Catching up herbally

[bunnyjadwiga]

Well, yesterday I picked some wood sorrel (http://www.nativetech.org/plantgath/sorrel.htm ) out of the edge of one of the beds along the parking lot, and walked back to work chewing it, muttering "oxalic acid". Yes, there are 2 reasons why this was foolish: one is that wood sorrel is high in oxalic acid, which is bad for humans in large amounts, and the other was it was in a parking lot, and therefore right next to car exhaust. I do need to remember that i'm still breastfeeding and take fewer chances. On the other hand, the tangy taste of woodsorrel is delicious.

Tonight I hope to pick some fat hen/pigweed/lamb's quarters (chenopodium species: http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/weeds/plants/lamb_quarters.htm) that is growing as a weed in the side yard and cook it. I think steamed.

We also have huge amounts of spearmint/garden mint growing in the side yard, one of the things that convinced me this rental was the right place for us; we make an excellent salad by mixing mesclun/spring greens with baby spinach and adding mint leaves, though a small handful of mint leaves can pep up even a basic romaine salad.

Comments

Potted mint

[bunnyjadwiga.livejournal.com]

Be aware that potted mint seems to use up the soil very quickly; mine has always died out from the center after 1-2 years. I think changing the entire subsoil would probably prevent that.

I use lemon balm in my sekanjabin, and also as strewing herb (it's supposed to make the heart glad). Apparently at one time, lemon balm was rubbed into furniture to polish it.

Maybe I will try to make some lemon balm syrup and see how that comes out.

Re: Potted mint

[auntiero.livejournal.com]

I can understand the bit about it making the heart glad. It's a cheery scent.

Hmmm... furniture polish... I'll have to try it, see how it works.