| I can’t say what it is about weeds that l have always loved? Perhaps it is quite simply because they are misunderstood like some animal species. Whatever your opinion or view is on weeds, they are everywhere, and they are here to stay. Twenty-five years ago, l used to forage for weeds to feed the enormous number of rabbits l had in my commercial breeding operation. Knowing about them made everything easier because it meant that l wouldn’t accidentally kill an animal by feeding the wrong weed. Most weeds are harmless, not all. Of course, some are and can be deadly. The fact is that people don’t like weeds because they don’t belong where they usually appear or are out of place. Many a time, gardeners especially don’t want them because weeds tend to grow quicker and easier than many ornamental flowers. Weeds have a way of surviving. They are ONLY considered weeds on the domestic level because, let’s be honest, when we are out walking in the countryside, how many people are bothered by the presence of weeds then? There are advantages and disadvantages to having weeds in your gardens and yards. They do have a lot of benefits that many people tend to ignore, and this series will highlight that. |
| The Beauty of Weeds Companion Plantings Shelter Encouraging wildlife Fertilising and enriching the soils Providing and active Mulch/Soil protection Attracting pollinators and good insects Repelling pests Food source for animals and humans Serves as decoy crops Great for wildlifing the garden Soil conditioning |
| Chickweed Stellaria media |
“What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have yet to be discovered.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
| Many gardeners often see Common Chickweed – Stellaria media as a nuisance weed crop due to its ability to quickly become invasive to borders and beds. It is often seen in woodlands, grasslands and town gardens and grows readily on the roadside. I used to keep chickens, and when they weren’t streamlining the garden of anything green, if they ever saw Chickweed, that was one of the first weeds to go. They seemingly could never get enough of it. There are quite a few benefits to having Chickweed in your garden, though, and one of them is that it is, as a weed, an excellent indicator of the health quality of your soil and its fertility. Chickweed likes a good rich soil. When NOT being devoured by chickens, Chickweed serves others as a food source, such as small birds and insects, including bees and other more minor pollinators and some caterpillars. As to human consumption, this makes for excellent and cooling ingredients to a summer salad and can also be cooked, and l know a few vegetable gardeners that encourage this weed in their garden and grow it as a crop. Yes, you have guessed it, you can also make Chickweed Tea. Chickweed is a very beneficial weed to encourage growth in your garden. It can also act as a living mulch like clover. In ancient times it was grown as a potherb and was used for medicinal purposes by apothecaries and used in salves or as a soothing agent fighting inflammations. Top 10 Health Benefits Chickweed | Health Tips |
| I hope you enjoyed C for Chickweed and I’ll see you again soon. The Autistic Composter |
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I think chickweed has a lot of calcium (and other important nutrients) and chooks can sense it, somehow.
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Chooks have a magical ability to sense a lot of things, a bit like wild brush rabbits – when they are unwell, they know always the right weeds to eat 🙂
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I often wondered who determined what is a weed and what is not a weed? A lot of so-called weeds are beneficial in many ways. I’m still trying to catch up after our Christmas eve mess.
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Suze and l were discussing that yesterday also – who determines these things for the rest of us?
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🧐
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