The Genesis of a Viewpoint

Welcome back to another episode of Lost In The Farmer’s Market, where we take a look into varied topics regarding sustainability, horticulture and organic practices.  Now this week’s topic was supposed to cover a look at the diversity of the prickly pear family but due to non-

photogenic plant stock and some delays in writing this post the topic has changed just a little bit. Firstly, Easter is this upcoming Sunday and that is the unofficial last frost date in North Carolina. This means yes you can get out there and really start gardening like you mean it, but I would exercise some caution and be mindful of the weather forecasts as our weather has been a bit wobbly this year. Weather woes aside this week’s delayed topic has to do with something around which a lot of big industry revolves. I thought it’d be wise to cap off spring 2018 with a discussion of what defines a weed. You would think the definition of a weed was a very simplistic one but depending on whom you ask the definition varies widely. If you talk to an herbicide company (e.g. Ortho) the list is fairly broad it’s often anything that dares to compete with the grass in your lawn including some species of grass such as non-hybrid Bermuda grass. If you ask a lawn care company (e.g. Truegreen) they are going to tell you what the aforementioned herbicide company did, but they are also going to add to the list just to make an extra few bucks spraying for things that aren’t even a hazard. A third perspective which is much closer to the truth is that of an Agricultural technology college, where the definition is simply that a weed is ‘A plant that is in the wrong place’. This education-oriented answer is one I have personally espoused for a number of years because it is one of the fairer definitions. It is never the fault of a dandelion that it’s seed held aloft on tiny filaments landed where it did due to a fickle wind current. These things cannot be helped, you simply cannot sterilize every inch of soil nor deadhead every bloom or spray every ‘weed’. A perfect weed-free yard is physically impossible it’s an unattainable dream sold to the home owner by a corporate-industrial sales team that wants you to very much become reliant on their product.

But this leads to another interesting definition, and it is one that I think is the best way to define a weed. While I do not recall who said it, ‘A weed is a plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.’ is an absolutely accurate definition. I would add in that a weed is also a plant whose virtues have been forgotten and are possibly so unprofitable for a corporation to market that it has been intentionally discredited. A good example of this can be potentially found in the Tropical Soursop which is a relative of the native Pawpaw and the equally tropical Cherimoya. Soursop is said to have anti-cancer compounds in it but the research on it’s efficacy is sparse at best. The big pharmaceutical companies can’t market it because they can’t patent a naturally occurring plant and they can’t reproduce its active compounds in a lab. So aside from providing fruit, it’s a plant that could be called a weed because there is no money to be made. I suppose this is the modern face of greed, it’s not about helping people it’s about making stacks of dollars with little regard to the suffering of others. This single-mindedness is abhorrent to me and I am not even a party to it; it is a vile sort of slow state of self-destruction. But, shaming the industry isn’t the point of this article, I want to introduce you to something some of you out there might find surprising.

Taraxicum officinale – True Medicinal Dandelion

This is a sign of the times, a true dandelion that was carefully dug out of the yard and nurtured from last fall through to now. Taken from a survive or die situation this perennial herb is stately when it’s getting all that it needs and it doesn’t have to struggle every day just to make due. It’s a far cry from some of the straggly ones you see in the yard isn’t it? I repotted this in late January and found it’s taproot was easily as big as it’s upper leaf mass. If you’ve never seen a Dandelion’s taproot let me tell you, it’s the color of a fresh parsnip, and can be curled, gnarled or perfectly straight and this one’s was curled and healthy. Some of you who read this are probably wondering why I’m even bothering to grow this. The answer is simple I tried to grow dandelions from French stock (richters seed, 2011) that was bred for big roots so that I could grow my own ingredients for stew (leaves), wine (flowers) and well coffee (roots) and virtually none of the seeds ever sprouted; the few that did simply didn’t make it very far as the southern heat scorched them into oblivion. I tried all kinds of things, with no success which is somewhat ironic because the Chicory (Chichorium intybus) seed that I ordered and grew from the same lot sprouted and is now a perennial feature in a section of a raised bed. I gave up on the dandelions for a while so that I might try other things but in the last two years, true dandelions started to appear in the yard voluntarily. Ironically, they are growing in the back yard where I mow very little and along side varying forms of Dock (Rumex sp.). The Dock family is also known as Sheep Sorrel which amongst weeds has had its virtues proven as it has a cousin that is a showy foliage-based garden perennial in the form of Bloody Dock (Rumex sanguinea). I admit to not knowing why or how the Dandelions suddenly started appearing and growing successfully but I would imagine our weather has something to do with it given that it’s been colder in the winter and warmer in the summer over the last decade or so. It may be that the cold was enough to allow seed that lay dormant in the soil for decades to finally sprout and these Dandelions have been here the whole time waiting for their chance.

