Did I hit a weed lottery?

[HJ1983]

I work at an elementary school where we have an organic rooftop garden. We are about to start planting soon and I decided to look out there and see what's happening. I spoke to the gardening teacher and she said I'm free to take whatever weeds I like, since they usually just get composted. So we are bartering. I give her all used coco coir and I can take weeds. Cool huh? Except for one problem! I know absolutely nothing about plants. Except you buy them in the store. And what I learned in Biology. So please help me become as informed as possible. What are these and are they weeds or sprouts and are they edible for my Russian? Thanks in advance.

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Also if I want to stock up can I freeze them? There really aren't any other gardens around here that I know are organic. And I don't have access to the school in the summer. Central Park is up the block from my apartment, but with all the rat poison out there I wouldn't even dare.

 

[Tom]

1 and 5 look like mint. Not toxic in small amounts, but most torts won't eat it.

You need to let number 6 go to flower to be sure. It looks like oxalis, which is not good to feed. If it grows inch long trumpet shaped yellow flowers then don't feed it. If not, it should be fine to feed out.

I don't know the others. Sorry.

 

[HJ1983]

Mint! Wow. There's a whole batch outside and we are getting 3 inches of snow tonight poor guys. Everything else is in the green house.

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1 and 5 look like mint. Not toxic in small amounts, but most torts won't eat it.

You need to let number 6 go to flower to be sure. It looks like oxalis, which is not good to feed. If it grows inch long trumpet shaped yellow flowers then don't feed it. If not, it should be fine to feed out.

I don't know the others. Sorry.

No need to apologize. You taught me my first plant ID!

 

[Yvonne G]

2 is chickweed - edible
3 looks like the vegetable chard - maybe from a previous garden?
4 looks like it might be chickweed again
5 is the same as 1 - (I don't think its mint. I have this weed and its not edible, or at least the horse doesn't think it is
6 is oxalis - not edible

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I think #5 is ground ivy. have you ever seen flowers on it?

http://weeds.cropsci.illinois.edu/images/Ground ivy/index.htm

 

[Tom]

I totally missed number 3. I think you are right Yvonne, I was looking for a weed, and I didn't consider the source well enough.

 

[redbeef]

1 and 5 are definitely some kind of Lamiaceae...if not ground ivy, perhaps lemonbalm? does it have any kind of odor?

 

[HJ1983]

Red beef
I will check out if 5 smells like anything tomorrow. I know that at the school we grow a lot of herbs and vegetables so it could be anything.

Yvonne,
I don't know if this helps but 5 has a "fuzzy" look to it that the camera didn't pick up. It was in the tomato plant bin. I'll keep an eye on it for flowers. And as for the chickweed there is ALOT of it. There are some plots in the greenhouse that have gone nuts with the chickweeds. The chard is probably from a dropped seed from last years harvest sine it was the only one there. The garden is planted, watered, and cared for by elementary school children from the ages of 6 to 11 pretty cool huh?

Tom,
This source is totally unreliable. .

I have to go back tomorrow and investigate some more. I only checked the greenhouse and some of the tree bins. There are about 30 more bins to explore.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

HJ1983,
If you have a, “Smart Phone" a real handy app is “Garden Compass". This is an app by those folks of Ortho and you can take a picture of the weed and instantly send it to them. They email you back, usually within 24 hrs. within 24 hrs was what it is. I then take that info to the tortoise table to see if it's edible.

 

[HJ1983]

HJ1983,
If you have a, “Smart Phone" a real handy app is “Garden Compass". This is an app by those folks of Ortho and you can take a picture of the weed and instantly send it to them. They email you back, usually within 24 hrs. within 24 hrs was what it is. I then take that info to the tortoise table to see if it's edible.

I will download the app and check it out. Thanks Cowboy Ken!

-Haydee

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Before trusting them, I sent a picture of a known weed to make sure and they passed the test. I usually include info such as what neck of the woods I'm in to help narrow the id process. Keep in mind, this is an Ortho site, and as such they want to push the poisons they sell to kill the weed.

 

[Tom]

So they might not be all that helpful if we ask them if its toxic to eat or how to propagate it more?

 

[T33's Torts]

Re: RE: Did I hit a weed lottery?

So they might not be all that helpful if we ask them if its toxic to eat or how to propagate it more?

They'll just provide the plant name. Then the OP can ask here or check The Tortosie Table.

 

[Tom]

Sarcastic humor Tiff. Just kidding around.

 

[T33's Torts]

Re: RE: Did I hit a weed lottery?

Sarcastic humor Tiff. Just kidding around.

Sorry. I didn't catch it.
I'm off the ball today.

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That went so far over my head, its not even funny.

 

[Tom]

Sarcastic humor Tiff. Just kidding around.

Sorry. I didn't catch it.
I'm off the ball today.

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That went so far over my head, its not even funny.

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I am famous for missing jokes and replying with serious answers...

 

[T33's Torts]

Re: RE: Did I hit a weed lottery?

Sarcastic humor Tiff. Just kidding around.

Sorry. I didn't catch it.
I'm off the ball today.

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That went so far over my head, its not even funny.

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I am famous for missing jokes and replying with serious answers...

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I often do the opposite-
Answer a serious question jokingly.

 

[HJ1983]

So... Should I use the app first then come here to see if it's in Yvonne's list? I checked it out and it's totally a store in disguise. I'm completely new to this stuff. My plant knowledge is extremely limited. I cannot identify anything other than common flowers and Oak, maybe. Would it be ok to post a few more pics here tomorrow if I find more of what I think are weeds but may be lettuce?

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

It's best for id if more than the seed leaves are present. I copy and past the id they supply with the tortoise table. Do you have a link to that site? And of course you can post more pictures.

 

[HJ1983]

To the tortoise table? No I don't. But I'm sure I can google it. That how I found you all.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

That how you became one of us! (Rubbing hands together) we are all here together to offer our experience.

http://m.thetortoisetable.org.uk/m/plant_database_14.asp