It has been a late spring where we are in Scotland. The stinging nettles are only just coming up and we are waiting for a decent drop of rain to boost the growth. We've had a few short downpours but not nearly enough and the ground is very dry. Even the leaves on the trees are only just emerging. A few days ago saw the first white willow leaves but the beech (Fagus sylvatica) have yet to produce enough green vibrant leaves for our salads. They are not around for long but have a tangy flavour and a beautiful bright yellowy-green colour.
We continue to use homegrown chickweed (Stellaria media) which has been growing all year round in the polytunnel. Left to self-seed, it provides ground cover for the cucumbers, tomatoes, cauliflowers, butternut squash and pumpkins during the summer months. Keep it well watered and it will produce larger, more luscious, leaves for salads. Snip off the tops with scissors or cut at the base and pull off all the leaves by hand. The stems can be stringy and undigestible.
Amongst the chickweed there are several red deadnettle (Lamium purpureum) plants popping up. Use the tops and leaves in salads or use as a tea. The purple flowers are very small and flower from March until autumn. Like chickweed, it is good groundcover. Bees and other pollinating insects like it as it is an early flowering plant.
Wild garlic (Allium ursinum) leaves are up and provide a carpet of green leaves in woodland areas. These low growing plants form stems of delicate white flowers. This plant has a pungent garlic smell and flavour. It can't really be mistaken for anything else. Leaves and flowers can be added to salads, stir fry and can be used to make a lovely pesto.
Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale) are flowering in huge numbers providing a welcome flush of colour along with the tulips and daffodils. The whole of the dandelion plant is edible raw. Add the flowers and bitter leaves to salads. The root can be dry roasted and ground to a fine powder to make a very good coffee substitute. Providing you leave the end of the root in the ground, the plant will grow back again. As a point of interest, tulip petals are edible and make a lovely addition to salads or as a decoration. With a variety of colours to choose from, they are delightfully sweet and crunchy. Daffodils are not edible!
The delicate white flowers of lady's smock (Cardamine pratensis) are flowering but they look so pretty and there are so few of them that we can't bring ourselves to eat them! The leaves, young shoots, flower buds and flowers are edible raw.
The young leaves of silver birch (Betula pendula) are now available. The young leaves are edible raw and can be made into a tea. Also, Downy birch (Betula pubescens), which we seem to have more of, can be used in the same way.
Ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea) is a perennial evergreen creeping plant. It has a huge variety of common names including alehoof, field balm, creeping charlie, gill-over-the-ground and haymaids. The leaves, stems and violet flowers are all edible raw. This plant has a mild pepper flavour and smells of blackcurrants. A tea can be made from the leaves, stems and flowers called Gill tea.
Garlic mustard (Alliaria officinalis or petiolata) can be found in or around the edges of woods and by hedgerows. Where it becomes established, it tends to take over an area. The whole plant is edible raw and is very hot.
Hairy bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta) is available now and the leaves and white flowers are edible raw. This is quite a hot tasting plant too so add sparingly to salads until you get used to it.
As we've said many times before, try to forage in your own garden as much as you can. Encourage the wild plants to come up by not 'weeding' various areas. This is increasingly important now since many countries, including the UK, are in quarantine due to the Covid-19 virus. We send healing thoughts and best wishes to you all.
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| Young beech leaves |
We continue to use homegrown chickweed (Stellaria media) which has been growing all year round in the polytunnel. Left to self-seed, it provides ground cover for the cucumbers, tomatoes, cauliflowers, butternut squash and pumpkins during the summer months. Keep it well watered and it will produce larger, more luscious, leaves for salads. Snip off the tops with scissors or cut at the base and pull off all the leaves by hand. The stems can be stringy and undigestible.
Amongst the chickweed there are several red deadnettle (Lamium purpureum) plants popping up. Use the tops and leaves in salads or use as a tea. The purple flowers are very small and flower from March until autumn. Like chickweed, it is good groundcover. Bees and other pollinating insects like it as it is an early flowering plant.
 |
| Wild garlic (Allium ursinum) leaves emerging |
Wild garlic (Allium ursinum) leaves are up and provide a carpet of green leaves in woodland areas. These low growing plants form stems of delicate white flowers. This plant has a pungent garlic smell and flavour. It can't really be mistaken for anything else. Leaves and flowers can be added to salads, stir fry and can be used to make a lovely pesto.
Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale) are flowering in huge numbers providing a welcome flush of colour along with the tulips and daffodils. The whole of the dandelion plant is edible raw. Add the flowers and bitter leaves to salads. The root can be dry roasted and ground to a fine powder to make a very good coffee substitute. Providing you leave the end of the root in the ground, the plant will grow back again. As a point of interest, tulip petals are edible and make a lovely addition to salads or as a decoration. With a variety of colours to choose from, they are delightfully sweet and crunchy. Daffodils are not edible!
 |
| Lady's smock by Philip Halling |
The delicate white flowers of lady's smock (Cardamine pratensis) are flowering but they look so pretty and there are so few of them that we can't bring ourselves to eat them! The leaves, young shoots, flower buds and flowers are edible raw.
The young leaves of silver birch (Betula pendula) are now available. The young leaves are edible raw and can be made into a tea. Also, Downy birch (Betula pubescens), which we seem to have more of, can be used in the same way.
Ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea) is a perennial evergreen creeping plant. It has a huge variety of common names including alehoof, field balm, creeping charlie, gill-over-the-ground and haymaids. The leaves, stems and violet flowers are all edible raw. This plant has a mild pepper flavour and smells of blackcurrants. A tea can be made from the leaves, stems and flowers called Gill tea.
Garlic mustard (Alliaria officinalis or petiolata) can be found in or around the edges of woods and by hedgerows. Where it becomes established, it tends to take over an area. The whole plant is edible raw and is very hot.
Hairy bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta) is available now and the leaves and white flowers are edible raw. This is quite a hot tasting plant too so add sparingly to salads until you get used to it.
As we've said many times before, try to forage in your own garden as much as you can. Encourage the wild plants to come up by not 'weeding' various areas. This is increasingly important now since many countries, including the UK, are in quarantine due to the Covid-19 virus. We send healing thoughts and best wishes to you all.
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