“The Gator Nation” …oh really!

Weeds Talk To Us …we should listen

• Listen up! – Weeds are trying to tell us something.

– Individual weeds thrive in particular conditions.

– Learn a lot about the yard based on which are growing where.

Weeds Soil Conditions Ways to Respond

Sorrels, docks, fingerleaf Soil pH is acidic or increasing Add nonacidic organic matter (no

weeds, lady’s thumb, in acidity conifer chips), plant cover crops,

horsetail improve drainage, add lime

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Field mustard, pennycress, Formation of surface crust or Till less, plant deep-rooted cover crops,

bindweed, quack grass, false hardpan mulch

chamomiles

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Lamb’s-quarter, buttercup, Over-tilling and over-cultivation Let beds lie fallow, mulch, plant perennials,

pigweed, teasel, thistle improve drainage, reduce impact, increase

natural flows

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Sweet peas, clover, other Soil is sandy or alkaline, is too Add compost, maintain a thick mulch,

leguminous weeds well drained, or needs nitrogen create water and nutrient banks using

hugelkulture and trench mulches

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Wild lettuce, lemon balm, Soil pH is balanced to slightly Plant a garden and keep giving back

self-heal, cleavers, English acidic, soil is well drained and what you take through mulch and

daisy, groundsel, chickweed, fertile cover crops

plantain

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Credit to Ehrenfried Pfeiffer

Lee Reich, author

Weed-less Gardening • Introducing Gardening from the top down

– Benefits • Lack of annual ritual of turning soil

• No more wrestling rototiller

• Forget about needing that “iron back, with a hinge in it”

• Able to get plants and seeds in the ground sooner

• Organic materials remain on the surface

2001

Bare Bones of Lee Reich’s

Weed-less Gardening

1. Minimize Soil Disruption 2. Protect the Soil Surface 3. Avoid Soil Compaction 4. Use Drip Irrigation

Bare Bones of Weedless Gardening • 1. Minimize soil disruption

– Weeds sprout from seeds carried into garden by wind or hitchhike on (or within) animals.

– Soil should not be turned by hand, rototiller or plow.

– When setting transplants, shrubs, trees in ground, take care not to disrupt soil any more than necessary

Bare Bones of Weedless Gardening

• 2. Protect the Soil Surface – Use a covering to temper effects of hot sun, raindrops and

to smother weed seedlings.

– Type of covering your style of garden and kinds of plants you grow.

– Living plants might offer needed protection sometimes.

Bare Bones of Weedless Gardening

• 3. Avoid soil compaction – Keep off planted areas with feet, wheelbarrows, garden

carts, tractors.

– Designate areas for plants and for traffic.

– Design paths/walking areas.

Bare Bones of Weedless Gardening

4. Use drip irrigation

• 4. Use drip irrigation – Drip irrigation quenches plants’ thirst close to rate of actual

needs.

– It pinpoints water where needed.

– Water “feet” not “face”.

Patricia Lanza

Lasagna Gardening Introducing Layering in the Garden “When I first started gardening, I thought I had to do it all. The gardeners I knew and the books and magazines I read said to remove the sod, then till, dig, and even double-dig the top 12 to 18 inches of soil before starting a garden. This message is intimidating. It’s enough to make you want to throw in the trowel before you even get started!”

1998

More Tips

• 1. Let sleeping weeds lie

• 2. Mulch, mulch, mulch

• 3. Weed when the weeding’s good

• 4. Lop off their heads

• 5. Mind the gaps between the plants

• 6. Water the plants you want, not the weeds you got

Let Sleeping Weeds Lie

• Every garden contains weed seeds in soil.

• Those in top inch or two of soil get enough light to trigger germination.

• Don’t give weeds chance to see the light.

Permaculture Gardening

• Promotes a “No-Till Mindset”

– Tilling breaks up and loosens soil, turns up weeds, and incorporates soil amendments.

– Tilling disturbs structure of the dirt and exposes lower layers to sunlight.

– Tilling destroys fungal networks and the sticky exudates of soil organisms that hold soil together.

