Weed ID

[MaggieJ]

The last picture is one of the vetches. In general they are excellent, high protein forage for rabbits. I feed vetch when I can find it.

http://thedancingfarmer.com/2011/04/06/ ... ess-vetch/

There are some concerns with cattle eating too much hairy vetch (vicia villosa).

http://www.addl.purdue.edu/newsletters/ ... /vetch.asp

 

[skysthelimit]

The last one is very pretty, from what I can tell. I'd like to cultivate that

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Skysthelimit,

we seem to have many of the same weeds. Here are pics of several varieties we share, and some that you may have as well.

This is catnip:



Malva?



No idea:



No idea:



Filaree- high in protein, cattle, horses, and goats love it and I have found it to be rabbit safe:



These two bottom attachments are accidental- for some reason I cannot delete them... the first one I believe is Matricaria matricariodes, commonly called false chamomile or pineapple weed. It is edible for humans, and the flowers do taste like pineapple. the second is a duplicate photo of the Malva.

More weed pics to come in another post!

 

[skysthelimit]

I've been pulling the malva out of the yard was fast as I can find it. Unfortunately, not enough grows in the yard and it's nearly gone.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

You are pulling it up by the root? If you just harvest it by pruning or picking leaves it will continue to grow. It gets a monstrous tap root so if it is in a location you plan to put something else, then pull it when young.

 

[avdpas77]

I wouldn't worry about feeding # 7 if it is a dock (there is very little difference between curly and broad leaf dock and I think one is probably as good as the other. Like Maggie said, it would be good to see the root to know for sure. It sure looks like broad leaf dock, but I am used to seeing a bit more red in the stem. That may be a regional thing here, or have to do with minerals in the soil, or even time of year. Seeing the root would make the identification more sure.

Also... for those taking pictures, try to put something beside the plant to give an indication of size. A dollar bill, a soda can, a tennis ball, any thing that all of us recognize. (A Susan B Anthony, or a Looney might not be something people are familiar with in all countries. Aussies probably shouldn't use beer cans... theirs hold about a gallon and a half :roll: )

 

[MaggieJ]

Don't pull it!!!! Cut it off and leave the roots. It will regenerate within a week or two.

Never, never, pull the roots if you want to continue feeding a plant!

LOL at Avdpas for his comments on Aussie beer cans etc.

 

[skysthelimit]

You are pulling it up by the root? If you just harvest it by pruning or picking leaves it will continue to grow. It gets a monstrous tap root so if it is in a location you plan to put something else, then pull it when young.

I don't pull all or all of the dandelions all of the time. There are just so few of them. Going around the yard and pulling leaves for several rabbits pretty much took them all up. Then there are several places were I had to pull them all, because they were growing in cracks and flower beds. No way to save them, the flower beds must be weeded per rent agreement. I am converting the chicken coop into a bunny playhouse, I'm going to try to put some of the ones I find there, and grow the dandelions.

I also spoke to the people in charge of the community gardens in my neighborhood. They said they would be happy to take all of my rabbit manure, and provide me with another plot to grow things, and I'm welcomed to all of the weeds I can find.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I also spoke to the people in charge of the community gardens in my neighborhood. They said they would be happy to take all of my rabbit manure, and provide me with another plot to grow things, and I'm welcomed to all of the weeds I can find.

:mbounce:


That's great news! Several problems solved in one fell swoop!

 

[skysthelimit]

When the lady told me I would have to weed my own plot I nearly danced... I told her I'd be happy to weed others plots as well She's going to show me a place to dump the manure Saturday, and I will build a compost bin.