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Lamb’s Quarters

Lamb’s Quarters

Lamb’s quarters is a fast-growing type of herbaceous plant that springs up all over North America, Europe and Central Asia. Though it’s often mistaken for a weed, lamb’s quarters has historically been foraged and cultivated as a source of food.


Lamb’s quarters may also be referred to as pigweed, goosefoot and wild spinach in some guidebooks. It’s
an annual plant as a member of the Amaranthaceae family (in the genus Chenopodium).


Lamb’s quarters is identifiable by its bushy leaves and slender, upright seed heads, which make it easy to distinguish from ordinary weeds. These seed heads emerge from the center of mature plants with the foliage bunched together closer to the ground. The light green and white leaves on lamb’s quarters are goosefoot shaped when they’re younger, and grow to be diamond shaped as they age.

Introduction
Mr. John Doe

Head Director

Description

Optimal Time/Temperature for Germination:
Forage wild-growing plants only. Forage for wild growing plants and avoid gathering plants in commercial and residential areas that might have been sprayed with pesticides or fertilizer. These may contain traces of harmful chemicals that can make you very sick should you ingest them. It’s safest to stick to herbs that you come across in secluded, out of the way areas. Steer clear of plants that you find sprouting in or near mulch or manure that might contain herbicides, pesticides and medications that were fed to cattle.
Optimal Soil Conditions:
Conduct your search in open fields, on cultivated lands and among thick wild grasses. Pay special attention to the spaces between other flowering plants. Lamb’s quarters is remarkably common in temperate climates, so there’s a good chance you may even be able to find some growing in your backyard. Lamb’s quarters plants favor sunlight, and will often be found just outside tree-lines and in bare, unshaded patches of earth. It can grow either in full sun or in partial shade. The plants can also tolerate drought well. So while selecting the site, consider availability of sun and ensure good drainage system.
Seed Planting Depth, Spacing and Procedure:
Very easy to sow. Just scatter the seeds over soil and then mulch lightly with straw or grass clippings. Generally self sows thereafter
Best Companion Plants and Plants that Hinder:
Often found growing with potatoes and corn. It has nitrogen fixing qualities and so is considered to be helpful with heavy feeders such as tomatoes.

