FRESH WILD GREENS: Coming Soon to a Yard Near You!

As winter continues to drag on into late February, rest assured that RELIEF IS COMING! Granted it will be coming in the form of "intrusive" garden weeds, but take note: some of these "weeds" are among the MOST HEALTHY items growing anywhere, including your own veggie beds. Here's just one of these powerful wild herbs.

CHICKWEED

 

Chickweed grows in a sprawling, matted fashion. It has a weak stem and each side of the stem is graced by a single line of hairs. These hairs rotate 90 degrees each time that the hairs meet a pair of leaves along the stem. The delicate white flower at the top is also unique. The plant can grow in almost any well-drained soil area, including: roadside, in grass yards, veggie and flower beds, and vacant lots. The plant is all edible and the taste resembles a cross between spinach and kale. One of the greatest health benefits of this weed is blood purification, to improve kidney and liver health. The plant is also used topically to treat a number of common skin irritations, like rashes and eczema. 

Here is a picture of a small amount of chickweed that I harvested out of my veggie beds last year on March 20th. Eat the plant raw, use it as the sole ingredient in a small salad, or add it to your regular green salad for a wild boost. Or, try making an invigorating Chickweed Pesto.