Mulch, Mulch, Mulch

• Develop a mulch mentality and smother weeds

• Stomp the weeds down, cover with thick pads of wet newspaper/cardboard Mulch on top!

• Cook the weeds by covering garden with black plastic, and let the sun bake it for two to six weeks

• Remove the plastic Mulch on top!

• Fewer weeds germinate in soil that contains fresh good compost or organic matter

• Mulch shades the soil

Weed Early, Weed Often

• Weed when the weeding’s good

• Make the most of good weeding conditions

• Old saying, “Pull when wet, hoe when dry”

• Use proper weeding tools

• After drenching rain head out the door with old table fork in hand – nothing better for twisting out tendrils of henbit or chickweed

• Use fishtail weeder to pry up taprooted weeds like dandelion

Lop off their Heads

• When you can’t remove weeds chop off the heads

• Chopping down weeds before they go to seed helps to keep from spreading

• Use pruning loppers for ragweed or poke

• Or string trimmer with blade attachment for prickly thistles

Plant Thickly

• Mind the gaps between plants

• Tightly planted beds leave no room for unwanted visitors

• Close spacing chokes out emerging weeds by shading the soil

• Most spacing recommendations are based on adjoining plants barely touching at mature size

• Follow guidelines for plants prone to foliar diseases

Water Plants you want, Not Weeds you’ve got

• Put drought on your side, deprive weeds of water

• Depriving weeds of water reduces germination 50-70%

• Water by hand when possible

• Set up drip system

And More

• Don’t Introduce Weeds! • An ounce of prevention is worth a season of

yanking!

And More

• Contaminated Equipment

And More

• Animals and People

And More • Weeds are “Opportunists”

Give them an inch and they will take a yard. - Don’t allow them to gain a foothold:

• Right Plant /Right Place

- Use turf / plants adapted to the site

• Use proper cultural practices

- Mow at the right height and frequency - Water, fertilize, and manage pests as needed

• Control traffic (from foot, pets, or vehicles)

And More • Weed Management Strategies

Now you got ‘em; what can you do about ‘em? • Cultural

– Improve site conditions

– Adjust cultural practices

– Apply mulch (organic or inorganic)

– Remove weeds before they flower and reseed

• Mechanical – if you must

– Hand pulling, hoeing, tilling, line trimming, etc.

• Chemical

– Herbicides applied appropriately

FAQ

• Q. Can we compost weeds?

– A. Heat is key to killing weeds in compost.

• Q. Which mulch is best for the garden?

– A. There are many choices. Use an organic vs inorganic mulch. UF does not recommend cypress but one favorite is straw (not hay).

Re-frame your thinking about “Weeds”

Many garden weeds are edible & nutritious. Caution!!!! Weeds have not been treated with chemicals.

• Chamberbitter

• Dandelion

• Purslane

• Clover

• Lamb’s Quarters

• Dollar Weed

• Plantain

• Chickweed

• Mallow

• Wild Amaranth

Chamberbitter Phyllanthus Urinaria

• Other popular common names of the plant are gripe weed, little mimosa, shatter stone, stone breaker, leaf flower

• Taste is bitter sweet

• Health benefits: • Acute & chronic hepatitis B Fever Conjuntivitis

• Diabetes Headache Bloating

• Dysentery Tumors Jaundice Flu Vaginitis

Dandelion Taraxacum • Dandelion greens $5 a bunch at food stores

• Every part is edible from roots to blossoms

• Tasty both raw and cooked

• Youngest leaves are less bitter and more palatable raw

• Leaves make good addition to salad, can be steamed or stir-fry or soup

• Flowers are sweet and crunchy raw or breaded and fried

• Don’t forget the syrup or wine

Sautéed Dandelion Greens with Eggs

2 - 4 servings • 4 cups chopped dandelion greens, thick stems removed (about 1-2 large bunches) • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, clarified butter, or ghee • 1 large leek, white and light green parts only, finely chopped • 4 large eggs • 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese Instructions • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the chopped dandelion

greens and blanch for 1 to 2 minutes. Drain the greens thoroughly, using a wooden spoon to drain and press out as much liquid as possible.

