This is the ninth in a series of blogs, shared with permission, about weeds in the garden. Each blog will discuss a common and specific weed found in Maine, its history, uses, what story it tells about the soil it grows in, and how to get rid of it. The original blogs, along with other gardening related blogs, can be found here.

This ugly little plant is what is actually responsible for your allergies – not that beautiful yellow flowered goldenrod you often attribute it to. Other names for ragweed include ambrosia, horseweed, asthma plant, bursages and burrobrushes, American wormwood, bitterweed, blackweed, carrot weed, hay fever weed, Roman wormwood, short ragweed, stammerwort, stickweed, tassel weed.

Common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) is an annual that can produce 60,000 seeds a plant, and ragweed pollen is responsible for about half of all pollen related allergies in the US. It is also the first plant in my list that is actually native to North America! Common ragweed is considered an invasive, and in Queensland it is prohibited to be given away, sold or released without permission.

Although most of us want nothing to do with the plant, ragweed may have its uses. In the past it has been used to relieve nausea, fever, as a laxative, to soothe skin rashes and even as an antiseptic. There is a whole body of homeopathic research on the “like treats like” principle – where ragweed pollen is used to reduce allergy symptoms. The seeds, which are edible, pack an impressive amount of crude protein and fat, and each plant produces as much oil as a soybean plant. It is also a bioaccumulator for lead, which makes it useful in soil remediation.

What does it mean?

In general, ragweed prefers full sun, with disturbed and poorly aerated soil, with few competitors, is tolerant of dry soil and likes places where there is not much available potassium for existing plants. Pfeiffer supposes that a lack of copper in the soil might be part of why it creates such an allergy problem with its pollen.

One effective method of control is to slash or mow the plants, or to pull them, before they set seed but when they are fully mature. A variety of herbicides have been effective in killing ragweed, however in the United States, ragweed is becoming glyphosate resistant. Another method of control is the use of insects, two of which: stem-galling moth and the ragweed leaf beetle might help reduce the prevalence the weed. Finally, overcrowding is considered very effective as a method of eliminating ragweed in a couple of growing seasons.

Want to learn more?

If you would like to learn more about weeds, why they grow, and what that means about your garden, consider the following texts:

Weeds and Why they Grow, by Jay L. McCaman

Weeds and What They Tell Us, by Ehrenfried E. Pfeiffer

This is the eighth in a series of blogs, shared with permission, about weeds in the garden. Each blog will discuss a common and specific weed found in Maine, its history, uses, what story it tells about the soil it grows in, and how to get rid of it. The original blogs, along with other gardening related blogs, can be found here.

Plantain is a wonderful weed. Heaven knows why you would want to be rid of it. The most commonly found plantain near me is the Broadleaf Plantain, and so this is the one I am discussing today. Plantain is useful as a remedy for minor itches and insect bites – take the leaves, chew them and place them on the affected area for relief. It is considered throughout history as a cure-all; Pliny thought it would knit the flesh of dead things together, and it is found in Lacnunga as a sacred herb. Indeed – everyone from Chaucer to Shakespeare seemed fond of this little, now-hated plant.

Plantain thrives where the soil is best, and they prefer places where the soil is hard and moisture is nearby. Cattle eat it, and in England, says Ehrenfried Pfeiffer, it is grown hand in hand with clover. It is well suited to use in walkways as it survives regular tramping. Furthermore, because it, like many of our garden annuals, likes healthy soil, it is quite nutritious. The leaves have iron as well as vitamins A, C and K.

What does it mean?

According to Jay L. McCaman , this means that the soil is likely high in the following minerals: calcium, phosphate, potash, manganese, iron, zinc and selenium. The soil is also likely high in boron and chlorine.  In sum, your soil is in nearly fantastic shape.

The best way to deal with an excess of plantain is to loosen up the soil, both through tilling the area and also through the addition of turned in mulch and extra earthworms. However, always remember to consider all of the weeds in an area before deciding how to deal with it.

Want to learn more?

If you would like to learn more about weeds, why they grow, and what that means about your garden, consider the following texts:

Weeds and Why they Grow, by Jay L. McCaman

Weeds and What They Tell Us, by Ehrenfried E. Pfeiffer

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This is the seventh in a series of blogs, shared with permission, about weeds in the garden. Each blog will discuss a common and specific weed found in Maine, its history, uses, what story it tells about the soil it grows in, and how to get rid of it. The original blogs, along with other gardening related blogs, can be found here.

Dock (Rumex genus) comes in many names and forms. Docks are related to sorrels (there are about 200 species) and members of the buckwheat family. Dock, has long been considered as a remedy for the sting of nettles. Ethnomedica lists 143 uses of dock, and all but 6 relate to nettle stings. Of the other six, 4 are other types of stings. Should you get stung by nettles, dock is usually growing right near it as a neutralizing agent.

