Why I Love Weeds
Weeds. The real American enemy. LOL.
It’s no news to you that families, communities, and cities dislike invasive species. In the Rockies, we see plenty of Canadian thistle, Russian knapweed, St. Johnswort, and even Oxeye daisy on the list of priority 2b weeds. The South has plenty of dandelions, crabgrass, and thistle to frustrate homeowners. And the East coast has an extensive list of weeds that I don’t even consider weeds…
The worst part for everyone who’s sick and tired of these plants, weeds are growing stronger and more tolerant of herbicides.
“There are currently 521 unique cases (species x site of action) of herbicide resistant weeds globally, with 263 species (152 dicots and 111 monocots). Weeds have evolved resistance to 23 of the 26 known herbicide sites of action and to 164 different herbicides. Herbicide resistant weeds have been reported in 94 crops in 71 countries. The website has 3030 registered users and 642 weed scientists have contributed new cases of herbicide resistant weeds.” via weedscience.org (2021 04 29)
Why do we hate them so much?
Gardeners and home owners claim that they take up too much space and space. The majority of Americans agree that they’re less attractive and appear unkept compared to “non-weeds”. And for the last 50 years, pretty much all of us have seen the weeds sprayed daily by our dads and grandparents. The disdain stems from keeping up appearances and maintaining that perfect green lawn. Landscaping one’s entire property for guests’ approval is subconsciously hardwired in our culture.
What if weeds were good for something?
Did you know that many “weeds” are actually high quality plants used for medicine and food for thousands of years(if they’ve exist in an unpolluted state). For example, there are tons of benefits from dandelion leaves and roots, St. Johnswort is good for reducing inflammation, and you can make a delicious thistle juice every morning to keep up your energy. Not to mention, a lot of these beneficial weeds can help detox and support many of your organs.
I joined my friend, Dr. Patrick Jones, Veterinarian and Naturopath at HomeGrownHerbalist.net, to explain the pros and cons of cultivating weeds on your property or in your garden.
In our brief chat (below), Dr. Jones also mentions how easy it is to wildcraft and identify medicinal plants in his community.
In case you haven’t heard, many weeds are great for your mental and physical health.
I’ve seen advertisements for dandelion root tea, mullein leaf, and horsetail recently. Many people claim that these few weeds are good for your liver, kidney, lung, and overall health. Maybe we should change our response to weeds, huh?
Last summer, I hiked parts of Colorado with my gluten-sensitive assistant. Lol made her keep a lookout for cattail. Then before our hiking adventures were over, I made her a yummy gluten-free pie. Nature is literally the gift that keeps on giving. Let me know if I should share my cattail pie recipe.
You can learn how to find medicinal plants in your yard by joining The Grow Network’s Academy here: https://academy.thegrownetwork.com/
I’m Marjory Wildcraft, the founder of The Grow Network, a community of people focused on modern self-sufficient living. I recently authored The Grow System: The Essential Guide to Modern Self-Sufficient Living — From Growing Food to Making Medicine.