On a personal level I’ve come to believe with good supporting evidence that the best definition of a weed is simple. A weed is something that represents all the things that money cannot control, it’s the source of medicine that cannot be owned that actually cures the ailments of the many while it also denies the accumulation of unnecessary wealth. As a final note on the topic I should note that in the Fayetteville area there are two very similar common garden ‘weeds’ that often get mistaken for dandelions. The first is called Prickly or Wild Lettuce (Lactuca canadensis) which is a member of the daisy family and is actually a wild cousin of the lettuce we buy at the market. Wild lettuce is edible but I do suggest consulting a credible publication on how to prepare it (see below).

 

Wild lettuce has a close relative called prickly lettuce, both are in the aster family.

Cat's Ear Dandelion is often more common than true dandelion in Fayetteville.

A second look-alike is the Cat’s Ear Dandelion (Hypochoeris radicata) which as far as I know can be used medicinally and may be edible. This comes with the proviso that you should thoroughly research the edibility of a given ‘weed’ and its preparation methods before you eat it. A good credible publication which I use to determine both edibility and preparation is the Field Guide To North American Edible Wild Plants by Thomas S. Elias & Peter A. Dykeman. I don’t know if this book is still in print but it should be available on Amazon or a similar online service as a hardcopy since it definitely predated the e-reader fad. This brings to a close the second post of March 2018 and while this post was delayed due to a internet outage, it’s better late than never given the circumstances and borrowing wifi.

For note this is where the advertising starts because it keeps the Test Garden’s supplied and running tests so you don’t have to. If you want to get some GMO-free, Organic vegetables, herbs and fruiting shrubs come on down to the Fayetteville City Market on 325 Maxwell Street in downtown Fayetteville between he Hours of 9:00 am and 1:00 pm on Saturdays. Barring bad weather, I’ll be there selling the following spring offerings while supplies last.

Plants Available Now:

Parris Island Romaine Lettuce – $3.00

Lacinato/Dinosaur Kale – $3.00

Italian Parsley – $3.00

Kohlrabi, Purple Vienna - $3.00

Chives - $3.00

Salad Burnet - $3.00

Savory - $3.00

English Thyme - $3.00

Oregano, Italian - $3.00

Fennel, Bronze - $3.00

Chamomile, Roman - $3.00

Rue - $3.00

Lavender, English - $3.00

Mulberry, Dwarf  (2 gal pot) - $15.00

Coming Soon:

Basil, Sweet Genovese (in April)

Swiss Chard

Sage

Santolina (aka Lavender-Cotton)

Hummingbird Mint, Golden Jubilee

Tomatoes

Peppers

Hops, Zeus

Hops, Cascade

Figs, (assorted) (0.5 Gallon pot)

Raspberry, Heritage (2 gallon pot)

If the market isn’t your thing or your schedule does not allow you to go there my premium exotic house plants can be purchased in attractive clay pots with unique embellishments at LeClair’s General Store. LeClair’s General Store is located on 1212 Fort Bragg Road in Fayetteville North Carolina.

This is their Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/leclairsgeneralstore/

The Visit NC page’s Listing:

https://www.visitnc.com/listing/leclair-s-general-store

These days I am generally at the store at least twice a week, maintaining stock and/or delivering new materials so if you go to visit the store there is a fair chance I’ll be present to answer your questions. If not, you can always send me questions through this blog or visit the farmer’s market or pay attention to what Sustainable Neighbors is doing at the link below.

https://www.meetup.com/SustainableNeighbors/

            This brings to a close the sixth LITFM post of the new year, stay tuned the next episode which should be posted roughly around the 4th of April assuming the internet outage issue is solved.

A weed only by name: Part II

First off I'd like thank all of you who came out for the author's event at the Headquarters Library,  it was very interesting talking with all of you and you made the event a success.


Today we have part two of the 'A weed only by name' series, and the two plants  being covered are Chicory and Dandelions. Both of these perennial herbs get a lot of bad press mostly on the part of the producers of chemical herbicides*. But little attention is given to the uses for and advantages of cultivated varieties of these rather well-adapted herbs. Before we get into the raw details of both plants here is a verticulture fact.
Did you know that the average tomato grown in soil needs about five gallons of soil in order to have adequate root space?  For full size indeterminate tomatoes a 15" pot or a 5-gallon bucket with holes drilled in the bottom is the bare minimum for optimal yields. Translated to a garden bed situation this is an area of about 1.5 cubic feet of loosened and preferably enriched soil. We tend to think of tomatoes as a upright vegetable like eggplant or peppers but the truth is they are one of the few true vines botanically. Every portion of the stem can root if mature, and in late season you can clone your tomatoes by taking 5 inch stem cuttings and rooting them in water. 

Chicorum intybus - Chicory

Without the tell tale flower stalk chicory is 

often hard to distinguish from wild dandelion.

