Weeds and Mindful Gardening:
Alisha M’Lot and Alanna Vachon
In general: Weeds are typically pioneer plants, actually arriving to save your disturbed, unhealthy soil! Weeds add minerals
and nutrients to deficient soils, extensive root systems leave channels for drainage and build humus in the ground as they
decay. Some also absorb excess salt from the soil. They stabilize soil, curb water loss and repair landscapes. Flowering weeds
produce pollen to attract beneficial insects – especially helpful in early spring when vegetable beds are not yet in flower. They
prevent erosion. Weeds act as a shelter for other plants and insects. They can indicate whether the soil is acidic, alkaline,
compacted, or fertile. Let them wilt, then turn them into the soil, or add them to your compost pile.
Weeds have important cultural history, having been used as food, fuel, medicines, dyes, and building material for
hundreds, thousands of years, humans and animals alike. They are prominent occurrences in art, folklore, and literature in
history, telling important cultural stories.
Provided below is a chart of some common weeds in our Pacific Northwest region, and their edibility, medicinal uses, benefits
to the garden, what they can tell you about the soil, and other notes. For clarification, the following terms are used:
Ground Cover Plants: Maintain moisture, moderate soil temperature, and prevent absorption of nutrients by the sun, as well
as soil erosion. They guard soil. Prevent crusting from hot and dry conditions, hence allowing water and air to enter and move
around soil more easily.
Miner (deep-rooted) Plants: They have a long, deep, single root – a ‘tap root’. The deep root ‘taps’ into, or mines the rich
nutrient pockets from deep layers of the soil. This is partially why they grow first, in unhealthy, ‘dead’ soil - they can reach the
nutrients further down. The deep roots bring up nutrients from deep, stores them in it’s leaves, and when it dies, deposits the
nutrients on the surface, making the available to other plants without the deep roots. When you pull the weeds, you loose all
these nutrients! They also bring up deep moisture to the surface. Improves drainage
*Balance: Too much of any of these plants – taking over, acting as invasives, is simply an indicator that your system is out of
balance! These plants getting out of control are flashing warning lights that you are not doing a good job building your garden.
A healthy, balanced, ecosystem will not be taken over by weeds.
By analogy – we all have quiet cancer cells in our body. They only become an issue when their numbers take over, FOR SOME
REASON. The same with weeds. Ask yourself, why are they taking over? Why are there so many here? You weeds are trying to
tell you something, whether it’s a comment on soil composition, quality, nutrition, hydration, bugs, other plants, etc –
something is out of balance.
In terms of edibility, essentially, all these herbs/weeds can happily be used in…
Quiche, savory pancakes, omelets, herb jar, steamed, sandwiches, salad, stir-fry, pesto, add to fritters, add to soups, fillings for
empanadas, cannelloni, lasagna, sauces, soups, etc.
Plant
Canadian Thistle
Can I eat it?!
Is it Medicinal?
- Leaves can be
eaten raw or
cooked (remove
prickles first)
- rhizomes, stems,
and roots can be
peeled and eaten
raw or steamed
(like asparagus)
- Leaves can be
rolled up to
smash the spines.
- Source of fiber,
vitamins, and
- Infusions and
extracts of root were
used for mouth
diseases, infections,
and a general health
tonic.
- Leaves can be
chewed to relieve
tooth aches or sore
throats due to antiinflammatory
properties
How does it help
my garden?
- An excellent
source of nectar
and pollen for
honey bees (and
given that they
grow easily in
poor soil, they do
well in attracting
pollinators to
areas that need
them!)
- Miner plant
- It’s incredibly
deep roots help
What can it tell
me about my
soil?
- Balance*
- Indicates
heavier,
compacted soils
- Indicates dry
soils
Notes
- Roots contain
inulin, an
indigestible
starch, so may
cause
bloating/gas
- The thistle
became the
national symbol
of Scotland after a
Norwegian arm
mounted a
surprise attack,
taking off their
minerals
- Young spring
shoots are
considered most
tasty – a delicacy
in Scotland!
