Wild and edible plants in the forest garden

Wild and edible plants in the forest garden

Wild plants aren't just "weeds," but a ready-made natural food source. Many are already adapted to local soils, winters, droughts, diseases, and weather fluctuations. In a properly managed forest garden, they can produce greens, berries, spices, tea leaves, and pollinator food with little or no annual sowing.

But wild plants require particularly precise identification. In Switzerland, plant poisoning in adults is often associated with the confusion of similar species: wild garlic is confused with colchicum, lily of the valley, and arum, belladonna berries with harmless dark berries, and foxglove leaves with other edible plants.Toxinfo)

The main advantages of wild plants

Wild edible plants:

already adapted to the local climate;

do not require constant digging;

protect the soil surface;

provide food before garden crops;

support insects and birds;

increase genetic and species diversity;

create a food reserve in case of crop failure;

can grow in partial shade, on forest edges and damp areas;

help to gradually restore degraded land.

The primary value of wild plants lies not only in their yield. They fill vacant ecological niches, reducing the area of ​​bare soil and making it more difficult for invasive, unwanted plants to gain a foothold.

1. Edible leafy wild plants

Stinging nettle

Usage:

young leaves in soups;

puree;

filling;

herbal mixtures;

dried powder;

tea;

feed additive after processing.

Benefits of a forest garden:

quickly creates biomass;

goes well into compost;

suitable for liquid herbal infusions;

serves as a food plant for a number of butterflies;

shows nitrogen-rich soil.

Where to place:

near the compost area;

on a damp fertile forest edge;

along outbuildings;

in a separate controlled spot.

Nettles are harvested young, before the coarse flowers bloom. Before consumption, they are scalded with boiling water, boiled, dried, or crushed to destroy the stinging hairs.

Dandelion officinalis

Edible:

young leaves;

flower buds;

flowers;

roots.

Application:

salads;

stewed greens;

tea;

a coffee drink substitute made from roasted roots;

flower syrup;

fermented buds.

In a forest garden, dandelion is useful as a deep-rooted plant, an early spring flower, and a constant source of organic material.

Plantago major and lanceolate

Mainly young leaves are used:

in salad mixes;

I was hungry.

I made an omelette;

green sauces.

Old leaves become tough and fibrous.

Plantain is resistant to trampling and can grow near paths, but food raw materials should not be collected directly from places where animals walk or where contamination is possible.

Chickweed, or woodlouse

Delicate greens are used:

in salads;

sandwiches;

green mixtures;

I was hungry.

sauces.

It grows well in loose, moist soil and can serve as a living ground cover under young bushes.

It's important to distinguish it from other small plants. Chickweed usually has a single line of hairs along the stem, but identification cannot be based on just one feature.

Common goutweed

Young leaves are used:

in soups;

stewed dishes;

green pies;

fermented mixtures.

Goutweed spreads very aggressively via its rhizomes. Therefore, it's best to keep it confined to a limited area:

under the old garden;

near the hedge;

in the container or root boundary.

In a small forest garden, the uncontrolled introduction of goutweed can create more problems than benefits.

Sour sorrel

Used by:

in soups;

sauces;

salads;

fillings;

green puree.

It prefers moister meadows and forest edges. Due to its oxalic acid content, it should not be consumed regularly in very large quantities, especially by people who have been advised by their doctor to limit oxalate intake.

Quinoa and white goosefoot

Young leaves can be used like spinach once identified reliably.

Advantages:

grow quickly;

cover disturbed soil well;

produce significant green mass;

easily appear in fertile areas.

However, these plants can accumulate nitrates in over-fertilized soil, so they should not be collected near manure heaps, contaminated drains, or unknown urban soils.

2. Spicy and aromatic wild plants

Wild leek

Used:

leaves;

flower buds;

flowers;

young seed pods.

Suitable for:

pesto;

oils;

soups;

sauces;

fermentation.

Wild garlic prefers moist, fertile forest soil and partial shade. In a forest garden, it's best planted under:

linden;

hazel;

apple tree;

pear;

cherries;

deciduous forest trees.

The main danger

Wild garlic can be confused with:

autumn crocus;

I am tired;

with arum.

Colchicum contains colchicine and can cause fatal poisoning. Tox Info Suisse advises identifying each plant on site before harvesting and inspecting each leaf individually; the smell of garlic cannot be considered the only reliable indicator, as the smell lingers on the fingers after crushing the first leaf.Toxinfo)

Common oregano

Used as:

seasoning;

tea;

additive to sauces;

aromatic plant.

Prefers sunny, dry forest edges. It is very beneficial for bees, butterflies, and other insects.

