PURSLANE is on the menu!

[ZEROPILOT]

I decided to watch my tortoises in the open yard and see exactly what THEY selected to eat and then try to grow what ever weed / plant in my tortoise garden. There was one plant in general that they munched on and to my surprise, it turns out to be purslane. I've read about it here before, but I had no idea that it was a weed grown here. I don't know much about plants in general and I'm learning as I go. As luck would have it, I found at LOWES...on the clearance rack for $3, a huge purslane in a hanging basket set-up. Now I'm growing purslane, basil, hibiscus, (two varieties) kale, romaine, collard greens,marigold,begonia and grape. Strangely, the yard is void of clover and I'm looking to purchase seeds. With Mazuri, the meals are about covered now.

 

[lismar79]

I think I bought my clover seeds from tortoisesupply.com

 

[CharlieM]

Clover doesn't do so well in plant growing zone 11. Nor does dandelion. I've tried to grow both. What's funny is after growing up in Connecticut most people up there would laugh at us for attempting to grow these things.

 

[Abdulla6169]

Clover doesn't do so well in plant growing zone 11. Nor does dandelion. I've tried to grow both. What's funny is after growing up in Connecticut most people up there would laugh at us for attempting to grow these things.

Dandelion grows here (Its a zone 11). It is possible for them to grow where you are, maybe it all depends on the type of dandelion?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Charlie, are you aware of other weeds that are right here in our yards that I can single out and grow in numbers? I've been looking right at purslane for about ten years and never knew THAT is what it was. I'm a plant novice. I see thistle every now and again, but it doesn't seem to grow in the wet season. They love that, too.

 

[Abdulla6169]

You can propagate purslane by placing it into soil that is always moist. Just another person in zone 11 sharing tips !

 

[CharlieM]

@ZEROPILOT
I rely on the hibiscus leaves and flowers, spineless cactus, grape leaves and mulberry leaves that grow in my yard as their staple diet. I also rotate in spring mix or romaine and some fruit once in a white as well as occasional mazuri or Reptimin. They also eat mushrooms and tiny figs from the strangler fig tree above them. With these options I don't worry about too much about growing other stuff. They also have spider plants and wandering jew in their enclosure to snack on. The mulberry and cactus pads that I bought were the best things ever. They love them.

 

[CharlieM]

I did buy a few ice plants at a local greenhouse last week to try. I will wait a few weeks after transplanting til the pesticides are gone.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I also use hibiscus parts as the staple food. I have plantain leaves as well. They don't get eaten.