Weeds

If there is one annoyance that unites gardeners, landscapers, farmers, and groundskeepers it is weeds. They come in all shapes, sizes and colors and can be found everywhere, including your driveway. Emerging from cracks in the concrete, growing from between the gravel or popping up in the bare dirt, there’s nothing quite like a weed … Read more

Depending on who you ask, goldenrod is either a beautiful, shimmering sight growing in waves across a field, or an unholy menace that chokes out other plants and causes rampant allergies when it blooms, which is often and for a long time. This is certainly one of the more divisive wild plants out there, and … Read more

If you’re a homesteader, then you know the importance of growing your own food. But what about plants that can help support your local ecosystem? Milkweed is one such plant, and it’s worth growing even if you don’t have a lot of space. Here are a few reasons why milkweed is so important, and why … Read more

Urtica dioica, commonly known as stinging nettle, is a perennial herb growing throughout many continents. The herb is native to Asia and north Africa, but has travelled to Europe, North America, and even in some parts of the South Pacific. It gets its common name from the stinging hairs, known as trichomes. These fine hairs … Read more

When most people think of clover, what comes to mind are the staple green leaves and the folklore of luck when you find a four-leaf clover. Clover is often viewed as a weed or derivative of grass, when actually it is a great crop cover and overall addition to landscaping. If you’re a homesteader, then … Read more

No-one wants the hard work, money and energy that they have invested in creating a garden to be ruined by weeds. It’s sometimes a temptation to go to the store and buy an environmentally friendly product that say it will eliminate the problem. But just as it isn’t necessary to use toxic chemicals to prevent … Read more

Dandelions have gotten a bad rap for far too long. They have summarily been dismissed as mere weeds, and get sprayed with chemicals to kill them every time their cute little flower heads pop up out of the dirt. Not only are these common backyard flowers edible, they may also boast natural healing properties. Dandelion … Read more

Dandelion infusions and tinctures have been used to garner the high nutrient content contained in the flowers, leaves, roots, and stems, and also to harness the potential natural medicinal properties the plant parts contain. Making a dandelion infusion is neither difficult nor expensive, but it does require both time and patience on the part of … Read more

Spend hours pulling weeds, with sweat dripping off your brow, and you might be wondering, “why are weeds so bad for your garden?” Sure, they don’t look all that great – but are they really that harmful? There are some benefits to letting weeds flourish in your garden, but there are also some risks, too. … Read more

Jewelweed is a drastically underappreciated “weed.” While you can eat jewelweed, it is most often grown or foraged it for its potential healing properties. While this attractive bush-like plant has many uses, it is perhaps most widely known for its antipruritic (anti-itching) value. This wild plant is an active natural ingredient in poison ivy rash … Read more

Goldenrod is largely thought of as an annoying weed that makes you sneeze in the United States. But in Europe, this edible and naturally healing plant is cultivated alongside more conventional garden plants for its beauty. There are 130 different species of goldenrod, all of which can be foraged and used in wildcrafting home remedies. … Read more

Poison hemlock is a beautiful plant… that’s also lethal! The unseasonably wet winter and spring – followed by flooding in many regions of the United States, has caused this deadly toxic and invasive plant to pop up all around the country. Once the shock of spotting it on your land wears off, then your real … Read more

Ironweed is not the nuisance weed many rural folks think it is, not by a long shot. The beautiful purple weed that flourishes in horse pastures and fields offers a bounty of medicinal benefits. The wildflower possesses antiseptic properties, and has a somewhat bitter taste. For centuries, ironweed has been used to treat a plethora … Read more

Weeds are good. Yep, you just read that right, weeds actually do have a purpose… at least some of them, anyway. In an era when biotech industry giants (I typically use a lot harsher term for those guys and their peers) are constantly toiling away in laboratories figuring out how to kill weeds, I am … Read more

Plantain grows EVERYWHERE, and it’s such a useful plant. Here’s the oil recipe I make when it’s taken over my backyard.

At first glance it looks like another lowly weed. But before you yank it out to toss aside, check out the medicinal benefits of Ajuga (aka Bugleweed).