Iseut notes with amusement that one of the things for sale at the Charles Hotel farmers' market is purslane, at $4 a pound. Sure, it's crunchy and high in omega-3 fatty acids, but it's also a common weed around here:
... It flourishes everywhere. Gardeners pull it from their cultivated gardens as often as they weed. It pullulates in the cracks and crevices of streets from Dudley to Brattle and anywhere else there's a bit of soil. ...
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Comments
Purslane
By Allstonian
Tue, 08/03/2010 - 9:31am
Yep - I've been buying purslane from the Hmong farmers in Brookline for a couple of years now, ever since I started making a recipe for fattoush that calls for it along with lettuce and other veggies. And I'm well aware that it's a common weed - I see it all over the place. On the other hand, I'm willing to pay for purslane grown on a farm, that isn't steeped in auto exhaust and excreta from dogs, rats, and birds, and stepped on by passers-by.
I've tried unsuccessfully to grow it in my yard, as well! I desperately need a ground cover, and one I can make into salad would be welcome, but so far it may grow in the sidewalk cracks but it won't grow there.
You Sure Allstonian?
By Pete Nice
Tue, 08/03/2010 - 9:52am
I'll pay you $4 a pound to remove that stuff from my driveway!
In all seriousness, if you want a garden of purslane, you are better off starting small and slow with seperate pots. Then transplant them to your garden when the roots are strong enough (usually 3 weeks). They also seem to flourish more in warmer air in the Boston area (above 75 degrees), So I would suggest a lot of sunlight.
Sunlight
By Allstonian
Tue, 08/03/2010 - 10:35am
Yeah, a lot of sunlight is what I have not got - there's a big ol' locust tree smack in the middle of my 10x15-foot front yard.
Pullulating
By John-W
Tue, 08/03/2010 - 10:13am
Hmmm...so if you dumped Rogaine on a bunch of screaming Middle Eastern street protesters would you have pullulating ullulators?
Sorry.
Who knew?
By Neal
Tue, 08/03/2010 - 10:20am
I've pulled quite a bit of the stuff out of my garden in the Fens over the past few weeks. I guess instead of throwing it into the compost pile, I'll take some home and figure out what to do with it.
Wow, 4 bucks a pound?
By The Beer Guy
Tue, 08/03/2010 - 10:51am
I bet it's all stems and seeds.