Monthly Feature APRIL 2013
Spring is one of the most exciting times of year for gardeners and herbalists. We watch leaves break dormancy on trees and shrubs, bulbs start to show new shoots, perennials return and it’s time for working the soil in our garden beds and containers from last year. New plants are seeded and we are optimistic about the future!
Herbalists and others in the know also watch for certain wild herbs that can be used for our health.
For centuries, as we know, plants have been used for health and medicine. No herbs are more useful than the ones that show up in Spring and are used to reinvigorate our bodies after the Winter. In countries with very cold winters and limited food availability, Spring Tonics were especially important.
Today, of course, we have a wide range of produce and other foods available to us year-round. That doesn’t mean, however, that our bodies don’t still react in a positive manner to the Spring herbs for good health and nutrition.
Some of the most common, healthy Spring herbs are Dandelion, Nettles, Cleavers and Chickweed.
Dandelion- Taraxacum officinale
Dandelions are ubiquitous. We’re seeing them now, as Spring is in full swing here in my part of Texas. Folks up north, where the weather is still cold, will have to wait a bit for their spring Dandelions. Why Dandelions? They are considered a mild bitter herb used to stimulate the appetite and promote digestion, as a blood cleanser and diuretic. Dandelions can be harvested from areas where you know no pesticides have been used and cooked like any leafy green- steamed, braised or used in soups, pesto and soups.
You can also make a Dandelion Tea using about 1/2 tsp. freshly dried leaves per cup of water. Steep for 10 minutes and drink about 3 times throughout the day to stimulate digestion and aid in liver function.
There are cultivated varieties of Dandelion bred for food. I’ve grown Italian Dandelions from John Sheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds: Catalogna Dandelions: 60-65 days Catalogna is an early open-pollinated variety with long, deeply-cut, bright green frilly leaves. If you want to harvest it as a ‘cut and come again’ crop, sow heavily and thickly. But be forewarned, they will bolt in hot weather and become unpleasantly bitter. We enjoy pairing it with other greens in rustic salads topped with a warm, pancetta balsamic vinegar reduction dressing and homemade croutons. (OP.)
Nettles- Urtica dioica
Stinging Nettle may not be a plant you want in the forefront of your yard or garden, but a patch in an out-of-the-way location or even a large container will allow you to benefit from its heathful properties. A tea made from Nettles or a portion steamed like spinach is high in iron, lutein and other anti-oxidants. It helps build healthy blood and brings vigor to the whole body.
How to make Nettle Tea
Bring 1 quart of water to a rapid boil. Turn off the heat, and immediately stir in one quart of well washed young nettle tops. Stir again and allow to cool. Strain off the tea, and start sipping.
As for the nettles, they are now fully disarmed and can be cooked a little more before sampling. Any recipe that calls for cooked spinach from calzones to pesto to omelets can be made with cooked nettles.
Early Spring is the best time to harvest Nettles for use in tea or cooking. The young leaves have a creamy texture when cooked as a side dish alone or with other healthy greens. You can use nettles as a substitute or in combination with spinach, dandelions, kale or any other green leafy vegetable in soups, side dishes or even pesto. As the plants age, the leaves become more tough and less flavorful.
If you are into making tinctures, Nettles harvested in early Spring make a tincture which can be used all year.
WARNING: Wear gloves, long sleeves. long pants, shoes and socks when harvesting Nettles. The little hairs on the shoots and leaves will sting you! There are remedies for the stinging- here’s an article from Wiki How with several ways to combat the sting. It’s best to avoid the plants with bare skin, when possible. And, please, keep your children away from the plants!!
Nettles grow and spread a lot like mint, so if you want to cultivate a patch, keep that in mind. Also, they will reseed prolifically. Many people who cultivate them, prune the plants down when they see the seed heads form before the seeds ripen to keep them from reseeding. Then, pull the stragglers are you see them.
The older, tougher leaves make an excellent addition to the compost pile or sheet composting plan. Here’s a recipe for Nettle Leaf Plant Food.
Nettles are also a good hair conditioner. Simply make a strong Nettle Tea and pour it over your hair after shampooing. Or, infuse Nettle leaves in some Apple Cider Vinegar for a hair rinse that will keep your hair shiny and soft.
Cleavers Galium aparine
Now, this is a true weed in most people’s estimation! It grows rampant, sticks to your pants, shoes, socks and pets and to most people has no redeeming value. Well! Cleavers have been used for its liver cleansing properties as well as it’s general detoxifying properties. It can help reduce swollen glands.
It is generally infused into a tincture, although a tea may also be made from the plant parts. Some people use the young leaves and stems in salads or steamed as with other leafy greens. The seeds can be harvested and slowly roasted for a coffee-like beverage.
Cleavers is a true Spring tonic as it’s detoxifying and cleansing properties can help rejuvenate our lymph system and liver after a long winter.
The tea- about a cup of boiling water poured over 2-3 tsp. of freshly dried leaves and steeped for about 10 minutes- can also be used topically to clear skin blemishes, soothe burns and rashes.
Chickweed Stellaria media
Photo Courtesy of Foraging Texas
Chickweed, also known as Starwort, Little Star Lady and Starweed grows throughout the world. It is rarely planted, as it seems to grow most anywhere. Here in Texas, it is a cool season annual, growing in Winter in the southern half of the state into early Spring everywhere. It has been used for centuries. It was used aboard ships to prevent scurvy as it is high in Vitamin C. Traditionally the young leaves and stems are picked and used fresh in salads. It has a refreshing, slightly tart flavor.
An infusion can be made from the leaves and stems and drunk for its Vitamin content which includes not only Vitamin C, but also Vitamins A and B. The infusion may also be used on a poultice for sore joints, insect bites and other skin inflammations. The infusion on a poultice can also be used to counteract a rash from Stinging Nettles!
So, as you go about your yards and gardens this Spring, you may want to look more closely at the weeds you’re pulling. You might find some beneficial plants that will help your body transition from Winter into Spring and Summer.
Using native plants is much more natural – and less expensive – than purchasing supplements. Just make sure you know what you’re harvesting!! And, be careful around those Nettles!!
QUOTE FOR THE MONTH
Our perception that we have “no time” is one of the distinctive marks of modern Western culture.
-Margaret Visser, writer and broadcaster (b. 1940)