Author Topic: Anyone know what these weeds are?  (Read 1593 times)

Silverleaf

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Anyone know what these weeds are?
« on: June 30, 2014, 15:45:16 »
So a couple of weeds popped up in my raised bed and since I wasn't using that particular square I let them grow out of curiosity - I don't know what they are. I sowed some old red orache seeds there but they didn't germinate, and I'm pretty sure neither of these plants are that!

Any ideas? I took these pics a few weeks ago and they are bigger now.




This one's now starting to flower, looks like it'll have lots of bunches of florets kind of like dock or sorrel. It somehow reminds me of quinoa which I grew about 5 years ago, but not as tall.
« Last Edit: June 30, 2014, 15:46:58 by Silverleaf »

Silverleaf

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Re: Anyone know what these weeds are?
« Reply #1 on: June 30, 2014, 16:04:19 »
The second plant just a few minutes ago. The flowers are going to be red or pink, by the looks of things.


Digeroo

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Re: Anyone know what these weeds are?
« Reply #2 on: June 30, 2014, 16:24:41 »
no2 Could be the red orache as it has pink/red flowers .   Also looks to me like fat hen.  They are related.   There are various types some are more upright than others.   Flowers of fat hed sort of grey/green though occasionally come out pink.  Relative of spinach.  Edible.  Passible when very young otherwise a bit soapy for my taste.  It will suddenly get taller,  fat hen rows up to a metre plus tall can have 1/4 million seeds.  Pull it up while you still can.   Once they get bigger they are much for difficult to shift.  Also known as manure weed.  The seeds come out of composting or a cow raring to go, so do not in compost bin once it has set seed.  Red orache tends to hug the ground so does not get so tall.   
 
For me red orache is a pain of a weed.  Very difficult to pull up because you just break bits off and off it goes again.  Trying my best to eradicate it. 

No 1 suggest a type of bistort.  Though the leaves are a bit too rounded.  Should have a pink flower as well.   Relative of dock, so suggest you make sure you get the whole root out.

Silverleaf

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Re: Anyone know what these weeds are?
« Reply #3 on: June 30, 2014, 16:33:44 »
I thought red orache was, well, red! ;)

Silverleaf

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Re: Anyone know what these weeds are?
« Reply #4 on: June 30, 2014, 16:35:28 »
I pulled out a few seedlings looking just like #2 from different bits of the bed where I definitely didn't sow orache, so that and the green colour lead me to rule it out.

alkanet

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Re: Anyone know what these weeds are?
« Reply #5 on: June 30, 2014, 16:49:33 »
fat hen 1  is edible of course, eaten historically a lot, though it can cause a skin reaction in sunlight

"bistort pudding". I think not

http://recipewise.co.uk/easter-ledge-dock-bistort-pudding

Digeroo

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Re: Anyone know what these weeds are?
« Reply #6 on: June 30, 2014, 16:52:50 »
Fat hen then.  Goosefoot has a big family.  We have at least 5 or 6 different ones on site.

Silverleaf

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Re: Anyone know what these weeds are?
« Reply #7 on: June 30, 2014, 16:55:45 »
I kind of want to eat it, but I'm scared! ;)

 

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