Forum home› Plants
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

ID ?

paulpuk2000paulpuk2000 Posts: 93
in Plants
This plant has arisen near where I planted my garlics, last December. I had planted potatoes in this raised bed, last year, and thought I'd got everything out, but there seem to be more potatoes than last year, even moving into the garlic area. This looks like a potato plant, especially amongst the the other potatoe plants, with similar leaves, but these are 'cut' at the edges, so I don't believe they are spuds. Anybody got any idea what this plant is (with the small yellow flowers)?   A

Posts

  • Slow-wormSlow-worm Posts: 1,630
    Mustard?
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited June 2022
    Looks like Charlock to me 
    https://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/discover-wild-plants-nature/plant-fungi-species/charlock

    The one on the edge of the bed with the black blotches on the leaves is Redshank - Persicaria maculosa ... they're both common weeds of arable farmland. 

    Cant see enough of the plant with the white flowers to ID it properly but its a crucifer so possible a brassica? radish? that sort of thing?

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • paulpuk2000paulpuk2000 Posts: 93
    It does very much like charlock.  Info says it's poisonous, so do I need to remove it, in case it affects my spuds & garlic?  Thx for info on the other plant.  I'm always scared of pulling plants out, that I don't expect, in case it's either the plant I panted, or some other edible plant.  I guess it's the birds dropping them again.  I've had a really stubborn pigeon keep on appearing, this year, who seems to have taken a fancy to my rhubarb?
  • paulpuk2000paulpuk2000 Posts: 93
    @slow-worm.  Thx for the input.  I prefer the charlock ID.  There's a little cluster in the middle of the plant bloom, that does it for me.  It does look similar to mustard though.  I've got so much to learn !
  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328
    A lot of weed seeds survive for years in the soil, germinating only when conditions are right, so birds may not be the culprits here.  I once lived in an ex-farmhouse in Northumberland with a concrete farmyard behind it, which we had removed.  The following year the area looked really lovely - full of cornfield weeds like poppies, corn marigolds and cornflowers, whose seeds must have been lurking under the concrete for more than 20 years, waiting for a bit of light and moisture before growing.   :)
    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    paulpuk2000 said:
    It does very much like charlock.  Info says it's poisonous, so do I need to remove it, in case it affects my spuds & garlic?  

    The leaves were once boiled and eaten    . It is also known as Charlock mustard or wild mustard, and the seeds can be used to produce a mild mustard. Other local names include bazzocks, bread and marmalade, headridge and wild kale.


    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Charlock definitely isn't poisonous, not in any commonly understood meaning of the word anyway. 

    I mean, too much mustard for example isn't good for a person ... but it's not regarded as poisonous.  

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • paulpuk2000paulpuk2000 Posts: 93
    edited June 2022
    If you look under the ecology section, of this wikipedia entry, it says it is poisonous to most animals, except birds?  Even more fascinating is that it was used during the potato famine, but people often got stomach upset.   Perhaps it is under these circumstances (over use), that it becomes poisonous?  Personally, I only use half a spoonful of mustard, or less.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinapis_arvensis
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Charlock is commonly gathered by foragers

    https://www.eatweeds.co.uk/what-to-forage-in-april


    and is frequently picked in Cyprus as part of the traditional ‘Horta’ the dish of wild greens eaten in the spring. https://cyprus-mail.com/2022/03/30/spring-is-in-the-air-time-to-forage-for-greens/ 

    Its a brassica … as are Brussels sprouts … too many of those can upset your tum but as I said, not toxic in the commonly accepted use of the word. 😊 


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • paulpuk2000paulpuk2000 Posts: 93
    Thanks for that.  So I guess wikipedia is a little over the top with its definition.  I believe even water can be toxic, if you drink too much of it, so I take you point.  :-) 
Sign In or Register to comment.