Chicory is not a new herb in fact anthropological evidence indicates it was cultivated as an agricultural crop at least as far back as ancient Egypt. In more modern times Chicory played a important role in the war effort of the Confederacy as Union naval blockades cut off shipments of real coffee to southern ports.  During World War Two, coffee was needed for American troops at the battle front so chicory again became critical and was the most available coffee on the market. To this day in the south east Luzianne coffee still produces chicory-coffee blend and this may become more important with rising fuel costs.
Another side to this common perennial is that it has long-standing medicinal and chemical value that simply does not get the public attention it deserves. Firstly, Chicory is related to tansy and artemesia both of which are reputed for their ability to expel worms and bears toxicity parasites and chicory too is capable of the same. Chicory root contains a compound called Inulin, which is a source of soluble dietary fiber and it's base compounds can be converted to both glucose and fructose. Both fructose and glucose are easier on the body then sucrose. Further more; some brewers have used roasted chicory root to add flavor to their stouts which in turn may raise the nutritional value of said stout.
Biologically Endive and Radicchio are both related to Chicory with the former being C. endiva and the latter being a cultivated and blanched type of Chicory.  As far as cultivation goes, chicory is absolutely undemanding,  requiring decent soil with good drainage and preferably modest amounts of moisture and organic matter. Chicory is at it's best when you stack the deck however, if you provide excellent soil with good drainage a decent mulch and regular water you can expect rapid growth possible flowering the first year and a shorter time between sowing and harvest.  If you ever wondered what chicory looked like all you need do is drive down a interstate. If the plant growing through the cracks in the cement divider has sky blue flowers on wispy dark green stems it's probably chicory.  The fact is even grown as an ornamental chicory has attractive flowers is well-behaved and if you want to try it out you can order it from Richter's Herbs.

Taraxicum officinale - Dandelion

As the picture attests there is great variety in the 

leaves of dandelion even the cultivated types.

Despite the bad rap given to dandelions by the Herbicide industry these perennial herbs are supremely adapted to surviving where little else can. A dandelion's taproot  can reach down more then a foot to find nutrient and to anchor the plant. It is thought by some that the legend of the hydra in mythology actually is derived from the dandelion's ability to recover from being top cut and that partially split or cut dandelion tap roots will often form multiple growing points and thus more 'heads'. Few realize that dandelions are an important and easily maintained source of nectar and pollen for  Bees of all types. Additionally a well maintained stand of Dandelions can produce ample greens and flowers for varied culinary recipes.  A dandelion's tap root when mature can be cleaned dried and roasted to make a coffee substitute. The numerous flowers can be used to make Dandelion wine or beer. Young dandelion leaves can be used in salads and resemble mesclun mix salad greens in flavor but are a bit more nutritious. According to the USDA, raw dandelion greens  an exceptionally high vitamin K (741%) and a particularly high vitamin C (58%) content as well as quite a bit of beta-carotene (54%) and vitamin A (56%) equivalents. Also it is worthwhile to note that dandelion greens are a reasonable source of Iron (25%), vitamin E (23%) and all this nutrient can be had in a small 3.5 ounce serving which as far as leaf greens go is rather efficient.
As for caring for your dandelions they are largely care free, you can buy dandelion seed from Richter's herbs and start them in jiffy 7 peat pellets just like any other garden plant. Given that dandelions are so well adapted to all but the hottest and driest or wettest sites you can actually get away with planting your dandelions in shade as much as full southern sun.  The trick to cultivating your dandelions for best results is to stack the proverbial deck. Just because dandelions have a taproot that can plow through poor soil doesn't mean they will necessarily  be the best they can be. What you want to do is provide or top-dress the planting site with a few inches of compost or high quality topsoil then put down a layer of mulch. Fertilization isn't necessary but may help.  If your dandelions are really happy you can expect possible flowers late in the first year. Otherwise it may take two or three years to get those cheery yellow disk flowers. Dandelions are largely pest free but may get aphids in a greenhouse situation, additionally Dandelions seem not to be competitive, a few can be clustered with little or no problems provided the soil is really good.

There is just one last thing to mention regarding chicory and dandelions, a mini-garden quiz.

What do Dandelions, Chicory, Lettuce, Endive, Echinacea, Gaillardia, Rudbeckia, Sunflower, Tansy, Feverfew, Zinnia, Santolina, Artemesia, Tarragon, Marigolds, Chrysanthemums, Pyrethrum, Asters and Cosmos all have in common?

Answer: All of these plants belong to the Aster Family commonly called Asteraceae or in older publications Compositae or the 'Disk-Flower' family. Asters are a critical nectar and pollen source for all species of moths, butterflies, bees, wasps, and even some types of ant.

*We mean you Ortho, You... Are... On... Notice!