If you are one of the many gardeners who is trying to grow as much of your own food as possible, have you considered that you might find more food in your garden that was not planted by you? There are a number of edible plants that might be hiding in your lawn. These plants – listed below – could provide a valuable additional edible yield from your outside space.
Dandelions
Dandelions may be the bane of gardeners who like to keep a tidy lawn but do not get rid of them all just yet! Dandelions are not only good for wildlife, they can also be a valuable edible crop. The leaves are a little bitter but taste good in a mixed salad, especially while they are still young. The flowers can make great fritters. You can even use the root as a coffee substitute.
Chickweed
Chickweed,like another garden weed fat hen, is perhaps better known as fodder for chickens. However, we humans can eat it too. This is actually one of the most pleasant tasting of all the edible lawn weeds, with a mild, lettuce-like flavour. Stems,leaves and flowers can be picked for salads, or sandwiches and can be a useful additional food source in the spring.
Plantain (Plantago Major)
The big leaves of this plant will often be found unobserved at the edge of a lawn or beside a path or driveway. This plant has nothing to do with the tropical vegetable of the same name, but it does make a good equivalent to kale or turnip greens if boiled, stir-fried or steamed.
Daisies
You may be surprised to learn that daisies are good for more than just making daisy chains. This sunny little flowers are common in lawns. If you have some, you could consider harvesting some of the little flower heads and petals for use in sandwiches, soups and salads,adding a somewhat bitter flavour. Flower buds can also be pickled and used in place of capers.
Clover
You can pop a few of the flower heads and leaves of this lawn regular into your salads for a bit of variety and some healthy micro-nutrients. The nicest tasting clover flowers are those of red clover, though the flowers of white clover can also be eaten in moderation.
Foraging in your yield could add extra nutrition to your home grown diet, and allow you to make the most of the plants that grow naturally in your garden, as well as the ones that you choose to cultivate.