- Use in salads,
throw it in your
green smoothie
for extra
nutrients, bake in
a lasagna, try out
Thistle chips, etc.
break up subsoil
- Roots bring up
iron, in particular
shoes to quietly
cross the fields –
their resulting
cries of pain
alerted defenders.
- In Norse
mythology, the
thistle is the
lightening plant –
those who wore it
were protected by
Thor, God of
thunder.
- "I pick them in
quantity when the
plant is under 1
foot tall, then rinse
them to remove
dirt and bugs. I find
that rinsing (under
a stream of water)
tends to disable
the prickles to a
noticeable extent. I
cut the plant's
stem with scissors
via gloved hands,
but rinse the
leaves with bare
hands. Then I cook
them in water or
stock (the latter is
tastier) and the
prickles are fully
disabled”
Purple Dead
Nettle
- Leaves, stem,
and flowers are
all edible
- Very nutritious,
high in iron,
vitamins, and
fiber
- Eaten as raw
green, or cooked
- Best collected
when in flower
for fresh eating
- Make a tea,
sweetened with
honey
- Salads, stir-fry,
pesto,
- Bruised fresh
leaves can be used
to staunch
wounds/cuts
- Used as a
complimentary
treatment for
controlling and
reducing allergies!
- They are
significantly antiinflammatory, and
pain-reducing
(inhibits the release
of the hormone
prostagladin-2, the
main mediator for
inflammation in
allergies and chronic
inflammatory
conditions)
- Has a range of
antimicrobial and
antifungal
properties.
- Natural source of
immune system
- Important
nectar and pollen
plants for bees, as
they arrive in
early spring (have
been known as
“bee nettle”)
- Balance*
- prefers moist,
well-drained soil
- Will grow just
about anywhere!
- Typically
indicates less
nutritious and
shadier areas
- Consult your
doctor before
combing purple
dead nettle with
prescription
medications
- A beautiful
plant! Use in
flower bouquets
an enjoy their
bright colours and
purple shine!
- called
‘deadnettle’ in
reference to the
fact that they are
not a stinging
nettle
building Vitamin C
- Concentrated tea
can be a laxative
Sheep Sorrel
Gout Weed
- Delicious lemon
taste!
- Used directly in
cooking, salads,
sauces, and soups
- Used across the
globe
- Stewed leaves
are popular with
lamb and pork
- Used as a
garnish
- Can be used to
curdle cheese
- Provides flavour
with it’s tartness
- Chop finely and
cook on salmon
- Make a lemony
cordial,
champagne, or
wine with the
leaves
- Was used as a
main salad
ingredient and
- Anti-inflammatory
agent
- Diuretic
- Antibacterial
- Immune system
booster
- Antioxidant
- Has been used in
treatment for
cancer, fever, and
scurvy
- Vitamins A, B
complex, C, D, E and
K
- Can help reduce
inflammation and
pain in sinusitis
- Tannins in the
plant help decrease
mucus production
- Can be used to
quench thirst
- Brings up
calcium and
phosphorus,
mineralize that
alkalinize the soil
- *Balance
- Indicates acidic,
low lime soil (pH
below 7.0)
- EXCESSIVE use
may lead to
kidney stones if
one is prone to
them, due to high
amounts of oxalic
acid
- Generally
recommended
children/breastfeeding women
avoid this herb,
due to lack of
research
- Called “azeda” in
Portugal, meaning
“sour”
- All parts are a
diuretic
- Has been used to
- Acts as a good
ground cover
plant
- Will indicate
- The veins of
that your soil with Gout weed leaf
healthy moisture ends at the tip of a
pot herb in
Europe
- Older gout
leaves are often
cooked with
cheese (think,
spinach and
artichoke dip?
Gout and
artichoke dip!)
- In Northwest
Germany, Gout is
made into grune
suppe, or green
soup
- Leaves eaten
raw or cooked
can have a tangy
taste
- For best taste,
harvest before it
flowers
- Use anywhere
you’d use spinach
- This tends to be
a love it or hate it
plant, when it
comes to taste!
Give it a try!
treat rheumatism,
arthritis, and
bladder disorders
- People consumed
and externally used
gout, crushing the
root and holding it
at the join to fight
the sickness gout
- Stimulates
digestion and
metabolism
- Good Source of Vit.
