Northern Michigan Garden Maintenance, Renovation & Design
6829 Herkner Road Traverse City, MI 49685
20 Mar 2012

Chicory

 

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Being so plentiful, common even, chicory is often overlooked. Spotted along roadsides in Germany, it is known also as Wegwart, or “road plant.” It has many under appreciated attributes, here are a few:

The Flowers: With flowers the size of a silver dollar, chicory is most commonly appreciated as a colorful wildflower. At some stages sky blue, and at others pinkish, then white. The flowers were used as an unexpected yellow dye. A tea was often made from the flowers for medicinal purposes.

The Leaves: Chicory’s basal leaves have been eaten for thousands of years and still are. A Composite, part of a family of wild plants that are often used for salad greens. (Other members of the Composite family include endive, wild lettuces and the infamous dandelion.)

The Root: Especially useful, the root is in fact prized by the English and the French, who roast, grind, and flavor it with burnt sugar. This makes a coffee-like drink, or is added to coffee to enhance its flavor. Chicory was often used in place of coffee during both world wars. (Even Jubal Sackett, in the western by Louis L’amour, drank chicory!) Chicory has been called a contra-stimulant, correcting the effects of coffee. The young roots, which resemble carrots, can also be boiled and eaten as a root vegetable.

The Seeds: If the previously listed characteristics aren’t appealing enough for you, think of the appeal of the unsung chicory to the birds; goldfinches love chicory seeds!

 

Not in Ladies’ Gardens

Oh, not in Ladies’ gardens

My peasant posy!

Smile thy dear blue eyes,

Nor only– near to the skies–

In upland pastures dim and sweet–

But by the dusty road

Where tired feet

Toil to and fro,

Where flaunting Sin

May see thy heavenly hue

Or weary Sorrow look from thee

Toward a more tender hue.

–Margaret Deland (1857-1945)

We enjoyed reading “The Secrets of Wildflowers,” by Jack Sanders, in which we attained most of this information on chicory.

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19 Mar 2012

10 Reasons To Garden

In case you don’t have 10 of your own, we found this inspiring list on Kathy’s Diggin’ In blog:

1. Gardening provides exercise that seems to be lacking in the American lifestyle. This comes from picking up pots, hoeing, raking, and chores related to tending the garden.

2. Gardening creates an opportunity by which vitamin D can be absorbed. It only takes 15 minutes out in the sun without sunscreen to absorb a daily dose of this vitamin.

3. Gardening provides more control over an individual’s food supply especially for those who are concern with food security.

4. Gardening gives an individual a reason to be outside.

5. Gardening can create social situations where social interaction can occur. Long-term friendships can develop through a common love of gardening.

6. The process of gardening can improve one’s mood and reduce depression. This is believed to happen due to exercise and vitamin D exposure.

7. Gardening is a great hobby that every individual regardless of skill or living environment can do.

8. Gardening is a great way of reducing one’s carbon footprint by cutting back on food transportation cost and increasing foliage on the planet that can trap carbon or become a carbon sink.

9. Gardening is a great way to reduce stress. Getting back to nature and combining this with exercise can help reduce the stress at the end of the day.

10. Vegetable gardening can improve your whole family’s dietary habits by providing the first fast food, which is fresh vegetables and fruits. It has been found that if kids are involved in the gardening process they are more likely to try new foods and eat more vegetables.