Creeping thyme

Suitable for:

seasonings;

tea;

oil aromatization;

dry herbal mixtures.

Grows well:

on sunny slopes;

between the stones;

on poor soil;

along dry paths.

Creates low coverage and does not require rich soil.

Field mint and water mint

Used for:

tea;

drinks;

sauces;

desserts.

Planting is best in confined, moist areas, as many mints spread quickly.

Wild garlic and wild onions

Depending on the local species, the following are used:

leaves;

bulbs;

flowers;

seeds.

They are suitable for dry, sunny slopes and forest edges. However, the species must be identified precisely: not every plant with a bulb can be considered edible.

3. Wild berry plants

Wild strawberry

Suitable for:

light forest edges;

partial shade under fruit trees;

slopes;

edges of paths.

Gives:

berries;

soil cover;

flowers for insects;

rapid development of free space.

Raspberry

Grows well on:

clearings;

forest edges;

fertile moist soils;

edges of the forest garden.

It is better to plant raspberries in a separate strip, since they actively spread by shoots.

Blackberry

Advantages:

harvest;

protective barbed fence;

bird shelter;

slope stabilization;

late flowering.

A disadvantage is its ability to cover large areas. Paths and annual stem pruning are required.

Black and red currants

Wild and near-wild forms are useful for damp forest edges.

Black currant prefers:

wetter soil;

penumbra;

organic-rich soil.

Red currants tolerate sunny places better.

Gooseberry

It can grow in light forest partial shade and forms a compact shrub. Its thorny branches provide a sheltered spot for birds.

Blueberry

It's only suitable for acidic soils and certain forest environments. In calcareous soil, it can't simply be planted in regular soil—it will require a separate acidic zone.

Cowberry

Prefers:

acidic soil;

good lighting or light partial shade;

cool conditions;

poor forest soils.

Black elderberry

Used after proper processing:

flowers;

fully ripe black berries.

The flowers are used to make syrup and tea, while the berries are used to make juice, jelly, and sauces. Raw, unripe berries, leaves, bark, and other green parts are not intended for regular consumption. Elderberries are best viewed as a processed crop, not as a berry to be eaten uncontrollably straight from the bush.

Rose hip

The fruits are suitable for:

tea;

syrup;

puree;

jam;

drying.

In a forest garden, rose hips perform several functions at once:

food;

protection;

slope strengthening;

bird shelter;

bloom for insects;

barbed border.

The internal hairs of the fruit must be carefully removed or filtered.

Turn

Produces sour fruits for:

sauces;

jam;

infusions;

fermentation;

compotes.

Forms a dense, protective hedge and is well suited for the outer boundary of a property. It actively produces root suckers.

Hawthorn

The fruits of some local species are used after precise identification:

for puree;

jelly;

tea blends;

processing.

Hawthorn is especially valuable as an ecological shrub:

blooms in spring;

feeds the birds;

creates shelters;

forms a hedge.

Due to the presence of seeds and individual health restrictions, the fruits are best consumed in moderation and preferably after processing.

4. Edible flowers

The flowers of some plants are considered edible after precise identification:

violet;

daisy;

dandelion;

primrose;

clover;

rose hips and roses;

black elderberry;

Nasturtium is a cultivated but easily naturalized plant;

Calendula is a cultivated plant for a natural garden.

Usage:

salads;

decoration of dishes;

syrups;

tea;

sugar mixtures;

vinegar;

water aromatization.

Not every beautiful flower is edible. Daffodils, lilies of the valley, foxgloves, aconites, and many other ornamental plants are toxic. Even the RHS emphasizes the need to reliably check the species before using flowers in food.RHS)

5. Roots and underground parts

This category is the most risky because misidentification can be dangerous and digging up destroys the entire plant.

Relatively well-known food options:

dandelion root;

chicory root;

first year burdock root;

cattail rhizomes - only from clean water and after proper processing;

The roots of some species of parsnip and wild carrot are for experienced botanists only.

The special danger of umbrella plants

The Umbelliferae family includes both edible and deadly poisonous plants:

hemlock;

wow;

some dangerous hogweeds;

edible wild carrot and spice species.

Beginners should not collect wild umbelliferous plants for their roots or greens.

Tox Info Suisse also warns that aconite roots can be mistaken for horseradish and the leaves for edible greens; aconite can cause severe heart rhythm disturbances and numbness. (Toxinfo)

6. Aquatic and coastal plants

Rogoz

Different parts at certain stages of development can be used, but only after precise identification and proper processing.

In a forest garden, cattail is useful for:

water purification;

coastal stabilization;

creation of habitats;

obtaining biomass.

