growingarden

This is article #1 on Beneficial Plants, in this part we are bringing to you, the Wild Teasel ( Dipsacus fullonum ).

Wild Teasel Beneficial Plant in flower

There are quite a few benefits to including this plant in your system not only for you and your garden but also for wildlife! They are:

1. Very Deep rooting ( Said to be as deep as 3 Feet! .. helping to cycle nutrients from lower levels of the soil structure ),
2. Self Seeding ( Biennial Herbaceous plant, it will complete its lifecycle after two years but the seeds that drop will keep some plants going after the mother plant dies ),
3. Water source for bees & other pollinators ( water and dew collects in the receptacles where the leaves are attached to the stem, bees use this as a water source ),
4. Important food source for Birds ( Gold Finches use the dried seeds as an important Autumn and Winter food source),
5. Good for pollinators and Attractive ( Nice Lavender / violet-ish coloured flower heads look good as well as serve the bees etc. )

Wild Teasel Dried Mature Flower head

Harvesting seeds from wild plants is quite easy, but bring Gloves!! All you do is cut or snap off a few dried flower heads and place them somewhere they can dry out for a week or so, once dry you just tap the heads into a container and watch allthe seeds fall out. This can be done early Autumn, seeds can also be bought online.