Wednesday, February 19, 2014
SOMEHOW, seeds from the plantains (Plantago major?) that I grew in a container garden last year made a 12-15 foot journey in the kitchen garden to a back patio container garden where they are growing lushly. Despite my bitter palate I don't like them raw but will look into how to use the leaves that are supposed to be very nutritious, even medicinal. This "weed" from Europe was a very common sight in Denver yards and lawns.....I very rarely see them in the wild here in Tampa. I got the seeds 2 years ago from a Korean neighbor who knows VERY little English and whose entire front yard is all food gardens. Odd to see a wild veggie that I SO associate with Denver thriving here. Yesterday I chopped one large leaf into a salad and did not even notice the bitterness. My Korean neighbor dries his atop his hedges in the sun but since he knows no English I don't know how he uses them...I'm guessing a tea.
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That is quite the impressive plantain you have there. Assuming you're still growing them (because they're almost impossible to get rid of...) try chewing up a few leaves, spread the leaf mash over mosquito bites, and secure with a sterile pad. After it dries (about 2 hours) the bites will be noticeably smaller and less itchy. Also works on bee stings, poison ivy, ant bites and just about everything other item on the list of 'Unpleasant Things To Do To Your Skin In Beautiful Sunny Florida.' ;) -- Check out http://www.naturallivingideas.com/plantain-poultice/ if you want to see it in action.
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