GARDENING If you cant defeat them, cultivate and eat them

ONE MAN’S WEED, ANOTHER MAN’S FEED?The roots of burdock are good roasted, baked or stir-fried.

If you can’t defeat them, cultivate and eat them


Growing
Hans Wieland

I am now entering my fifth decade of gardening and growing. Well, I confess, I had a little break in my early 20s. Still, over the years, I have developed a less violent approach to tackling weeds. My motto has become ‘If you cant defeat them, cultivate and eat them’. My latest venture into the world of weeds was growing (edible) burdock from seed, but more on this later.
What are weeds really? ‘Plants growing in the wrong place’ is a standard answer, and many of us spend a good bit of time on weeding, in fact probably more time than on the more enjoyable tasks of sowing and harvesting. This has to change, and I want to give you some tips and advice on how to deal with those noxious creatures without becoming obnoxious along the way.
So here goes, brace yourselves: My top 5 weeds are dandelion, plantain, dock, purslane and stinging nettles. You’ll all be familiar with dandelion, dock and nettles, but how about the other two?
Raw purslane is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids. Hold on Hans, I hear you say, purslane is a lettuce, and we buy seeds of winter and summer purslane. Yes we do, but that is exactly the point I am making.
Purslane has already made the transition from a powerful annual weed (seeds have been known to stay viable for 40 years in the soil) to a wonderful taste treat. What was depressing is now exciting. Purslane is native to India and Persia and has spread throughout the world as an edible plant and as a weed. Many cultures, including our own, now embrace purslane as a food. The stems, leaves and flower buds can all be eaten.
There are plenty of wild purslane plants out there, but if you are a connoisseur, you can purchase purslane seeds, because the cultivated forms have far better flavor and are easier to harvest. As I am writing this article I am munching winter purslane harvested from the polytunnel. Cultivated types tend to grow more upright than the wild types. At home we use purslane in salads or on sandwiches instead of lettuce or pickles. The latest in purslane culture land is ham and purslane on rye-sourdough bread. You read it here first!
But back to burdock. It’s claim to fame is that its burrs were the inspiration for Velcro. Get some on your socks, and you’ll know why. But long before those purple flowers and troublesome burrs form, the plant has a long, thin taproot that is edible and can be up to two-feet long. That’s a lot of fine eating. You’ll need a spade or garden fork to get it out: Don’t be surprised if you pull and get only a couple inches’ worth. This is a true weed that doesn’t surrender easily.
Burdock roots are edible raw, but it is better to slow roast them like parsnips or chop and toss them into soups. You can bake the roots with other root vegetables, or do like do and stir fry sliced burdock with carrots, parsnips, onions and broccoli or any vegetables of your choice. It has a delicious crunchy taste and goes well with fish and a fresh green salad.
Burdock is the wild version of the cultivated Japanese vegetable gobo, which can grow three- to four-feet long. It is rich in insulin and many trace minerals, such as manganese and magnesium. It is said to support the immune system, liver, kidneys, lungs and nerves. We grow it in our polytunnel and outside in a specially prepared, deep raised bed.
So your task for the next week is to sow purslane and to prepare a spot for that edible burdock!

Hans Wieland is training manager at The Organic Centre, Rossinver, Co Leitrim, which offers courses, training and information on organic growing and cooking, and runs an Eco Shop and an online gardening store. For more information, visit www.theorganiccentre.ie. Gardening questions or comments? Contact Hans at living@mayonews.ie.