What are your frugal and sustainable tips and tricks?

[Sally PB]

I may just kidnap some from the city and let it grow out without harvesting, because surely the grow back the next year would be ok?

I would think so, but I've never tried to transplant any. It grows like a weed here.

Purslane is one of my favorite weeds. Another favorite is Lamb's Quarter.

 

[Rillowen]

Me too, i just transplanted lambs quarter into my garden from where I found some next to the road! Did you know the leaves make a wonderful mild apple tea with medicinal benefits?! I also appreciate ducks foot. All the benefits of Spinach, none of the draw back.

 

[Sally PB]

@Rillowen, where are you located? You can put that info in your profile, and then it's always there.

You don't have to be exact... the state is fine, or country, if you're not in the US.

Location doesn't mean much when we talk about getting free lumber by using reclaimed pallets, but it is important when discussing plants. And chickens. That happens a lot on this site.

 

[Smokerbill]

I wish I knew more about foraging. Good for you in knowing nature. This past week, I have watched a number of YouTube videos on the health benefits of Purslane, what most of us probably consider a weed to be pulled or poisoned. Turns out, most of the world uses it as a food and medicine....

View attachment 4266715


Quick Answer: Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) is a hardy, succulent plant often considered a weed in the U.S., but widely eaten as a nutritious leafy vegetable in many parts of the world. It’s rich in omega‑3 fatty acids, vitamins, and antioxidants, and is used in salads, soups, and traditional dishes Gardener's Path WebMD The Old Farmer's Almanac.

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What Purslane Is​

• Botanical name: Portulaca oleracea
• Appearance: Thick reddish stems with small, fleshy green leaves; grows low and spreads along the ground Edible Wild Food.
• Growth habit: A succulent annual that thrives in poor soil and hot, dry climates. It’s extremely resilient and often pops up in gardens uninvited Gardener's Path.
• Common names: Little hogweed, pigweed, fatweed, pusley, verdolaga (Mexico), “vegetable for long life” (China) WebMD.

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Culinary Uses​

• Edible leaves and stems: Mild, slightly lemony flavor with a hint of pepper.
• Global cuisines:
  • Used in Greek and Italian cooking (salads, stews) The Old Farmer's Almanac.
  • In Mexico, called verdolaga, added to pork and vegetable dishes WebMD.
  • In Asia, valued in folklore as a longevity food.
• Microgreens: Can be grown year‑round indoors for fresh greens Gardener's Path.

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Health Benefits​

• Omega‑3 fatty acids: One of the richest plant sources, supporting heart health Edible Wild Food.
• Vitamins & minerals: High in vitamins A, C, and E, plus magnesium, potassium, and iron WebMD.
• Antioxidants: Contains betalains and other compounds that reduce oxidative stress.
• Traditional medicine: Used historically as antibacterial, diuretic, and anti‑inflammatory Edible Wild Food.

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Identification Note​

• Purslane has smooth, fleshy leaves and reddish stems.
• Important: Do not confuse it with spurge, a poisonous look‑alike that has hairy stems and exudes a milky sap when broken Edible Wild Food.

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Bottom line: Purslane is a common “weed” that’s actually a highly nutritious edible plant, prized in many cultures for its flavor and health benefits. It’s safe to eat when correctly identified, and can be a valuable addition to your garden or kitchen.


Sources: Gardener’s Path Gardener's Path, WebMD WebMD, Old Farmer’s Almanac The Old Farmer's Almanac, Edible Wild Food Edible Wild Food.

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NOTE TO MYSELF:

• Important: Do not confuse it with spurge, a poisonous look‑alike that has hairy stems and exudes a milky sap when broken Edible Wild Food.

I had several clumps of purslane growing in one of my raised garden beds this summer and I gave eating it a try. I ate it once, wasn't bad but I didn't feel the need to eat a second helping. LOL

One thing about purlsane is that for a fleshy plant it seems to be extremely drought tolerant. I never watered it on purpose but it was always green, lush and continued growing.

ETA: It looks kind of like a jade tree. I wonder if it could be propogated by sticking the leaves in soil, like you can a jade tree?

Me too, i just transplanted lambs quarter into my garden from where I found some next to the road! Did you know the leaves make a wonderful mild apple tea with medicinal benefits?! I also appreciate ducks foot. All the benefits of Spinach, none of the draw back.

I had a couple lambs quarters plants growing in my garden too and sort of tried to keep it growing so I'd have enough to eat, but unsuccessfully.

Lambs quarters were one of the plants my grandma always included in her springtime batches of cooked-to-death greens, along with curly dock, polk and dandelions.

