So often when we think of weeds, we think of them as useless, invasive, and unwanted plants.
But you will learn that some of the plants that are traditionally considered useless weeds, are actually very useful indeed!
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The odd thing about weeds is that they are different for each person.
What you may think is a weed, could be a useful herb or flower for someone else.
Some weeds are well worth growing, even in a nice garden.
How to Identify Weeds That Are Good
I am going to introduce you to 8 common weeds that most of us have found growing in our yards, and have removed without realizing how amazing they can be!
Benefits of Stinging Nettle
Stinging nettle is a great addition to your garden because it is packed with nutrition for a major health boost.
This is a great plant for families looking to add more nutrition to their diets and can be used anywhere you use spinach.
Benefits of Clover
Clover is an edible nitrogen fixer that can improve your soil and makes a great addition to summer salads.
Clover flowers make a great homemade jelly.
Clover can even make a great low maintenance ground cover that spreads quickly.
Benefits of Dandelions
Dandelions are commonly seen as a weed, but to many peoples surprise dandelions actually make a great addition to any garden.
Growing in the main part of your yard allows you to take advantage of these volunteer plants.
Dandelion leaves make a great salad green, the roots make a simple coffee substitute, and the flowers can be used for medicinal salves or homemade jellies among many other great uses.
Benefits of Chickweed
Chickweed also makes a great addition to your garden.
This invasive plant should be placed in it’s own contained garden area to prevent it from spreading.
Avoid allowing chickweed to go to seed.
Chickweed is packed with vitamins A, D and B.
Chickweed provides a healthy dose of minerals like iron, calcium, and potassium.
Use as an addition to summer salads or hidden in your favorite green smoothie.
Benefits of Plantain
Plantain is a edible leafy green that has many health & nutrition benefits, making it a great addition to your backyard garden.
This backyard weed is high in calcium and vitamins A, C, and K.
Remove the spines and serve the leaves and stems as part of your summer salad.
Use the leaves to supplement romaine, spinach, kale and other fresh greens.
Along with being a great edible, this vitamin-packed weed has an entire host of natural medicinal uses.
The Native Americans used it to help with fever, to heal wounds, and to draw out toxins from stings and bites, including snakebites.
Benefits of Sorrel
Sorrel is similar to and often confused with clover because they look very similar to each other.
With the same three-leaf structure this plant has a slightly more heart shaped leaf pattern and small white flowers.
Packed with antioxidants these small leaves make a great addition to your home garden or more likely in your lawn.
Benefits of Purslane
Purslane is a resilient grown vine that spreads like wildfire.
This edible succulent makes a great addition to well-established areas and around perennial flower beds.
It will often snuff out young plants so avoid growing it with annual plants.
Eat this lemony flavored plant with your summer salads or save for making frozen sweets taking advantage of its lemon-like sour flavor.
Purslane makes a great pickled vegetable option.
Benefits of Lams Quarter
Lams Quarter a cross between spinach and swiss chard grows prolifically making itself a very easy to grow abundance plant.
This like many other weeds is an invasive plant that needs to be kept in it’s own contained space.
It can make a great addition to your dinner plant with high doses of vitamins A and K along with magnesium and calcium.
Try adding one of these to your next salad, purslane is a great edition to a Greek salad.
As you can see there are a lot of reasons to keep those common weeds in your garden.
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