Weeds are not just a garden nuisance – many are tasty and good for your health.
In fact, some weeds have better nutritional profiles than the salad greens you can buy at the supermarket.
That is the perspective of horticulturalist Jamie Walton, an ecological gardener.
Mr Walton, based in North Yorkshire, has gained recognition for his unique approach to plants, including appearances on the BBC’s Gardeners’ World.
His Instagram account has 1.3 million followers, and showcases his work in a kitchen garden, where he cultivates an array of vegetables, flowers and other plants.
His philosophy suggests a more nuanced view of weeds, moving beyond eradication and recognising their place in the ecosystem.
In his new book, Nettles and Petals, he shares “accessible, easy to follow tips and guidance about growing food and gardening, working with nature rather than against it”.
Here is some of his advice.
Give weeds a chance
“When I first started gardening and growing my own food, I spent a lot of time trying to eradicate weeds from my garden like most people,” admits Mr Walton.
“They’re often quite hard to deal with, they take over space quite quickly. As I began to research ecology and the need for biodiversity within a garden space, I started to look at them slightly differently.”
Many weeds are designed to take over bare ground fast. Whether dandelions, chickweed, thistles or clover, so-called ‘pioneering weeds’ act as a natural balm, protecting and improving a patch of bare ground.
“They’re there to cover it, because exposed, the soil leaches nutrients, and it’s susceptible to erosion,” explains Mr Walton.
They add to biodiversity too, and “actually a lot of them are far more nutritionally beneficial for us than the plants that we try to grow”.
For Mr Walton, there are two key weeds we should embrace a bit more and even eat: dandelions and nettles.
Dandelions are the new rocket
Forget pricey supermarket greens – the humble dandelion, a familiar sight in gardens across the nation, offers a surprising nutritional punch, even surpassing rocket in its health benefits. Every part of this often-overlooked plant, from its sunny yellow flower to its deep tap root, is edible, offering a range of culinary and even medicinal uses.
Dandelions are packed with vitamins A, C, and K, making them a nutritional powerhouse, Mr Walton says. While the flowers can be used to create a delicate syrup, the roots offer a unique alternative to coffee. Ground dandelion root doesn’t mimic the exact flavour profile of coffee, but it can provide a gentle lift similar to the effects of caffeine.
Beyond their nutritional value, dandelions also play a beneficial role in the garden ecosystem. Their long tap roots delve deep into the subsoil, drawing up nutrients and enriching the topsoil when the plant decomposes. This natural process provides a nutrient boost for surrounding plants.
Nettles are the new spinach
“I grow spinach, but equally you can use nettles in a very similar way,” says Mr Walton. “They’re actually far more nutritionally beneficial and have a lot more benefits for the garden as a whole.”
Packed with iron, nettles just need cooking or blanching to take the sting out of them, so you can throw them in soups and stir fries, or swap them in any time you’d ordinarily use spinach, kale or greens.
Nettle tea is also widely considered to have anti-inflammatory, antihistamine and diuretic properties, and even the sting itself can be useful.
“There’s a growing body of research that shows how beneficial nettle stings can be in certain contexts,” notes Mr Walton. “For example, regularly stinging yourself with nettles can actually help with things such as hay fever and arthritis.”
Keeping on top of weeds
Mr Walton may be a fan, but he’s not recommending you let weeds run riot.
“If you let dandelions go to seed, you’ll end up with dandelions everywhere. So you have to keep on top of managing them,” he says.
Picking the flowers before they transform into dandelion clocks will help control their spread, but he also suggests growing dandelions and nettles in pots to harvest from.
“Then you can move them around the space and utilise the benefits. Nettles are really beneficial to have in the greenhouse through summer, near your tomatoes and other heat-loving crops,” he explains – they provide a habitat for insects like ladybirds that will help keep aphid and caterpillar numbers down.
“I have them in pots in the greenhouse, but once they get to the point where they’re going to be dropping seed, I’ll take them out to ensure they don’t drop seed all over the beds in there.”
Not all weeds are all-rounders
“Some weeds I definitely wouldn’t recommend having in the garden,” says Mr Walton, flagging “unwelcome” plants like bindweed, Japanese knotweed, couch grass and giant hogweed. They might have some benefits (“Bindweed produces white trumpet-like flowers which are really beneficial,”) but they’re inedible and can really crowd out the plants you’re actively trying to grow as food.
Foraging need to know
Not got a garden? Dandelions and nettles can be easily foraged.
“It’s just knowing what you’re looking for and making sure you don’t pick something accidentally that you shouldn’t,” warns Mr Walton, who says lots of plants have “lookalikes” that may or may not be safe to eat. If you’re not sure you’ve identified something correctly, do not pick or eat it.
“Harvest from areas that are not right next to a dog path and haven’t been sprayed with a load of pesticides and herbicides,” he adds.
Remember, weeds are relied on by other creatures too. “If you’re picking wild plants, you want to make sure that you leave enough to regrow and support wildlife.”
