Gail Harland

‘What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not been discovered.’ Ralph Waldo Emerson This book is a practical and attractive guide to the many edible varieties of weed. It will appeal to gardeners, botanists, cooks and foragers, and to anyone who wants to control weeds in eco-friendly ways. Weeds have many virtues. They are often valuable to wildlife, including beneficial insects. They can be good for the soil - helping the accumulation of trace elements and acting as hosts for mycorrhizal fungi. Many weeds make interesting and unusual culinary ingredients. The main part of the book provides full details of over 50 edible species, with valuable nutritional information, advice on how to cook them and numerous recipe suggestions, as well as some fascinating historical facts and tips for non-culinary uses. It covers both native and non-native species, including some tiresome invasives, and lists both common weeds, such as nettle, dandelion, chickweed and ground elder, and less common ones, such as brooklime and wintercress. Advice is also given on controlling weeds and identifying those that are harmful if eaten. With Foraging for Edible Wild Weeds on your bookshelf you can put your troublesome weeds to good use, and welcome some plentiful edibles into your kitchen. It includes attractive colour photographs throughout. This book is available in print as 'The Weeder's Digest'.