Mistwalker
Gold Member
- Joined
- Dec 22, 2007
- Messages
- 19,051
One of the projects I have been working on lately is a powerpoint presentation to augment the field work part of some classes scheduled for later on this summer. This is just a part of it, but since it features one of my favorite knives, I thought I would share it here.
Solomon's Seal is a beneficial plant that has several helpful uses as a tincture from my studies. I was taught to mince and crush it into a paste, to use it as a poultice for an astringent for helping to slow bleeding and helping to heal minor wounds. It is a rather unique plant that stands out among the other plants it is commonly found growing with. It tends to grow in a leaning arch, has alternating leaves, and the flowers and subsequent berries hang below the plant. Even in bloom, the flowers are not always easily spotted, since they are underneath, and the plant does like the shadows under trees. But sometimes the bees pollinating the flowers will help give it away.
If you look closely you can tell that the berries are already developing under the thin flower petals. DO NOT EAT the berries. They are toxic
The root is the part you want. It grows fairly close to the surface and is usually pretty easy to get to. A spoon or small trowel is handy, but I tend to just whittle a digging stick.
It is a perennial, and on larger plants the roots can be pretty long. If you uncover the root and cut a section, another plant will generally sprout from the root left in the ground. Sometimes they just break off, and that leaves the root for the plant to grow back from as well.
So now you have the plant stem and a root segment, and you cut the root back from the stem a bit.
Replant the stem and attached root section, and with any luck you will now have two plants where there was one. Not only sustaining the harvest, but increasing it in the process.
Garlic is another very useful plant that grows wild here in the south. It is pretty easy to spot, it looks a lot like green onions but develops pointy scapes at the top. In cultivation in a primitive living situation, you could cut the scapes from the plant and include those in your cooking for flavor, and it will cause the bulb below to grow larger without all of the energy being put into flower and seed production. However you would definitely want to leave some alone to go to seed to proliferate the future harvests.
It's funny, after reading The Lord of The Rings so many times in my youth, and watching the movies more than I should, I can't have a discussion on herb lore without hearing in my head the conversation on Kingsfoil between Aragorn and Sam. Kingsfoil? That's a weed! lol
There is an expanded version of this post in the W&SS section
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...Other-Scenes-From-A-Temperate-Rain-Forest#top
.
Solomon's Seal is a beneficial plant that has several helpful uses as a tincture from my studies. I was taught to mince and crush it into a paste, to use it as a poultice for an astringent for helping to slow bleeding and helping to heal minor wounds. It is a rather unique plant that stands out among the other plants it is commonly found growing with. It tends to grow in a leaning arch, has alternating leaves, and the flowers and subsequent berries hang below the plant. Even in bloom, the flowers are not always easily spotted, since they are underneath, and the plant does like the shadows under trees. But sometimes the bees pollinating the flowers will help give it away.
If you look closely you can tell that the berries are already developing under the thin flower petals. DO NOT EAT the berries. They are toxic
The root is the part you want. It grows fairly close to the surface and is usually pretty easy to get to. A spoon or small trowel is handy, but I tend to just whittle a digging stick.
It is a perennial, and on larger plants the roots can be pretty long. If you uncover the root and cut a section, another plant will generally sprout from the root left in the ground. Sometimes they just break off, and that leaves the root for the plant to grow back from as well.
So now you have the plant stem and a root segment, and you cut the root back from the stem a bit.
Replant the stem and attached root section, and with any luck you will now have two plants where there was one. Not only sustaining the harvest, but increasing it in the process.
Garlic is another very useful plant that grows wild here in the south. It is pretty easy to spot, it looks a lot like green onions but develops pointy scapes at the top. In cultivation in a primitive living situation, you could cut the scapes from the plant and include those in your cooking for flavor, and it will cause the bulb below to grow larger without all of the energy being put into flower and seed production. However you would definitely want to leave some alone to go to seed to proliferate the future harvests.
It's funny, after reading The Lord of The Rings so many times in my youth, and watching the movies more than I should, I can't have a discussion on herb lore without hearing in my head the conversation on Kingsfoil between Aragorn and Sam. Kingsfoil? That's a weed! lol
There is an expanded version of this post in the W&SS section
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...Other-Scenes-From-A-Temperate-Rain-Forest#top
.
Last edited:
