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Post by willowsmum on Mar 20, 2020 17:36:48 GMT
Hi All,
I've just been accepted as a member (thank you!) and have ended up with 2 food related questions in the first day! The first related to seed mixes and this is my second.
I'm trying to avoid supermarkets/shops at the moment (for obvious reasons) so I wondered if anyone could recommend some wild foods (ideally currently growing in the UK/Scotland) which I could try? In terms of what's available in my garden at the moment my little bud usually gets dandelion leaves, chives, hairy bittercress, marjoram and sheeps sorrel and he loves them all. I'm sure there must be loads more I can give him but wanted to check for safe recommendations from you guys first.
Thanks!
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Post by Hezz on Mar 21, 2020 5:38:59 GMT
Wild seeding grasses, not ornamental grasses, field and pasture grasses are all safe as long as they haven't been sprayed by pesticides, herbicides or fertilized. Check some on-line sites for safe bird plants, cross-reference a few sites as they don't all agree. You know what grows in your area, so check these on the sites to find what is safe and what isn't.
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Post by willowsmum on Mar 23, 2020 14:24:10 GMT
Thanks Hezz I will do. I'm noticing new plants sprouting each day so I'll keep an eye out. I have parsley and wild garlic in the garden but I've avoided giving him either because of calcium binding/crop aggravation, though I'm not sure if I'm just being over cautious. Also the nettles should be through soon and I think I can give him these as long as I get rid of the stings with boiling water first - not looking forward to picking them though!! |
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Post by starlingqueen on Mar 23, 2020 22:27:07 GMT
There are so many wild plants can be fed to birds. Dandelions for a start, shepherds purse, which is in season right now, mallow, chickweed, to name a few. See what you can find and tell me what it is and I'll tell you if it's ok to feed.
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Post by willowsmum on Mar 24, 2020 9:23:59 GMT
Thanks for the offer starlingqueen. I will let you know if I spot anything else on my quest for alternative wild foods! My boy loves his dandelions but I can’t find chickweed or shepherds purse anywhere around here which is annoying – I know some places are overrun with them. I used to see chickweed growing along all the pavement edges in Edinburgh city centre – back when we were allowed out! Always avoided it though because of contamination from dogs and spraying etc. Anyway, the most obvious plants emerging in my garden at the moment are the wild garlic and parsley. Have you ever fed either or again do you think it's safest to avoid? |
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Post by starlingqueen on Mar 24, 2020 9:59:14 GMT
Parsley is a diuretic, so it could cause dehydration if fed too much. Parsley also contains high levels of oxalates, which inhibit the absorption of calcium and could potentially cause kidney damage. So it can be fed but in moderation. Wild garlic is an allium related to the onion family so is a bulb in essence and they are not usually fed to animals in general. Dandelion is also high in oxalates which again can cause the same issues as parsley. So only feed in moderation and don't feed at the same time as parsley. I only give either once a week. If you have roses in the garden and as long as they are untreated with pesticides you can feed the leaves and petals of the flowers. But don't feed any shop bought ones, they are covered in chemicals. Also try cats ear, the leaves and flowers are fine. Plantain is another good one, but I think it's a bit early for that yet. Jack by the hedge is good too and there is a lot of that about in my garden at the moment. It smells like garlic when picked. Of course we can also eat all these plants too. I grow weeds to feed my tortoises and also my parrots, used to feed them to my budgies when I had them. so have various different plants around the garden.
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Post by jellybean on Mar 24, 2020 10:26:02 GMT
You could try growing your own stuff willowsmum, then you would know it's safe. I grow stuff for my two and they love it. I do pick the will grasses in the summer though which they can't get enough of, this will be Sam's first real taste of them this year, when I got him near the end of last year the grasses were past their best. |
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Post by starlingqueen on Mar 24, 2020 10:31:31 GMT
Oh, I forgot sow thistle that's about at the moment, both smooth and the prickly version just cut the spines off if are worried about them but they are perfectly fine left on. And Nipplewort but it might be a bit early for that yet. you can buy weed seeds online to grow your own.
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Post by jellybean on Mar 24, 2020 10:44:35 GMT
I'd be interested in these starlingqueen, can you help as to where to buy. I did a Google search for "weed seeds" and it gave me cannabis and marijuana 🤣🤣🤣 |
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Post by willowsmum on Mar 24, 2020 12:54:46 GMT
Thanks for the great advice starlingqueen. I maybe need to dial it back a bit with the dandelion so that he doesn't get it quite so often. The other suggestions are brilliant, I know all of those plants, it's just a case of waiting for them to emerge - hopefully not too far off. We get lot's of Jack by the hedge, cat's ear and nipplewort once they're in season but it's still too cold in Scotland at the moment. jellybean, thanks, I'm going to have another go at growing my own seeds indoors, not much success last time but it's worth a try. Maybe not the 'weed seeds' you spotted online though!! |
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Post by starlingqueen on Mar 24, 2020 13:05:57 GMT
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Post by starlingqueen on Mar 24, 2020 13:12:22 GMT
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Post by jellybean on Mar 24, 2020 13:20:56 GMT
Thanks SQ.
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Post by willowsmum on Mar 25, 2020 15:58:28 GMT
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Post by willowsmum on Mar 25, 2020 16:14:31 GMT
While I'm waiting for my millet grass to grow and weed seeds to be delivered  I wondered if I could ask your advice again please starlingqueen? I have the following in the garden at the moment and wondered if you had fed any of them in the past; leaves from apple, raspberry, gooseberry, strawberry and blackcurrant bushes, wild currant flowers and leaves, willow leaves and catkins, the small spear willowherb, ground elder and comfrey. My boy had great fun with the rose leaves by the way - not sure how much was eaten in the shredding frenzy but he enjoyed himself! |
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I wondered if I could ask your advice again please