• Melt the butter or ghee in a 10-inch sauté pan set over medium heat. Sauté the leeks until tender, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the drained dandelion greens one handful at a time. Cook each handful until wilted, then add more.

• When the greens are wilted, crack the eggs into the pan on top of the greens. Top with feta cheese and cook uncovered until the whites of the eggs are set, about 5 minutes.

Clover Trifolium • Four-leaf clover hunt

• Becoming lawn replacement

• Important food for honeybees and bumblebees

• Leaves and flowers can be added to meals

• Raw leaves chopped into salads or can be sautéed

• Flowers of both red and white eaten raw or cooked or dried for tea

White Clover Iced Tea Servings 4 1 cup fresh white clover blossoms or 1/2 cup dried blossoms 4 cups water honey or maple syrup optional to taste lemon wedge optional Instructions Put the clover blossoms into a quart jar. Boil the water then pour over the blossoms. Let steep for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours, then strain out the clover blossoms with a fine mesh sieve and refrigerate. Serve cold over ice with honey or maple syrup and lemon if desired. Refrigerate leftover tea and consume within 24 hours of preparation.

Chickweed Pesto Servings 8 Food Processor 1/2 cup walnuts, cashews, or pine nuts 2-3 cloves garlic minced 3 cups chickweed loosely packed 1 Tbsp lemon juice 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese Place all ingredients into a food processor and process until smooth. (A blender can be used instead, but the chickweed should be finely chopped first) If it's too thick, slowly drizzle in a bit more olive oil. Keep refrigerated. Eat or freeze within 3-4 days.

Chickweed Stellaria • Chickweed pesto is mild and tasty

• Natural antibacterial used externally or anti-inflammatory and antihistamine used internally

• Rich source of vitamin C, beta-carotene, potassium, magnesium, calcium, niacin, selenium and Gamma-linolenic-acid.

Dollarweed Hydrocotyle spp.

• Served with salads

• Leaves less bitter than stems

• Powdered dollarweed sold in health food stores

• Dollarweed in lawn can indicate overwatering/over fertilizing

Dollarweed Dip 8 oz. Cream Cheese 8 oz. Sour Cream or Cabot Greek Yogurt Plain ¼ tsp. Garlic Powder ½ tsp. Lemon Pepper 1 tsp. Dill Weed ½ cup Dollarweed, finely minced. Use dollar weeds that are small and tender, about the size of a dime to a quarter. Combine all ingredients the day before serving and refrigerate. Serve with crackers, chips or on a baked potato.

Henbit Lamium amplexicaule • Can be consumed fresh or cooked as an edible herb

• Can be used in teas.

• The stem, flowers, and leaves are edible

• Although it is in the mint family, many people say it tastes slightly like raw kale, not like mint.

• Henbit is very nutritious, high in iron, vitamins and fiber.

Creamy Nettle Rice Bake Recipe 1 Tablespoon olive oil 1 small onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1 cup washed and dried nettle/henbit leaves 1 cup cooked rice (measured after cooked and cooled) 1 tsp salt 1 tsp pepper 1 egg ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese 1 cup milk 1 Tablespoon soy sauce or coconut aminos Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed skillet on medium. Add onions, garlic, and nettle leaves, and sauté together for 2 min. Add to mixing bowl with remaining ingredients. Mix well. Pour into an 8×8 greased baking dish. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Plantain Plantago sp

• Is potent medicinal, great for insect bites, stings and cuts

• Can be eaten as salad green

• Leaves a bit tough but good substitute for spinach (like plantain leaf pizza)

• Can be made into leafy chips using recipes for kale chips

Plantain Recipes

• Plantain Salad • Ingredients

• 2 cups of plantain leaves finely chopped (Broadleaf or Narrowleaf Plantain) >> ½ cup of cabbage finely chopped >> I large can of chick peas (28 oz), drained >> 1 onion thinly chopped >> 1 celery stalk finely chopped >> 1 or 2 garlic gloves finely chopped >> 1/8 cup olive oil >> 1/8 cup wine vinegar >> 1 tsp. salt

• Instructions

• Mix all the above ingredients (except the oil and vinegar) in a large bowl and refrigerate. Once chilled, add the oil and vinegar. If you find the salad a bit dry, then increase the quantity of olive oil and wine vinegar equally until you have the desired moistness.