It cannot be collected from:

drainage ditches;

city ​​ponds;

reservoirs near roads;

places with industrial pollution.

Watercress

While it can be grown in clean running water, wild watercress carries a risk of contamination from microorganisms and parasites. It's safer to grow it in controlled, clean water for food.

Reed and Cane

Some parts of individual species have traditional food uses, but for a typical forest garden their main value is ecological:

filtration;

strengthening of banks;

raw materials;

animal shelter.

7. Wild nuts and seeds

Hazelnut

One of the best productive shrubs in the forest garden.

Advantages:

walnuts;

wood for weaving and household use;

early pollen;

shrub layer;

wind protection;

ability to recover after pruning.

Beech

Beech nuts have historically been used as food, but they should not be consumed raw or in large quantities. For a typical project, it's best to consider them a supplemental food resource rather than a primary one.

Oak

Acorns from some oak trees can be processed into flour after a long period of tannin removal. This requires the correct type, sorting, and repeated soaking.

Oak is more valuable as:

durable frame;

animal food;

habitat;

wood;

source of leaf litter.

Seeds of nettle, plantain and some herbs

They can be used as supplements, but collecting small wild seeds is labor-intensive. In a forest garden, their practical value is more often as self-renewal and bird food.

8. Edible plants by forest garden zone

9. Collection calendar

Early spring

young nettle;

wild leek;

dandelion;

chickweed;

young goutweed;

violet;

young plantain leaves.

The end of spring

elder flowers;

sorrel;

oregano before flowering;

young raspberry and currant leaves for tea blends;

clover flowers.

Summer

strawberries;

raspberry;

blueberry;

currant;

gooseberry;

mint;

thyme;

thyme.

Autumn

blackberry;

elderberry;

rose hip;

turn;

hawthorn;

hazel;

dandelion and chicory roots.

Only part of the harvest should be collected, leaving the plants the opportunity to reproduce and sufficient food for birds and animals.

10. Wild plant system around the house

Several controlled zones can be created for a family plot.

Area near the kitchen

sorrel;

chives;

dandelion;

chickweed;

strawberries;

thyme;

thyme;

throws in the limiter.

Partial shade under cherry and apple trees

wild leek;

strawberries;

violet;

currant;

gooseberry.

Distant edge

raspberry;

blackberry;

elderberry;

rose hip;

hazel;

turn;

hawthorn.

Composting and management zone

nettle;

comfrey;

burdock;

dandelion;

chicory.

Water

water mint;

rug;

edible cultivated aquatic plants;

moisture-loving berry bushes along the shore.

11. What should not be intentionally distributed

Even edible wild plants can become a problem.

Caution is required with the following plants:

goutweed;

blackberry;

raspberry;

mint;

nettle;

hops;

turn;

horseradish;

wild garlic in small forest gardens;

some types of burdock.

They are placed:

in certain sectors;

between tracks;

in root limiters;

at the far edge of the forest;

where regular mowing of the border is possible.

12. Basic rules for safe collection

Use the plant only if you are completely sure of its appearance.

Do not identify a plant solely from the photo in the app.

Check several signs: leaf, stem, leaf arrangement, flower, smell, growing location.

Do not collect mixed bunches of unknown greens.

Check each wild garlic leaf separately.

Avoid taking plants along busy roads, railways and industrial areas.

Do not collect near dog walking areas or polluted waters.

Do not dig up rare and protected plants.

The first time you use a new type, start with a small amount.

Don't assume that "natural" is automatically safe.

Give children only fully identified and prepared plants.

If you experience nausea, vomiting, severe diarrhea, irregular heartbeat, or any doubts after consuming wild plants, seek immediate toxicological help.

In Switzerland, Tox Info Suisse specifically states that severe gastrointestinal symptoms after eating suspected wild garlic should not be expected to improve, as poisoning with colchicum can lead to multiple organ failure; the Swiss Toxicology Helpline number is145. (Toxinfo)

The optimal principle of DREVO

It is better not to collect wild plants randomly throughout the forest, but to gradually create them on the sitemanaged edible nature garden:

safe species are planted in groups;

each group is signed;

poisonous look-alikes have been removed from the food zone;

Aggressive plants are limited;

part of the harvest is left to nature;

Plants perform both nutritional and ecological functions.

Then wild plants form the lower productive layer of the forest garden:

Trees provide fruit and shade → shrubs provide berries → wild plants cover the soil → flowers feed insects → roots and litter create fertility.

The most practical plants to start with in Central Europe and Switzerland:nettle, dandelion, strawberry, sorrel, thyme, oregano, rose hips, hazel, raspberry, blackberry, black elderberry and a certain wild garlic.