Awesome pickup by Aanightowl on poisonous hemlock, he may truly have saved a life. A good reminder on how poisonous this plant is. Not sure how many others are that lethal and mimic good plants, but I would be interested in seeing pictures or identifying the weeds I should really obliterate versus the weeds that I can enjoy, such as dandelions and mint, and my soon to be enjoyed chickweed.
If you've got an adventurous mind you might have a go at stinging nettles and ground elder too. I don't much care for ground elder salad and haven't gotten round to making soup or stew yet. We haven't got stinging nettles nearby, but I am determined to try a recipe or two. I try to exterminate Ranunculus repens and Rumex longifolius. The Rumex has medicinal value but not enough for me to tolerate it spreading all over in our garden. We've got Plantago major, and I leave them be in the lawn. We haven't tried to eat it yet but use it for small wounds we get when working or playing outside.
St.John's Wort I think I have St. Johns Wort as a weed in my garden. It is on the noxious weed list in Washington. Since I won't be using this, should I be trying hard to eradicate this?
I'd get rid of it. It's said to help depressions but the dosages given are varied. It's also said to help exema and other skin disorders if made into tea, but you might get reactions. I wouldn't dare to use it.
I have a terrible weed in my garden that I have been trying to exterminate for years. It started as a darling foliage plant that I thought was beautiful. I nurtured it (more fool I) until the seed setting stage, and then I realized it for the Trojan Horse it really was! Thousands of seeds! I'll get a picture of it the next time a seedling shows up & I will post it on this forum. Maybe someone will recognize it. I have since seen it in others' gardens as I walk along the road and I am filled with pity...
I, also, have several unidentified weeds that are very annoying. I really need to find a weed id guide for the eastern US. I have a friend who has one that he had to buy for a college class along time ago, so I am sure they are still available, just have to go find one. :-x :-x :-x :-x WEEDS!!!
I always thought dandelions were beautiful flowers as a kid. My dad encouraged it, and told me I could pick every single flower I saw, so I did and gave bouquets to my Mom daily. So we never had any go to seed or spread rampant. He made dandelion wine once, but I still remember how bitter that was,must not have had the right recipe.
Karrma, we made dandelion wine in August 1996. We opened a bottle a year, and it wasn't drinkable until 2003. It was at it's peak in 2008. We finished it last year so now we have to make a new batch and probably wait for 7-9 years...
Re: St.John's Wort I might want it out of my hay feild if you feed cattle goats or horses. Dobbins (the horse) and Bessie (the cow) can eat enough SJW to become photosensitive. Photosensitivity is the most common side effect of SJW. We take it by the dropperful as a tincture, and it can burn some people. Live stock eat it by the bale...
