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permaculture - Re: [permaculture] cattail ag model | wild lettuce

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  • From: "Lawrence F. London, Jr." <venaurafarm@bellsouth.net>
  • To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] cattail ag model | wild lettuce
  • Date: Sun, 24 Apr 2011 23:50:27 -0400

On 4/20/2011 1:36 PM, DGilsen@aol.com wrote:
I have had no problem growing cattails any where. They have to have lots
of water but... continuous damp will work perfectly. That seems to be all
that is necessary I find that compost and manure seem to really help. If
you have damp soil and manure and cattail seeds you will have a bumper crop
of cattails. Good luck on this project. You do know that the cattail is
almost an entire groceries store. The roots produce an eatable excellent
starch. The new shoots are some what chewie but taste like asparagus . The
seed head as it just starts can be steamed and tastes like corn. the
pollen can be harvested and used in baking about one half to one quarter in
flour to get a nuttie buttery taste to baked goods, The long leaves can be
used to weave mats and soft baskets.

Fantastic information. Thanks. I have cattails growing in the shallows of two of my small ponds; they seem to be spreading nicely. I planted them from starts someone gave me in a bucket along with papyrus and water lilly. I am using them for water purification as many nutrients are washed into these ponds from surrounding fields and gardens. I also have a lot of duckweed in these same ponds.

I have a huge planting of some volunteer greens that I think are either wild lettuce or a cultivated variety of chicory or dandelion that returned from seed in the soil seed bank. I will get a few pix of this plant and post a link. I have an enormous amount of it and would like to eat it in salads if it is safe to do so. Any suggestions about that?

LL




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