Plantain & Dandelion Blossom Salve • Ingredients

• Infused Oil

• 1 cup plantain leaves

• ½ cup dandelion blossoms

• 2 cups olive oil

• ½ tsp lavender oil

• 2 capsules Vitamin E, optional

• Salve

• 2 oz 4 Tbsp or 1/4 cup beeswax

• 2 cups infused oil, from above

• Instructions

• Gather plantain leaves and bright yellow dandelion blossoms.

• Wash plantain if needed.

• Thoroughly dry plantain leaves and dandelion blossoms by laying out on dry towel overnight. The leaves and blossoms should look wilted.

• Rub, rip and break up the plantain leaves and blossoms to bruise them and release their medicinal properties. This process is known as garbling.

• Place leaves and blossoms in crock-pot and cover with olive oil.

• Turn heat to Keep Warm setting (not the low setting). It's important to use low heat to keep the medicinal properties in tact and create a high quality product.*

• Let infuse for 24 hours.

• Using a fine mesh (eg. cheesecloth, coffee filter) strain the oil into a large measuring cup with a spout.

• Add lavender oil.

• Use oil as is to apply to skin or use this infused oil to make a salve.

Purslane Portulaca oleracea • Purslane is both delicious and exceptionally nutritious

• Is somewhat crunchy and has a slight lemony taste. Some people liken it to watercress or spinach, and it can substitute for spinach in many recipes. Young, raw leaves and stems are tender and are good in salads and sandwiches. They can also be lightly steamed or stir-fried. Purslane’s high level of pectin (known to lower cholesterol) thickens soups and stews.

Purslane Dip 4 cups purslane chopped 2 cups plain yogurt 3/4 tsp salt divided 1/4 cup fresh dill chopped 1 T butter melted 3 cloves garlic pressed Wash purslane thoroughly & drain on paper towels. Steam purslane for approximately 5 minutes, or until wilted. Meanwhile, measure out two cups of yogurt & mix in salt & dill. Squeeze out any excess water from the steamed purslane. Saute purslane in butter for a few minutes. Add garlic & saute for another minute. Add purslane & garlic to the yogurt, mixing to combine. Refrigerate for at least an hour. Serve with pita chips, crackers or bread.

Lamb’s Quarters Amaranthaceae

• Lamb's quarters can be eaten in salads or added to smoothies

• Steaming this edible weed is one method of cooking, or can be added to soups, sautés and much more

• “Wild spinach is one of the most nutritious leafy greens ever analyzed, beating out riboflavin, calcium, zinc, copper & manganese”

Lamb’s Quarters Frittata

Ingredients 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 3 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly, preferably with a mandolin 1 pinch salt and pepper 3/4 cup lambsquarters tips (top 4 to 6 inches of tender leaves and stem), roughly chopped 2 1/2 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated 6 eggs 2 tablespoons cream Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.

Add the sliced potatoes, salt & pepper. Cook for 8 minutes, remove from heat, set aside in a large bowl. Cook the chopped lambsquarters in the same pan for 2 minutes, or until just tender and deep green. Add a tablespoon of water as it cooks, if it becomes dry. Combine the cooked lambsquarters, eggs, cheese, and cream in a large bowl. Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a large saucepan at medium heat, then pour the entire egg-lambsquarters-potato mixture into the saucepan and stir the top around so that it browns evenly. Add more ground pepper, then flip it once it's lightly browned. Cook until it's set in the middle, and serve immediately.

Mallow Malva • Is an edible plant that has been used for medicinal care as well

as food

• Fruits are round and have cheese-like wedges which give the common mallow its nickname, cheese plant.

