Bur medic

Prefers a dry neutral soil and dislikes shade. Prefers a light well-drained soil. A very variable plant. Cultivated for its edible leaves in China. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby. When removing plant remains at the end of the growing season, it is best to only remove the aerial parts of the plant, leaving the roots in the ground to decay and release their nitrogen. References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information Temperature Converter Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit: Celsius Fahrenheit: The PFAF Bookshop Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants , Edible Perennials , Edible Trees , Edible Shrubs , Woodland Gardening , and Temperate Food Forest Plants . Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical) . Shop Now

Edible Parts: Flowers Leaves Seed Shoots Edible Uses: Leaves and young shoots - raw or cooked as a potherb[2, 179, 183]. Only the young leaves are eaten raw. Plants can be harvested on a cut and come again basis, the first harvest can be made about one month after sowing, plants can then be harvested another 3 - 4 times at intervals of a few weeks. The young leaves contain about 6% protein, 0.14% fat, 9.5% carbohydrate, 1.4% ash. They are rich in vitamins A, C, and E. Flowers - raw or cooked[105, 183]. Seed - cooked. The seed can be parched, ground into a powder and mixed with water to make a mush. References More on Edible Uses

Pre-soak the seed for 12 hours in warm water and then sow in spring in situ. The seed can also be sown in situ in the autumn.