C and A, iron,
manganese, copper,
and trace minerals
such as boron and
titanium
- Part of the
umbellifer family,
which are great
pollinators!
levels
- Balance*
tooth on the
underside of the
leaf. Toxic
hemlocks have
veins that end
between the
teeth.
- The genus,
Aegopodium, is
from the Greek
words “agios”
meaning goat, and
“podion” which
means little foot –
the leaf shape
resembles a little
goat foot!
- RHIZOMES ARE
NOT EDIBLE
- A good early
season green
Bindweed/
Morning Glory
- Tea
- Steam the stalks
- In Turkey, leaves
are used like
spinach
- Long known for its
properties to purify
and cleanse the
body and calm the
mind
- Works to eliminate
toxins/heavy metals
from your body
- A rich source of
compounds such as
tropine, aspartic
acid, alanine, etc.
- Indigenous Peoples
used it as an
antidote to spider
bites
- It exhibits actions
similar to antidiabetic mediations,
checking blood
sugar levels
- Flowers are
believed to exhibit
antibacterial and
antifungal
properties
- Treating stress;
can be used to
soothe and calm
mind and nerves
- Can be used to
purify and make
cultivable
chemical-laden,
and overly used
agricultural land
(get rid of those
pesticides, heavy
metals, etc in your
soil!)
- Specifically
works well to
eradicate
chromium,
copper, and
cadmium from
the soil
- works to restore
the fertility and
balance of the soil
- Acts similar to
nitrogen-fixing
plants, enhancing
soil fertility
- Excellent ground
cover plant
- Roots contain
minerals that are
returned to the
soil when
- It thrives in
nitrogen-rich
areas, hence
indicating highnitrogen soil (a
result of chemical
fertilizers or
natural causes)
- Balance*
- Indicates poor
drainage, often
hard soil with a
crusty surface
- Grows in
neglected areas,
does not like
cultivated soil
- *Balance
- Strong twining
vine can be used
for weaving or
making good rope
(stems were
commonly used
as pack rope for
carrying bird and
marmots home
after hunting)
- A green dye can
be made from the
whole plant
- Brought for
medicinal and
ornamental
values
- Many European
superstitions
about the plant: if
a young woman
picks the flowers
of Field bindweed,
the object of her
affections will die.
If you pick the
flowers there will
be a thunder
storm – often
called “thunder
Daisy
- Leaves have
been used as a
cooked green,
boiled or as a pot
herb
- Flower petals
eaten in salads
- Typically more
bitter taste
- Flower buds
eaten in
sandwiches,
soups, stews,
- Pickle and use
flower buds or
green shoots like
capers!
- It was a
medieval delicacy
to have a salad of
young leaves with
sorrel leaves and
dandelion
- Flowers, before
- Research is being
conducted on
Bindweed and
fighting cancer
tumors
- A strong purgative
- Leaves are
especially rich in
Vitamin C in early
spring (comparable
to that of lemons!)
- Infusion of leaves
can make a
mosquito repellent
- In folk medicine,
flowers are
macerated in water
to make a cough
remedy
- Daisy preparations
have been used to
help heal wounds,
and treat bruises
- Slows bleeding
- Tea has been used
to treat asthma and
whooping cough
decomposing
- Attracts
pollinators
- Attracts
pollinators
- Popular with
honeybees and
hoverflies
flower” for this
reason.
- Whole plant
produces a green
dye
- Loves welldrained soil –
often indicate
drier soil
- Tends to thrive
in low nutrient
soils – grows in
‘worn out’ soils
- Low tolerance
for shade, so
indicates highly
sunny areas
- Enjoys more
neutral soils
- *Balance
- ‘Daisy’ is from
‘Day’s Eye’,
meaning open
only during the
day
- A daisy is not a
flower but an
inflorescence,
being composed
of many, tiny
flowers, yellow,
arranged in a
flower head or
floral disc
- Can be used to
make a yellow
dye
- Christianity told
this flower came
from the tears of
Mary Magdalene
- Found
everywhere on
Earth except
opening give a
pleasant taste
similar to that of
walnut
Dandelion
- Dandelion tea
- Flowers make
wine, cordial
- Leaves, flowers,
and roots are all
edible
- Can have a
slightly bitter
flavour, which is
lessened by
spring or fall
- Rich source of
beta-carotene (we
convert into Vit A)
- Source of Fiber,
Potassium, Iron,
Calcium,
Magnesium, Zinc,
Phosphorus, and
more!