One important thing to know about it, says Pfeiffer, is that that where dock grows a flood happens every year. Curly dock and broad-leaf are the two types most often found in the northeastern US. Broad-leaf dock was brought to the US by settlers, and curly dock is now considered naturalized. Both are edible, as is a dock called Patience. Patience was once gown in gardens in the same manner as some sorrels are today. Broad-leaf dock was used, because of its large leaf size, to wrap butter (K. Blair, 2014, The Wild Wisdom of Weeds).

Fun fact: broadleaf dock seeds will have 83% germination after 21 years.

What does it mean?

Broadleaf dock thrives in acidic soil or compacted soil (T. Jenkins, Soil Testing Without Labs). Curly dock is less tolerant of acid. Typically it prefers soil with poor drainage, as do many weeds, and likes the edges of wetlands – natural or manmade. It can indicate high quantities of calcium, iodine, phosphorus, potassium and even nitrogen.

To get rid of it, improve soil compaction. It cannot survive being tilled if the tap root is substantially damaged. However, if you just pull the top from the plant, odds are it will come back. They are somewhat tolerant of herbicides, by the way, so tilling or plant removal may be the easiest way to deal with unwanted plants.

Want to learn more?

If you would like to learn more about weeds, why they grow, and what that means about your garden, consider the following texts:

Weeds and Why they Grow, by Jay L. McCaman

Weeds and What They Tell Us, by Ehrenfried E. Pfeiffer

This is the sixth in a series of blogs, shared with permission, about weeds in the garden. Each blog will discuss a common and specific weed found in Maine, its history, uses, what story it tells about the soil it grows in, and how to get rid of it. The original blogs, along with other gardening related blogs, can be found here.

Clover is another self-spreading perennial, and though some hate it – I would say if you have clover in your garden, leave it. It’d have to be an exceptional reason to remove it or want it gone. Clover pulls nitrogen from the atmosphere and shares it with nearby plants and soil – thus it will do a great job at constantly fertilizing your tomatoes. In lawns, clover remains green because it is exceptionally drought tolerant, and makes a better choice for turf than grass. Plus local pollinators love it, as do both bees and bee-keepers.

What does it mean?

A great amount of it may indicate low phosphorus, low nitrogen, calcium, high magnesium. One of its primary benefits is that it helps restore low levels of nitrogen. To get rid of it try aerating the soil and fertilizing with nitrogen and gypsum/calcium lime. Alternately, plant additional nitrogen fixing annuals such as legumes which will help balance out the missing nitrogen in the soil.

If you are alright with leaving it in your garden, plant nitrogen-loving plants such as corn or tomatoes near it. The clover will complement the annuals and help reduce the number of times you need to fertilize during the growing season.

Want to learn more?

If you would like to learn more about weeds, why they grow, and what that means about your garden, consider the following texts:

Weeds and Why they Grow, by Jay L. McCaman

Weeds and What They Tell Us, by Ehrenfried E. Pfeiffer

This is the fifth in a series of blogs, shared with permission, about weeds in the garden. Each blog will discuss a common and specific weed found in Maine, its history, uses, what story it tells about the soil it grows in, and how to get rid of it. The original blogs, along with other gardening related blogs, can be found here.

This perennial gets a terrible rap – but it has some vastly overlooked selling points. It is a very early flowering plant and can provide bees and pollinators with desperately needed early season food. It’s deep roots (up to 3 feet deep) are beneficial for many surrounding plants by bring nutrients up from deep underground. E. Pfeiffer says earthworms like to follow the root channels created by dandelions as well.

The plant is edible, and may be one of the healthiest vegetables on the planet. It was widely praised for it’s medicinal properties throughout the medieval period. They are analgesic, so if you want to try it start with making an infused oil to rub onto sore muscles. Also, the flowers are touted for their liver-tonifying properties.

Try the leaves for salad or in soup, flowers in alcohol and even the roots. During the 14th century, dandelion leaves were regularly harvested for use in salads or as an addative to pottage. Use of dandelions as a wine base dates quite far back as well. If you change your mind and decide to keep your dandelions, check out Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition and Craft of Live-Culture Foods as a source for some wine and beer recipes.

What does it mean?

Your soil may have low overall fertility, very low calcium, high chlorine and very high potassium. Additionally, your soil may be compacted but have good drainage. You should add gypsum/calcium lime, nitrogen and phosphorus. Avoid potassium and magnesium. Aerate the soil and mulch to increase organic matter and improve overall fertility. Another trick suggested by Pfeiffer is to plant a large number of beans and peas to suppress the dandelions.

Want to learn more?

If you would like to learn more about weeds, why they grow, and what that means about your garden, consider the following texts:

Weeds and Why they Grow, by Jay L. McCaman

Weeds and What They Tell Us, by Ehrenfried E. Pfeiffer