.  I am overjoyed to find that it is also edible… in part anyway:

Many of the species have sweetly-scented, bell-shaped flowers that produce a sweet, edible nectar. Breaking of the Honeysuckle’s stem will release this powerful sweet odor. The fruit is a red, blue or black berry containing several seeds; in most species the berries are mildly poisonous, but a few (notably Lonicera caerulea) have edible berries. — Wikipedia

Honeysuckle also has medicinal properties.

 

#3 Shotweed

This is another common weed that likes to pop up in gardens. It’s also called hairy bittercress and snapweed.

It is more commonly known as wild cress by those who eat it. It is a great salad green; so much so, that people plant it for harvest.

When using any type of plant material, moderation is key.  Ingesting too much of even the most benign substance can cause you to become ill. Never harvest weeds from the side of the road. These plants may be contaminated from vehicle exhaust fumes. — Old Fashioned Living

 

Here are some tips for cooking up a delicious weed: Dandelion Greens:

 

More About Edible Weeds

• Discovering Edible Weeds
• Yes, You Can Eat Chickweed, Dandelions and Wild Cress
• Free Food In Your Yard: Edible Weeds
• Edible Weeds: Harvesting Tips & Hazards
• Wonderful World Of Weeds
• How To Grow A Weed Garden