- Contains more
protein than spinach
- Miner plant
(excess numbers
are typically a
sign of nutrientlacking soil)
- A pollinator
plant – early
spring flower
- Strong roots
loosen hardpacked soil,
- Require sun and
disturbed soils –
where they grow,
is likely to have
good access to
sunshine, and
have a history of
human
disturbance
- Typically
indicates heavier,
Antarctica
- Introduced
intentionally as
an ornamental
and accidentally
imported
- Use in flower
bouquets!
- In the Middle
Ages, the knight
who wore two
daisies on his
shield was the
“Lady’s” choice. If
a woman wore a
crown of daisies,
it meant she had
not yet chosen
her suitor.
- Those allergic to
ragweed,
chrysanthemum,
marigold,
chamomile,
yarrow, or daisy
should avoid
dandelion
- Early colonists
brought the
dandelion to
harvest
- Cooking lessens
bitter flavour
- Leaves / flowers
make great
addition to salads
- Milk of the stem
is incredibly
bitter!
- Eat fresh, In food
preparations,
dried, in teas or
other beverages,
dried, crushed
and used in
capsules for
health benefits,
etc
- Roast and grind
the roots as a
coffee-like
substitute
- Dandelion ice
cream
- Has been used to
treat anemia, scurvy,
skin problems,
blood disorders, and
depression
- Acts as a mild
laxative that
promotes digestion
- Stimulates appetite
- Balances the
beneficial bacteria in
the intestines
- A diuretic that
helps the kidneys
clear out waste, salt,
and excess water
- Has been shown to
remove liver toxins
- Rich in
antioxidants
- Helps regulate
blood sugar and
insulin levels
- Contains fatty acids
and phytonutrients
that reduce
inflammation in the
body (relieves pain
and swelling)
- Tea to treat upset
allowing other
plants to grow
there more easily
- Roots aerate the
earth, and reduce
erosion
- They are natural
fertilizers!
- If left alone, a
plant can live for
years, with the
root growing
deeper and
deeper, up to 15
feet even! Imagine
the wonderful
nutrients being
brought up for
your other plants
to enjoy!
- Roots in
particular bring
up calcium and
iron
clay-y, compacted,
acidic soil
(however, true,
will grow just
about anywhere!)
- Thrive in ‘sour’
acidic soil (pH
below 7.0)
- *Balance
America from
Europe
- ‘Dandelion’
comes from the
French ‘Dent de
Lion’, meaning
“lion’s tooth” –
referring to the
jagged points on
the leaves
reminding you of
sharp lions teeth
- The French grow
dandelions to eat
as we would grow
lettuce in our
garden
- Best flavoured
dandelions are
those not cut
often – instead
look for those
where the grass
grows long and
freely
- Best time to
gather is before
the last frost of
spring, before the
flower blooms –
stomach
- A spring tonic,
after lack of
vitamins in the
winter
- A one cup serving
has as much calcium
as half a glass of
milk
- More nutritious
that most of the
veggies in your
garden!
the further in
their lifestage, the
more bitter they
are
- Believed to be
some of the oldest
plants on the
planet - have
found fossils
dating back 30
million years ago
- Have been used
by ancient
Egyptians, Greeks
and Romans, and
Chinese
traditional
medicines
- Famous for their
beauty – a
common subject
for poetry!
- a one-inch bit of
dandelion can
grow a new
dandelion
- They are among
the most
expensive items
in the grocery
store!
Clover
- Try clover
flowers sprinkled
over rice, or
cooked in soy
sauce
- White clover is
not as nutritious
or flavorful as red,
but just as edible!
- Every bit, from
blossom to root, is
edible, though
flowers are the
most tasty.
