Found loads of this growing in the raised bed where I grew oriental greens and mixed salad stuff last year.
I have no idea where it came from but it's obviously been happily growing away all winter.
Maybe it was in one of my salad mixes and didn't germinate until after I pulled all the remaining plants up in the autumn?
Do you think it's land cress? I've never grown it or seen it in person before, but my google image search brought up some pictures that look very similar.
does it taste like anaesthetic?
Quote from: alkanet on March 13, 2015, 15:14:11
does it taste like anaesthetic?
I don't know, I was too scared to taste it in case it's something hideously poisonous! ;)
I did break a bit off and sniffed it, but it didn't smell of much other than "plant".
I expect it is bittercress, a common weed that will grow anywhere, edible and supposed to taste like peppery rocket.
I might be brave and nibble a bit...
Nibbled. It tastes mustardy, with some bitterness.
And for scale, that plant's about 9" in diameter.
Quote from: Silverleaf on March 13, 2015, 16:10:02
Nibbled. It tastes mustardy, with some bitterness.
And for scale, that plant's about 9" in diameter.
looks like landcress to me. :wave:
American Land Cress, we have loads, once you sow it, like poached egg plant it comes up year after year!
Good for soup! :wave:
I agree: American Land Cress. Peppery and hot. Very hardy. I found it hard to grow from seed, but once going it self-seeded like mad. (Until my allotment neighbour chopped the seed heads off one day in some sort of vigilante 'weed' action I think...)
Thanks guys! It'll have to move because it's where the peas are going to go, but I guess if it's land cress I'll transplant it rather than throwing it on the compost heap. :)
It won't transplant well... with a large spade of soil you might get away with it... , it will tend to run to seed almost straight away... but at least your next crop will come up where you want it! :wave:
Quote from: Silverleaf on March 14, 2015, 16:59:52
it's where the peas are going to go
Quote from: saddad on March 15, 2015, 15:07:34
It won't transplant well...
polyculture of peas and land cress?
Mine is looking the same. Any more uses as well as soup? Also any uses for wood sorrel?
made land cress soup today; surprisingly delicious. Anyone want the recipe?
Quote from: plotstoeat on March 18, 2015, 12:51:28
made land cress soup today; surprisingly delicious. Anyone want the recipe?
Yes please! :)
Anyone know if there's a similar-looking but poisonous plant that I could accidentally end up eating if we're wrong about the ID?
Here it is:
Land Cress Soup
Serves two
Bunch of land cress
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
0.5 litre strong vegetable stock
Herbs: I used thyme, parsley, sage and chives
White pepper
Nutmeg
Single cream
Just boil everything except cream, in a saucepan.
When potatoes soft, add cream and blend to smooth.
Add hot water if too thick
Bon appetit!
Sounds lovely! How big is a bunch though?
Quote from: Silverleaf on March 18, 2015, 13:31:27
Sounds lovely! How big is a bunch though?
Just a handful; it's not critical as it reduces like spinach and taste is mild. :-)
Quote from: plotstoeat on March 18, 2015, 13:55:59
Quote from: Silverleaf on March 18, 2015, 13:31:27
Sounds lovely! How big is a bunch though?
Just a handful; it's not critical as it reduces like spinach and taste is mild. :-)
Great, thanks!
Definitely Land Cress. It grows well in our polytunnel all winter. I add a bit to salads and it really livens up a sandwich. Also I transplanted some without problem. Thanks for the soup recipe. I will give that a go.
I love the stuff but I love it even more because it is the ideal tame weed. Anywhere it grows it's one more place a proper weed can't grow, and it couldn't be easier to get rid of - it pulls out in one piece from one tug of just a few kilos, and if you hoe it it dies.
I always make sure I let some run to seed - I'm sure I'd have a lot more bloody charlock, shepherds purse etc. if I didn't. Occasionally my more ignorant neighbours grumble a bit because they don't know what it is - 99% of the time it's the ones who tolerate bindweed on their plots - w@^£ers! :BangHead:
Clearly, when I manage to get them to grow, I should let land cress and rocket seed, because I struggle to get them going!
My land cress is producing flower buds. Should I nip them off?
I love land cress - although it is a little bitter raw on its own, it is terrific added to sandwiches that you might take down to the allotment for lunch - shove some leaves inside a cheese or ham or anything sandwich that needs a bit of greenery. It is good chopped raw into a salad. I have also chopped it into casseroles, omelettes and similar. It runs to flower and seed very quickly if at all stressed (current drought, for example, or transplanting) but the seeds germinate fast and I find it very useful to have patches of it here and there. I have to protect it from deer/birds/whatever grazes it down.
Quote from: plotstoeat on April 20, 2015, 20:02:00
My land cress is producing flower buds. Should I nip them off?
If you don't you are likely to have land cress all over the place soon! :wave:
I've some just starting to flower too, they are half way around the garden from where they started off! I might even save some seed and sow some back in the veg garden :happy7:
Mine are also just about to flower like crazy. I'm still too scared to eat them!