No Need to Plant Spring Greens

I'm pretty lazy when it comes to gardening. Gardening can be hard work and is a back-breaking dirty job. There are ways to have greens without having to garden. You just need to know where to look and know how to set it up for continual harvest of fresh greens. And you save time and money doing it this way too, since you don't have to buy seeds or seedlings or add compost into your garden. What we're dealing with here is self-seeding plants and perennial that offer themselves at spring time and possibly throughout the summer.

If you have not already done so, I would suggest you plant some mustard greens. Those of Asian varieties are easier to grow, and have larger leaves for more enjoyment. Plant some edible amaranths to come back again when the soil is at the right temperature to their liking. As long as they're harvested on a regular basis you should have plenty of amaranth greens to last you through the summer and into the fall. Field peas or peas that had dropped seeds from the previous season will likely come up. Harvest the tender tops for a simple stir fry or sauteed with just a touch of butter and garlic, or whatever your taste desires. Beets, radishes or any in this family will also come up.

Other perennial plants to consider are strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cherries, asparagus, just to name a few. These plants might take a bit of effort, like weeding and adding more nutrient to aid in their development, but they'll be worth it. Keep in mind though that raspberry plant can get out of control as well as the strawberry.

Plants of surprise such as stinging nettle (it's true they do sting), and bracken ferns, these grow by themselves without human initiation, well perhaps a long time ago, but for the most part, they grow wild. Bracken ferns have three leaves that share a stem. The new shoot gets harvested prior to the leaves opening up. In this way the plant is less likely to contain toxin. Further toxins can be decreased by drying (best method) the shoots. Wash hair off the shoots first by using wet durable paper towel. Dry them in a food dehydrator for your convenience, or let them dry on a cookie sheet, turning once a day to thoroughly dry.

Stinging nettles can be found right in your garden where bracken ferns had to be hunted down in your local woods or trails, if you're not lucky to have some in your backyard. When handling stinging nettles, wear gloves, since the stems of the nettles can be very irritating. Avoid getting stung is the key to a successful harvest and feast. The washing and cooking shall greatly reduce the nettles sting. Cook them for 10 minutes or more with your favorite flavoring to fully kill the sting.

So there you have it folks. Mustard, peas, radish, amaranth greens should be abundant every year for you now in the spring and summer, and you didn't have to do much to get them. As always, fully identify unknown plants prior to ingesting. Sample a small piece of wild foods to make sure you're not allergic. Bracken ferns might not be enjoyed by all due to their nature. Bracken ferns toxin can lead to stomach cancer overtime, but then again so do burned grilled foods and alcohol. Have fun harvesting.