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I have no idea what its called, but you'll know what i mean when i say that horrible sticky weed stuff!! I just thought i would start a thread so people can express their hate for this stuff- lol. Pointless really. But its growing up my fence where my sweet peas should be growing!! Keep trying to get rid and it just comes back! Hate it.
xx

It has many names - I believe that down south it's known as "cleavers" or "goose grass" (amongst others), up here in Scotland it's almost universally known as "sticky willy". It's edible, although not great, and you obviously don't want to be eating it raw. And yes, it's a bloody nightmare to get rid of...

I have no idea what people call it here -shrugs- apart from a pain in the bum!!!! I can assure you i wont be eating it- raw or cooked! Its going in the brown bin....where it belongs....i hate it!
xx

My hens love it! I bring some home from walking the dog and they go wild for it!

It also makes a great dish scrubber!

Penny Lane wrote:My hens love it! I bring some home from walking the dog and they go wild for it!

It sticks to our Breton dog - she's constantly got a green hula skirt

I think what you're talking about is called goosegrass. There's a guy in Stroud who sells it made into a pesto. It's very nice. Get your own back by cooking the b@st@rd!!

clanpowell wrote:I think what you're talking about is called goosegrass. There's a guy in Stroud who sells it made into a pesto. It's very nice. Get your own back by cooking the b@st@rd!!

Oh do tell who sells it? Mind, I bet he'd make more money selling the recipe. I've got tons of the stuff. The seeds get into the cats' fur. I wouldn't be surprised if it germinates in there and start growing out of their ears.

Zoe

Pesto ... hmmm like the sound of that ... I make an oils with it thats good for painful joints...

Have not heard of the oil, would you share a recipe?
I use it as tea, a big bundle in a teapot. Its quite tasty, and also can stimulate the lymph system, excellent for general tonic and if you are recovering from colds, infections etc

of course dear .... cleavers and bash them a wee bit to make sure the bugs are dead ... lol joking ... hopefully you have removed the bugs first ... the bashing a bit releases the magic ... and then put them in an oil of your choice and leave for as long as you can strain any massage in... all the usual stuff about clean jars and lids. The more cleavers the stronger the oil. Not heard from any one saying oil too strong or any skin irritation from them. In fact one lady I know it adding more cleavers to her cleaver oil from last year to see how that works.

Don't know the recipie myself. I assume it is similar normal pesto with basil subed for goosegrass. Next time we're at Stroud market I'll ask him or get him to join the ishers!

Silver Ether wrote:of course dear .... cleavers and bash them a wee bit to make sure the bugs are dead ... lol joking ... hopefully you have removed the bugs first ... the bashing a bit releases the magic ... and then put them in an oil of your choice and leave for as long as you can strain any massage in... all the usual stuff about clean jars and lids. The more cleavers the stronger the oil. Not heard from any one saying oil too strong or any skin irritation from them. In fact one lady I know it adding more cleavers to her cleaver oil from last year to see how that works.

Thanks for that one SE. I'll definitely give it a go

Not the best time of year for it as a food as it is coming into flower as like many things its a bit bitter at this stage. October-April is the best time here in the UK. Pick out the tops to add to salads. I find the rest of the plant a bit stringy to use, but you can use it to make a wild stock. I've seen young cleavers used for soups but as I said I'm not keen, ready to try again if there is a better recipe.

My favorite use is as a drink, mix with water and whizz up in a blender and use like wheat grass.

I can't bring myself to hate useful stuff- dandelions were always relished by my guinea pigs as a kid so I don't get upset about them as a weed now. Cleavers (goosegrass) my horse loves, it's god for his hooves- they sell it dried as a herbal remedy for poor hooves. So I guess it must be good for us too but I haven't tried any....yet.

Now bind weed- there's no use for that, I can't help hating that!