need help regrowing

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hi you guys, i need help in general....im going to do some survival training long term and i pretty much wanted to know the general rules of growing food ...for example, i know dandelions, salsify and arrow balsamroot are all edible lookalikes that are pretty easy to find in the wild...what i dont have a clue about is how to regrow them....for example, these plants dont seem to have fruits so i dont know where to find the seeds.....and what if a certain pplants doesnt have any noticeable seeds upon closer inspection, what can i do?

do i uproot it and bury somewhere else and how it starts growing more?

please dont limit your answers to just those plant, i need a general guide so that i can try it on other familiar plants that i run across
 

Crabbergirl

Super Moderator
Staff member
Hi ,
The above mentioned plants as well as many others will reproduce from seeds , which are the end results of the flowers. When a flower begins to dry , either the seed pod will grow under the flower or, for lack of better description, the petals of the flower will produce seeds at the base. Dandelions are a prime example of this. When the flower turns to that fuzzy thing , those fuzzies are actually the seeds. ;) There are wild carrots that look like yarrow and they reproduce from seeds also much like regular carrots. Wild onions will also seed after they flower. Make sure you buy a reputable book for wild plant eating as there are many look a-likes that pose a great danger. Fungus is one that produces mock versions, that if you are not experienced in identification you can cause illness or death by "testing" the wrong one.
Keep us posted on what you learn as you go. Good luck and eat safe!
 
thank you

so from what your saying, the seed will not always look like a seed? and this is why i cannot find them sometimes?


im actually going to start off slow by trying to hunt for a few plants that i already know for sure, such as dandelion and stinging nettles, i can prick myself with the latter one to prove it is what i think it is.


also, so if the plant has no fruit or berries, then i can assume that the flower will contain or turn into the seeds?
 
one more thing, does burdock have a look alike? im using its prickly flowers and giant leaves as a basis for identification, and so far i havent seen any look alikes
 

Crabbergirl

Super Moderator
Staff member
Yes that is correct. Some seeds will be so small you may miss them altogether. I suggest you start "watching" plants. Make sure to follow from buding through seeding. You will learn a lot just following one plant. I am not sure about the brdock as I have not really studied it or too many other wild plants. I am just aware that you need to be on your toes when eating from the wild. My son is actually skilled in wild plant eating so the little I know has come from him. I will see if I can get some source sites for you from him.
Happy eating!
 

Randy

Super Moderator
Staff member
I made up a survical kit that I kept in my car for quite a long time. But I found a deck of cards at a recreational store locally called "REI" (recreational equipment, incorporated). We are in the heart of mountain climbing and rock climbing territory. But the deck of cards showed pictures and descriptions of both edible plants and toxic ones. Every once in awhile someone makes like Socrates and tries eating some mountain hemlock that looks similar to an edible plant.
 

Crabbergirl

Super Moderator
Staff member
Those sound cool Randy. I know that I don't know all I need to know about eating wild plants. My son got very sick and was near death from some wild mushrooms. He is very educated in fungus picking but made a common mistake. He said he wished he was dead. He had made spaghetti sauce with them. He said he really thought he was going to die. The worst gut wrenching he has ever had and the pain in his head he said he though he was going to have brain damage. He couldn't manage to get to the phone or even to call for any help. It lasted 3 days of this ordeal and then several weeks after he was still feeling really bad. He was in NH when it happened. You are right there are many evil plants that mock good plants.

Burning,
I would suggest you find a survival class that will teach you the plants. Relying on a book with picture or words on a page is no substitution for first hand knowledge
 


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