 

[Rillowen]

I found out the hard way this year that curly dock is poisonous to chickens, whatch out for it! I lost 2 at 3 months, I saw then eating it, and then the symptoms matched exactly. It was sad.

 

[BDutch]

I found out the hard way this year that curly dock is poisonous to chickens, whatch out for it! I lost 2 at 3 months, I saw then eating it, and then the symptoms matched exactly. It was sad.

Sorry for your losses.
Are you sure? I always understood that chickens are very careful to eat what they aren’t sure of as long as there is food that is good to eat.

Besides, the young leaves of curly foot can be eaten by humans too. Quite sure they aren’t poisonous for chickens. Only the roots can cause diarrhoea.

My garden has many poisonous plants. My chickens wont eat those if they would get sick from them for sure.

 

[Rillowen]

Sorry for your losses.
Are you sure? I always understood that chickens are very careful to eat what they aren’t sure of as long as there is food that is good to eat.

Besides, the young leaves of curly foot can be eaten by humans too. Quite sure they aren’t poisonous for chickens. Only the roots can cause diarrhoea.

My garden has many poisonous plants. My chickens wont eat those if they would get sick from them for sure.

I am sure, it went to seed right next to their pen, and the smaller ones that got bullied away from the food reached through and ate it. I didn't realize even after they died, I didnt even know what the plant was! I thought it looked edible and looked it up, and found all the symptoms my chicks had just died from. Withdrawn, lethargy, drooping wings and head tucked into shoulders, lack of appatite, and then hiding and sleeping often, leading to a death hidden away. I thought they must have gotten some disease, but here was the symptoms exactly! Apparently it is one of the few that they will eat, because it doesnt smell poisonous, but reacts badly in crop and ruminant animals. I eradicated it from their area and lost no more.

 

[kattabelly]

Someone mentioned on another thread recently that the seeds of curled dock (Rumex crispus) are supposed to be poisonous to poultry. Broad-leaved dock (R. obtusifolius), which isn't poisonous as far as I know, also grows in the UK and the two can hybridise which makes ID more difficult as well as causing uncertainty around possible toxicity.

I've honestly never paid that close attention to which species or hybrid my chickens are eating and they do eat a lot of docken seeds, apparently without any problems. Not to dismiss the experience of anyone who has had issues but I wonder if it's more of a potential risk than a certain death sentence. Toxin levels can sometimes vary quite significantly even between plants of the same species.

 

[Rillowen]

Someone mentioned on another thread recently that the seeds of curled dock (Rumex crispus) are supposed to be poisonous to poultry. Broad-leaved dock (R. obtusifolius), which isn't poisonous as far as I know, also grows in the UK and the two can hybridise which makes ID more difficult as well as causing uncertainty around possible toxicity.

I've honestly never paid that close attention to which species or hybrid my chickens are eating and they do eat a lot of docken seeds, apparently without any problems. Not to dismiss the experience of anyone who has had issues but I wonder if it's more of a potential risk than a certain death sentence. Toxin levels can sometimes vary quite significantly even between plants of the same species.

That's very true, and I would imagine dosage matters as well. If they hadn't been so small still they may have been able to handle the amount they ate. Either way though, even if its only a chance I personally dont want it anywhere near my chickens!

 

[gtaus]

We also use or drink the juices. The kids hear me opening a can and its a stampede to see who gets to drink the juice, for everything but green beans lol.

I took a Senior Citizens cooking class a few years ago when it was offered in our community. Our cooking instructor suggested that we save all our vegetable juices from canned veggies in a container in the freezer and then use those juices for making soup instead of using plain water. That's what we do now. All our juices from canned corn, peas, and beans goes into a plastic container until we make a chicken soup. It does add more flavor to our homemade chicken soup.

Frugal Tip for Chicken Soup: Dear Wife likes to buy ready cooked chicken about once a week. We both prefer the rotisserie chicken...

For the two of us, we get a number of meals just from the chicken meat. After a while, we get down to little meat remaining on the bones. At that time, we toss the carcass into a bread bag and store it in the freezer until she makes chicken soup out of it. Honestly, I like her chicken soup better than the chicken meals. In any case, we get another ~3 meals out of the chicken soup.

Dear Wife will also pick up take out fried chicken, but there the leftovers get tossed directly into the chicken bucket and tossed into the chicken run composting system. It can take forever for chicken bones to compost, but I have a nice compost sifter setup which rejects the sticks and bones which I can just toss back into the compost pile.