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my foraging diary

I think I've said this before, but I'll say it again anyway :)

Red Dead-nettle and Chickweed are super plants for overwintering well and providing bunny leaves, actually here throughout the year. We have a thick green carpet of about 75% Red Dead-nettle and 25% Chickweed underneath all of our kale plants. Both have self-seeded prolifically over a few years and tolerate being pulled and cut for the bunnies. Frost seems not to hurt them. My bunnies much prefer the RDN but will also eat the CW once everything else has gone.

So if you ever see any seeds for either for sale and you have some spare ground, I would really recommend getting some. Funnily enough, although both flower a lot I can never find any seedheads.
 
Red Dead-nettle and Chickweed are super plants for overwintering well and providing bunny leaves, actually here throughout the year. We have a thick green carpet of about 75% Red Dead-nettle and 25% Chickweed underneath all of our kale plants. Both have self-seeded prolifically over a few years and tolerate being pulled and cut for the bunnies. Frost seems not to hurt them.
Hard enough frost will damage both back to ground level (kill leaves) but they'll come up again as soon as it's warm enough.
 
I've never managed to find / ID chickweed. I think I know where there is plenty of red dead nettle growing though - I'll investigate soon
 
self service isn't going too well from my perspective, J&B might think differently

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self service isn't going too well from my perspective, J&B might think differently

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Haha :lol: Are leaves still drying now or is it too late in the year now?

Do you ever find Meadowsweet? I sowed some from seed a couple of years ago, which has now self-seeded a bit. I've just been looking at the plants. They are covered in fresh new leaves :)
 
Haha :lol: Are leaves still drying now or is it too late in the year now?

Do you ever find Meadowsweet? I sowed some from seed a couple of years ago, which has now self-seeded a bit. I've just been looking at the plants. They are covered in fresh new leaves :)

I got lots of Ash the other day & dried that but not getting much generally when I forage so none left for drying. I do see meadowsweet when I'm out. Last year when I had to forage all year round for Rude boy I noticed you can get meadowsweet late on. I personally don't ike the smell. There is some in there dried forage - or there was.

Boobly smells beautiful after her in box snaffling
 
They've been and cut all the lovely forage-filled verges. Hoping for mild weather for a few weeks so I can get something in and drying!
 
Night time temperatures holding up quite well here atm with a result that we have plenty of lush new leaves in the garden for the bunnies. Particularly strong growth from Red Campion, Common Mallow, Red Deadnettle, Chickweed and Cow Parsley, with the occasional Sow Thistle treat. This morning, they had a really lovely amount of wet leaves after yesterday's deluge. Also small new leaves appearing on Dock and Ribwort Plantain. Grass is starting to grow again too.

Soon be Spring :love:
 
I am looking forward to these things in my garden! I shall have a forage on way back from town today I think - if its not too dark & the rain hasn'tarrived
 
It's because of picking for the bunnies that I've noticed that particularly Red Campion and Common Mallow seem to spend warmish Winter days growing lots of new green leaves, presumably to build the plant up. No flowers on either until Spring, but by then the leaves aren't so fresh-looking :) Only flowers atm on Red Deadnettle and Chickweed.

Will be interested to know what you find if you do forage later today.
 
It's because of picking for the bunnies that I've noticed that particularly Red Campion and Common Mallow seem to spend warmish Winter days growing lots of new green leaves, presumably to build the plant up. No flowers on either until Spring, but by then the leaves aren't so fresh-looking :) Only flowers atm on Red Deadnettle and Chickweed.

Will be interested to know what you find if you do forage later today.




It took 6 days to stop raining but lovely & bright today. Not huge amounts but good variety (sow thistle, dandelions, herb robert, brambles, raspberry, ash, geranium, hog weed, sticky bud, dock, 2 types of plantain, meadowsweet, nasturtium & a little reed grass)

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Some happy hens & goats - I've missed them not foraging for a week
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I agree that's a good variety and the leaves look super fresh :) I bet your bunnies have happy tummies now.

Pretty hens and a nice space for them too :)
 
I agree that's a good variety and the leaves look super fresh :) I bet your bunnies have happy tummies now.

Pretty hens and a nice space for them too :)


they have a playground area too :lol: never seen them using it though, they like sunbathing more by the looks of it

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Very impressed with self as no longer can it be said I'm a fair weather forager! Although as it happens the sun did shine.

Got loads & loads of hogweed & geranium,plus some brambles & herb robert
 
Very impressed with self as no longer can it be said I'm a fair weather forager! Although as it happens the sun did shine.

Got loads & loads of hogweed & geranium,plus some brambles & herb robert

If you have just this minute got in from foraging I'm hugely impressed ;)

(To be fair, I'm pretty impressed anyway. I should forage a bit, my own plot isn't going to provide supplies for the next few months as I had anticipated *sighs).
 
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