Growing Instructions

Crop Maintenance

Moisture Requirements & Solutions:
Water the bed and keep it moist until they are started. You can thin and eat the seedlings later once they reach 4-6 inches in height.
Weeding Needs & Solutions:
Lambs Quarters is usually considered a weed. In many gardens in temperate regions, Lambs Quarters will appear regularly, and can be an acceptable weed that you can leave to mature in your garden along side vegetables that require companions with nitrogen fixing properties. Generally it is good to keep weeds thinned to avoid too much competition but also to space out plants enough to allow for ease of harvest. Using mulch will help to retain moisture into soil and it will also prevent most of the weeds from taking over the garden.
Feeding Needs/Optimal Natural Fertilizers:
Lamb’s quarters plants don’t require additional fertilizers if you prepare the soil by adding organic materials into it such as aged manure or homemade compost. They will grow in poor soil and improve it.
Pests, Diseases & Solutions:
Pests and diseases are less for growing lamb’s quarters plants. It is vulnerable to leaf miners, making it a useful trap crop as a companion plant. It attracts leaf miners while growing near other plants, which might otherwise have attacked the crop to be protected. It is also a host plant for the beet leaf hopper, an insect which transmits curly top virus to beet crops.
When to Harvest/Number of days to maturity:
Look closely to make sure that what you’ve found is lamb’s quarters and not another inedible species. Older stems often start to develop a reddish or purple coloration. The plant is most abundant in the warmer months of late spring to early fall. Harvest on a sunny day, when the sun is high enough to dry the morning dew but not so hot as to wilt the leaves. Do not harvest on a rainy wet day.
How to Harvest:
You can sometimes determine the age of the plant by examining its stem; young stems are green and firm to the touch, while older stems often start to develop a reddish or purple coloration. The plant is most abundant in the warmer months of late spring to early fall. One method is to stoop down to get closer to the leaves at the base of the plant. Holding the stem with one hand, use the fingers of your other hand to gently pluck the leaves free. Be careful not to tear or otherwise damage the leaves while you’re gathering them. Bring a basket or bucket along with you to collect the leaves you harvest. Lamb’s quarters leaves tend to be small and will shrink up even more when cooked. If you’re planning on serving or storing them in bulk, you’ll want to gather as many as you can find. You can also take a few stems with you so that none of the plant goes to waste. Snip the stems a few inches from the soil with a pair of sharp scissors. Trim the smaller offshoots from the stems and scrub them lightly with your fingertips under a stream of cool water to clean them. The stems can be prepared by steaming, boiling or sautéing. When cooked, they have a hearty crunch similar to romaine hearts or broccoli florets. Because of the natural powdery residue clinging to the leaves of lamb’s quarters, a quick rinse won’t be enough to clean them. Instead, place them in a bowl and pour in enough cold water to completely cover them (a touch of vinegar or salt in the water bowls for cleansing is preferred by some harvesters). Swish the leaves through the water and shake off the excess moisture. Pick out and dispose of any leaves that are slimy or mottled. If you’re planning on cooking with the herb right away, press the leaves between a layer of paper towels to wick away as much water as you can or put it through a salad spinner. The leaves will best when eaten right away while they’re still fresh. Steam or saute them until they just begin to wilt, or enjoy them raw in a salad of seasonal vegetables. They have a mild and slightly sweet flavor that lends itself well to a variety of soups, stir fries and side dishes. Try substituting lamb’s quarters in your favorite recipes that call for spinach, kale, chard or similar greens. Once you’ve stripped the grains, you can roast them for snacking, grind them to use in flours or boil them and serve them like rice.
Optimal Storage temperature and conditions:
The tall, thin stalks of fully grown plants produce a grain that’s similar to quinoa. To harvest this grain, simply bend the seed heads over your bucket or bag and give them a good shake. Most of the mature seeds should fall right out so the remaining can be pulled free by hand into the bucket. Some of the seeds will likely still be covered with bits of thin, papery husk. Clear this away by transferring the seeds to a colander or wire strainer and running a stream of water over them. Afterwards, the grain can be eaten or processed safely. To free grains that are still enclosed, crush the seed head between two fingers, then brush away the rest of the chaff and rinse thoroughly. Scrub away dirt, debris and any insects that might have made their home inside the seed heads. If you have an unused portion, you can preserve them the way you would spinach or other leafy greens. Wrap them loosely in a plastic bag or layer of paper towels and stow them away in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. Try to use up the leaves within 3-5 days of bringing them home. You could also freeze the leaves immediately after washing them. Frozen greens will stay fresh for up to a year. Soups, stews and casseroles made with Lambs quarters freeze well. Ground dried leaves are an excellent nutritional boost when added to stews and soups in winter when greens are scarce. You can also sprinkle dried leaves on food or blend them into a smoothie for a boost of added nutrients, as you would dried parsley or basil.
Optimal Preserving Procedures:
Seed Saving:
Lamb’s quarters seeds range in color from a light tan to deep brown or black shades. You can let some plants go to seed then dry on the plant to just shake them over the gravel or ground area in the section designated for growth then date your excess dry seeds for packing and storing. Like amaranth seeds, dry lambs quarter seeds are a good addition to multigrain bread. Lambs quarter seeds as super nutritious micro greens in winter is worth experimenting with.

Harvest and Storage

Notes

Like other so-called “weeds” lamb’s quarters are incredibly nutritious. They are high in fiber, protein and is loaded with both Vitamins A and C. Lamb’s quarters is also high in manganese, calcium, copper, have a notable amount of iron. They are high in both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Like spinach and other greens, Lambs quarters contain oxalic acid which increases as the plants mature. Oxalic acid levels in mature Lambs Quarters have been known to rise to levels high enough to make them slightly toxic for grazing animals, that is why deer are rarely seen eating mature lambs quarters. Traditionally Lambs Quarters are harvested in spring when they are young and tender, and they contain less oxalic acid, which can be both a stomach irritant and can impede the absorption of calcium. Cooking eliminates most oxalic acid. For this reason it is safe to eat the tender tops of mature Lambs Quarters — but go easy if you choose to eat them raw. Like quinoa, the seeds of lamb’s quarters contain saponin, which can also be a stomach irritant. Saponin can also be reduced by rinsing and cooking leaves and seeds. Lambs quarters have distinctive white leaves near the top of the central leaves, and they are an indication of just how mineral-rich the plant is. The white dust covering the leaves is actually mineral salt that lambs quarters has mined from the soil. The flavor of salt is strong enough that the plant can be dried and used as seasoning, substituting for table salt. It might be wise to use discernment regarding your intake of the herb if you have a calcium deficiency or you’ve been prescribed a special diet. This depends on your specific condition. Do research and consult a naturopath to get clarification on whether this herb will help or hinder if you have health conditions and/ or allergies. Lambs Quarters is an excellent compost amendment or good for “chop and drop”. Young Lambs Quarters is also used as feed for chickens and other poultry.

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