Perennial Greens You've Grown

Dimitrius Brown wrote:

Nathan Stephanson wrote:I'm pretty excited about Good King Henry.

What has you so excited?

We just put Swiss chard down for the first time this year here in Oakland. Super excited to be eating it fresh this summer.

...

Sandra Goodstone wrote:Isn't Sorrel an invasive plant?

Sandra Goodstone wrote:Isn't Sorrel an invasive plant?

Heather Staas wrote:
One of the plants I'm learning about that I didn't see mentioned (may have missed it)  is Tradescantia Virginiana.  

It is vigorous, hardy, and looks like many parts are edible.   I have tons growing on my property (fairly common accidental garden plant all over my city).   I have not tried it yet, but I'm looking at different sources of which parts to eat,  when, and how to prepare.    Young leaves, and then flower buds seem to get lots of great reviews.  

Inge Leonora-den Ouden wrote:

Heather Staas wrote:
One of the plants I'm learning about that I didn't see mentioned (may have missed it)  is Tradescantia Virginiana.  

It is vigorous, hardy, and looks like many parts are edible.   I have tons growing on my property (fairly common accidental garden plant all over my city).   I have not tried it yet, but I'm looking at different sources of which parts to eat,  when, and how to prepare.    Young leaves, and then flower buds seem to get lots of great reviews.  

Yeas, Tradescantia (I don't know the exact species) is edible. It doesn't survive outdoors here (although ... winters are becoming less cold ...). But it's a well known house plant. I sometimes put some of the leaves in a salad. The taste is somewhat like purslane.

Matthew Nistico wrote:@Joe Grand and Jamie Chevalier - I also live in South Carolina zone 8a, and I am likewise anxious to see how my new tree collards will perform in the winter, seeing that we are pushing the edge of what they are supposed to tolerate!

Actually, while I am in zone 8a, my property almost straddles the line between 8a and 7b.

I am cautiously optimistic.  But I also intend, as Joe indicated, to take a few cuttings early every winter to pot up and keep inside on a windowsill.  They will be my insurance, in case one or more of my tree collards bites the dust one particular winter.  The good thing is that propagating tree collards via tip cuttings seems fairly easy.

Oliver Huynh wrote:Hello,
Currently in the garden :
- Sorrel
- Wood sorrel
- Goutweed (lots of it, weekly harvest)
- Daubenton's collard
- Wild fennel
- Sweet cicely
- Nettles.

Goutweed is a horrible invasive here in the Southern Tier of NY, and I can't get rid of it. I have tried eating it, as I have seen many Korean's gather it but, even with boiling to make the flavor milder, I find it unappetizing.  Could you kindly share details of how you prepare it?
Sweet cicely is a lovely abundant herb in my garden but I have never eaten it, though I love the anise-like fragrance. I have only seen recipes candying it.  Could you also share how you prepare that?

thanks,
Freyda

Sandra Goodstone wrote:Isn't Sorrel an invasive plant?

Hester Winterbourne wrote:Here is an odd thing - at the weekend I found a nettle with hardly any stings.  Yes it is definitely a nettle of the Urtica genus, by its smell and the fact that it does sting very slightly as I found out when I sniffed it.  Now, I am aware of the Fen Nettle which is noted for not stinging, but that has much narrower leaves than the usual species.  And this stingless nettle that I have found has broader leaves.  Also, the patch next to it which is a similar height is starting to flower, whereas this one is nowhere near.

Here it is.  I have taken some up to my allotment and am curious to see if the flavour is as good as the stinging ones.

I'm in zone 7b/8a and my tree collards survived an unusually hard winter this year. I do have them in a high spot that doesn't gather the cold, mulch them, and on the worst night I throw some cloth over them. They're now setting tons of seed to give away!

Hester Winterbourne wrote:Here is an odd thing - at the weekend I found a nettle with hardly any stings.  Yes it is definitely a nettle of the Urtica genus, by its smell and the fact that it does sting very slightly as I found out when I sniffed it.  Now, I am aware of the Fen Nettle which is noted for not stinging, but that has much narrower leaves than the usual species.  And this stingless nettle that I have found has broader leaves.  Also, the patch next to it which is a similar height is starting to flower, whereas this one is nowhere near.

Here it is.  I have taken some up to my allotment and am curious to see if the flavour is as good as the stinging ones.

William Bronson wrote:They are quite spicy but heat and butter tame that somewhat.

Jamie Chevalier wrote:

Hester Winterbourne wrote:Here is an odd thing - at the weekend I found a nettle with hardly any stings.  Yes it is definitely a nettle of the Urtica genus, by its smell and the fact that it does sting very slightly as I found out when I sniffed it.  Now, I am aware of the Fen Nettle which is noted for not stinging, but that has much narrower leaves than the usual species.  And this stingless nettle that I have found has broader leaves.  Also, the patch next to it which is a similar height is starting to flower, whereas this one is nowhere near.

Here it is.  I have taken some up to my allotment and am curious to see if the flavour is as good as the stinging ones.

There is an annual nettle that is somewhat less stingy, Urtica urens as opposed to Urtica dioica. Looking at the photo again, I think that is what you have. https://www.opencircleseeds.com/listing/733784205/organic-annual-nettle    The leaves are shorter, and more rounded at the base than perennial nettle, with very prominent serrations.

You could see if yours lives a second year. What a great adaptation to propagate if it is a perennial!

Alia Sunder wrote:Does anyone have any unique ways of using purslane, other than a green salad or steamed like spinach? Thank you!

Joe Grand wrote:Tell me if any of these are perennials:
Good old Henry-yes
Vineland Hardy Prickly Pears-yes
Purple Shiso /Perilla?
Red Fire Orach?
Ruby Red Swiss Chard?
I am planting in zone 8a, I have seeds, thanks.

Joe Grand wrote:Tell me if any of these are perennials:

Rita Marquez wrote:
Perilla? Is this the one that tastes like sesame seeds? Is it sesame plant? I don’t think I can find the seeds of it in the US.

C Lundquist wrote:

Rita Marquez wrote:
Perilla? Is this the one that tastes like sesame seeds? Is it sesame plant? I don’t think I can find the seeds of it in the US.

Not the same thing. If you want to grow sesame, however, you can sow the seeds from the grocery store, just get raw, non-roasted ones. Sesame is annual.

Rita Marquez wrote:

C Lundquist wrote:

Rita Marquez wrote:
Perilla? Is this the one that tastes like sesame seeds? Is it sesame plant? I don’t think I can find the seeds of it in the US.

Not the same thing. If you want to grow sesame, however, you can sow the seeds from the grocery store, just get raw, non-roasted ones. Sesame is annual.

Where do you get your perilla seeds? I thought perilla was the same thing as sesame because of the flavor. I bought a package at an Asian market and that was how it tasted to me.

Abe Coley wrote:two good ones unmentioned as of yet: elm samarras and gingko leaves.

The inner pith of quack grass root runners is edible, and so far from the few times I've tried it it's pretty good as far as grass-flavored starchy pastes go.

Barbara Kochan wrote:I'm preparing to grow more perennial veggies. Just read scarlet runner beans are perennial in zones 7-11. Has anyone in the coastal pacific northwest had scarlet runners produce for more than one year? I think I'm in zone 7b/8 so I have some hope ...