1) I am doing some research about edible garden weeds & wonder which are the 10 most common, nutritious weeds in the GVRD area, particularly those that are around more than briefly through the year. 2) When will Colin Varner's garden weed book be available? 3) Can you suggest any references for illustrations & text? Thanks a lot, skyflower
Two guesses for common edible weeds: Fat-hen Chenopodium album and Ground-elder Aegopodium podagraria.
Portulaca oleracea (Common Purslane, always available in most gardens. http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?EYYPS 20 July 2008 Purslane, Portulaca oleracea L Other Names: Portulaca, Pursley, Pusley, Pussley, Wild portulaca. This plant is an annual, reproducing only by seed, and the plant has enough nutrients in a small piece broken off that seeds can be produced. It is pleasant to eat raw, and is a nice addition to a salad, amongst other cookery uses. This weed is ubiquitous, and seldom is a garden without this useful weed.
Re: Varner's book - not sure. I seem to recall that the publishing company that handled his previous books has gone out of business.
My grandmother used to point out lambsquarter as an edible weed in West Virginia. My uncle told me about dandelion greens (also eastern U.S.A.)
Such is the fate of all weeds in our generation. So edible weeds is a theoretical book????? This was in the hills of West Virginia and the only thing they put on the fields was manure or lime. I used to ride the horse drawn wagon with the "manure spreader" as a kid when my father would fertilize the fields.
