I hadn't given much thought to weed science as a separate field of Crop and Soil Sciences. Of course, weed scientists study unwanted or invasive plants and ways to kill or tame them, among other things.
But I have grown fascinated with weeds as nutritious and medicinal foods, and as otherwise beneficial garden or wild plant companions.
I understand the harm potential (PDF) of invasive weeds and note happily that many weeds grow in my zone naturally. While I help eradicate invaders, such as garlic mustard, I will search for and try appealing recipes.
I am not planning to prepare supper of thistles, but I re-planted several, just for the sake of their beauty, into a pot in my ad hoc (for the fun of it) rock garden.
![The Tortoise Cat, the Polygonum and Thistles in my mini-rock-(and-weed)-garden, May 27, 2010. by ECP/Shamanic-Shift via Flickr.com The Tortoise Cat, the Polygonum and Thistles in my mini-rock-(and-weed)-garden, May 27, 2010. by ECP/Shamanic-Shift via Flickr.com](/files/images/Rock-Garden_Thistles_TC_am-1600.jpg)
Image: The Tortoise Cat, the Polygonum (Japanese Knotweed) and Thistle pot in the rock garden in back of our place
Today I found these links for weed-lovers: Edible Weeds (PDF) by Bobbi Gustafson and Corrina Marote of the Washington State University Extension; the Doc Weed's Doin's blog (not updated recently, but a good read); If You Can't Beat 'Em, Eat 'Em! by Aaron Munzer in the Daily Green; Edible Weeds - Don't Kill The Weeds In Your Yard, Eat Them! by Andrea at the FunTimesGuide.com; Free Food in Your Yard: Edible Weeds! by Andrea Dickson at WiseBread.com; and Wonderful World of Weeds by Lynn Smythe at OldFashionedLiving.com.
How do you like your weeds?
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