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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: grannyjanny on March 13, 2010, 20:02:14

Title: good king henry
Post by: grannyjanny on March 13, 2010, 20:02:14
How do you grow GKH. We have just got some chickens & I've read that they love it but don't know anything about it.
Title: Re: good king henry
Post by: TommyTomato on March 13, 2010, 22:37:50
As ar as I know it's classed as a herb?

I have just recently bought some and put it in a big pot......

I didn't know chickens liked it......thanks for that info....
Title: Re: good king henry
Post by: jennym on March 13, 2010, 23:07:14
I have Good King Henry growing on one of my plots, it's very hardy, dies back in winter and comes back up in spring. Sometimes self seeds, but not a problem plant. The young leaves are ok as an early green to eat.
Title: Re: good king henry
Post by: saddad on March 13, 2010, 23:21:13
We have some on our lottie Janet.. if you come down to the open day in June I'll point it out and dig some up for you... had a row but OH wasn't too fussed so we grubbed it out but I let some volunteers carry on..

It's closely related to Mercury or "Fat Hen"  an edible weed... apparently it's like having your poultry on steroids...  :-X
Title: Re: good king henry
Post by: Ian Pearson on March 14, 2010, 09:52:57
Yes, indestructable reliable greens early every spring. I would class it as an non-invasive edible weed.
The seed heads are usable as a grain, and would be top-notch chicken fodder.

Have you tried orach - that's even easier, self seeds, and has huge heads of seeds that chickens would probably enjoy. They grow 7ft tall, an annual, so matures later in the year.
Title: Re: good king henry
Post by: grannyjanny on March 14, 2010, 13:59:28
Thanks everyone. I knew I could rely on you ;D.
Title: Re: good king henry
Post by: pigeonseed on March 14, 2010, 14:02:58
QuoteIt's closely related to Mercury or "Fat Hen"  an edible weed... apparently it's like having your poultry on steroids

I never knew that was why they called it fat hen! I assumed it was meant to look like a hen or something... clearly I had never thought that through!  ::)