- Have a clover
flower tea
- Pan roast the
flowers until
crispy
- Young leaves are
good to
supplement
salads raw (1/2
cup or so)
- Older leaves
should be cooked
- Typically seen as
a ‘survival food’,
as aside from the
- Flowers are high in
protein
- has beta carotene,
vitamin C, most of
the B vitamins, and
more
- Red clover is more
nutritious than
white
- Red clover is a
good source of
calcium, chromium,
magnesium niacin,
phosphorus,
potassium, thiamine
- Obtains nitrogen
from the air and
fixes it into the
soil when
decomposed into
it
- An excellent
ground cover
crop
- Brings lots of
bees as a
pollinator! (So
many that in the
US clover is
legally
discouraged in
lawns and people
might get stung
from the bees.
“Frankly, I think
we need less
lawyers than less
clover.”
- Indicates low
fertility soil, low
nitrogen levels
- Indicates sunny
areas and
typically moist
soils
- Red clover
indicates high
potassium
- *Balance
- Clover is a
member of the
pea family, and its
blossom is
actually a bunch
of little pea-like
blossoms, called
“wings and keels”
- Clover grows
essentially
everywhere in the
world
- Careful if you are
commonly
allergic to plants.
- NEVER
FERMENT AND
EAT ANY PART
OF IT. Either
completely fresh,
or completely
dried. If too warm
in climate, or in
fermentation, can
produce small
amounts of
cyanide.
- Dried leaves
have hint of
flower, it’s not
particularly tasty,
so why not add to
a smoothie or
soup pot to get
their nutrients
instead?
- Use leaves like
spinach when
cooked
- dried seed pods
and flowers can
be ground into
powder and used
as a flour
- dried leaves can
add a vanilla
flavour to baking
vanilla aroma
- Has much
folklore and
religious
symbolism
- Remember to
look for those
four leaf clovers!
Remember, what we consider weeds, were often brought here because they were so incredibly valuable. These are the
priceless plants first immigrants brought with them in their few possessions. Consider the ‘weeds’ in your garden as a
plant like any other, it’s there for a reason – listen to whet it tells you!
NOTE: NEVER EAT ANY PLANT YOU ARE NOT 100% SURE OF!!!
Now that you’re excited about weeds, check this other resources out!
Books:
Weeds: In Defense of Nature’s Most Unloved Plants, by Richard Mabey
Handbook of Edible Weeds by James A Duke
The Uvic Library has a whole section on weeds! Floor 2, in the ‘S’ stacks. They also have enormous numbers of books on
gardening, plants, soil biology, farming, and more! Go get lost and spend hours there – we did!
Websites:
Eat the Weeds Website
http://www.eattheweeds.com
Edible Wild Food: Edible Plants, Foraging and Recipes Website
http://www.ediblewildfood.com/blog/
Organic Gardening Website:
http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/listen-to-your-weeds
Sierra Worm Compost Website (about soil Fertility and weeds)
http://www.sierra-worm-compost.com/soil-fertility.html
(A few to get you started, but easily Google, ‘edible weed recipes’, ‘benefits of weeds’, ‘permaculture’, or ‘biodynamic gardening’,
and find enormous quantities of information! This is a vibrant, full, and exciting topic, with lots going on around it!)
Sources:
http://www.sustainablelivingmagazine.org
http://www.globalhealingcenter.com
http://www.sunwarrior.com
http://umm.edu
http://www.backwoodshome.com
http://www.mofga.org
http://nwfarmsandfood.com
http://pss.uvm.edu
http://www.eattheweeds.com
http://joanhall.hubpages.com (recipes)
http://store.msuextension.org
http://www.seedaholic.com
http://herbs-treatandtaste.blogspot.ca
http://www.livestrong.com
http://www.sierrapotomac.org
http://www.wildflowers-and-weeds.com
http://www.columbia.edu
http://www.ehow.com
http://www.botanical.com
http://pathtosustainableliving.com
http://blogs.poughkeepsiejournal.com
http://www.eattheweeds.com
http://www.sacredearth.com
http://www.home-remedies-for-you.com
http://thislivelyearth.com
http://www.anniesremedy.com
http://montana.plant-life.org