STUFFED MALLOW LEAVES 1 cup short or medium-grain rice 1/2 onion, minced 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, minced Salt 1/3 cup pesto 3 tablespoons olive oil Grape or mallow leaves Get a large frying pan hot over high heat. Add the mushrooms and shake the pan often until they release their water. When most of the water is gone, add the onion and the olive oil and a little salt. Toss to combine. Saute this over high heat until the onion begins to color, then add the rice. Toss to combine. Toast for a minute, then add 1 cup of water and a little salt. Turn the heat to medium and let the water cook away. When it is absorbed, turn off the heat and let the rice cool. Add the pesto and toss to combine. You can add a little olive oil if you have a dryish pesto. Grape and mallow leaves come in different sizes, so adjust the amount of filling as needed when you fill them. It should always be about a tablespoon, though.

Line up your dolmas seam side down on a perforated vegetable steam insert, Chinese steamer or even on the bottom of a pan. Nestle them in snug against each other, and it is OK to stack them up to three levels high. Mallow leaves don’t need to be weighed down, but grape leaves benefit from it. Lay a plate over the dolmas when you put them in to the pot you are about to steam them in. I use a large stockpot. Put in enough water to come up just under the level of the dolmas, cover and bring to a boil. Steam gently for 40 minutes to an hour — why the difference? Depends on how fresh your rice is, and how much water it soaked up initially. Better to err on the long side than the short, as no one likes crunchy rice. Serve warm or at room temperature. Dolmas will keep for a week in the fridge.

Stuffed Mallow Leaves

1 cup short or medium-grain rice 1/2 onion, minced 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, minced Salt 1/3 cup pesto 3 tablespoons olive oil Grape or mallow leaves Get a large frying pan hot over high heat. Add the mushrooms and shake the pan often until they release their water. When most of the water is gone, add the onion and the olive oil and a little salt. Toss to combine. Saute this over high heat until the onion begins to color, then add the rice. Toss to combine. Toast for a minute, then add 1 cup of water and a little salt. Turn the heat to medium and let the water cook away. When it is absorbed, turn off the heat and let the rice cool. Add the pesto and toss to combine. You can add a little olive oil if you have a dryish pesto. Grape and mallow leaves come in different

sizes, so adjust the amount of filling as needed when you fill them. It should always be about a tablespoon, though. Line up your dolmas seam side down on a perforated vegetable steam insert, Chinese steamer or even on the bottom of a pan. Nestle them in snug against each other, and it is OK to stack them up to three levels high. Mallow leaves don’t need to be weighed down, but grape leaves benefit from it. Lay a plate over the dolmas when you put them in to the pot you are about to steam them in. I use a large stockpot. Put in enough water to come up just under the level of the dolmas, cover and bring to a boil. Steam gently for 40 minutes to an hour — why the difference? Depends on how fresh your rice is, and how much water it soaked up initially. Better to err on the long side than the short, as no one likes crunchy rice. Serve warm or at room temperature. Dolmas will keep for a week in the fridge.

Wild Amaranth • In Mexico and India the seeds are popped and mixed with

sugar to make a confection

• In Mexico they are roasted for the traditional drink “atole”

• Peruvians use the grain to make a beer.

• Used to treat toothache & fevers or color maize & quinoa

Southeast Asian Amaranth/Stir-Fry with Ginger 6 cups amaranth leaves and stems, clipped from the top 3 inches of the young plant 3 tablespoons canola oil, or enough to coat the bottom of a wok or pan 1 tablespoon sliced fresh ginger 1 tablespoon fish sauce Put a pan or wok over high heat and add the oil. Add the ginger and let it sizzle until lightly brown. Next, add the amaranth and drizzle it with the fish sauce. Stir for 2 to 3 minutes, or until it turns a deep green. Remove it from the heat and serve.

Last Minute Questions

1. Have you I.D. the weeds in your garden? 2. Have you listened to what the weeds have to say? 3. Are you still a weed-hater? 4. Do you plan to have a weed-free garden or? 5. Do you plan to have a weed-less garden? 6. Do you plan to be a harvester not a weeder?

_________________________________

I.D.

Questions? Evie Pankok

Duval County Extension 1010 N. McDuff Avenue Jacksonville, Fl. 32254

(904) 255-7450 epankok@coj.net

http://duval.ifas.ufl.edu