Our toddler woke up in the night. I wondered what time it was.
Then I heard it. Outside my window, a mighty chorus of robinsong rolled in a thunderous wave over the land. (If you think “thunderous” is not accurate, I am afraid you have not heard hundred of robins singing their hearts out at daybreak.)
It had to be 4:30 or 5. I put my baby back to sleep and settled back into bed, thinking about the coming day.
Today I’m planning to make some “weed teas” for the market garden.
Why?
Well, a lot of “weeds” are actually high in minerals.
Stinging nettle, that incredibly uncomfortable camping nuisance, is high in silica, potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus, as well as a host of other nutrients. Nettle tea is wonderful for a tonic spray that feeds plants through their leaves. We call it a foliar feed.
(It’s also good for a tonic for humans, which is why I actually started a patch of nettle where I can mow around it.)
Lambs quarters, while not as high in many minerals, is extremely high in potassium. So if it looks like plants have a potassium deficiency, lambs quarter tea is probably a good choice.
Chickweed, meanwhile is super high in iron.
And on it goes. We are just dipping our toes in, but is seems as if there is a wealth of nutrition available if you know where to look for it and how to prepare it.
Doing this is one of those little choices that eventually pays big dividends.
I’m excited to see what happens when we use our own weed teas.
And I can’t wait to find out more!