Hostas....

[CWS4322]

are a vegetable! I never knew that. The things one learns on the Internet...I bet I can convince the DH to plant more hostas since they are NOT just a pretty plant in the perennial beds...

http://emmacooper.org/files/hostas.pdf

[Dawgluver]

Interesting. Thanks CWS! I remember reading about how hosta shoots are edible some time ago. Might have to try it, I have hundreds of hostas. The deer really like them, they can't be wrong.

I cooked up some wild spring nettles a few years ago, they were OK, and with a bit more effort and more bacon on my part, would have probably been pretty good. Maybe a hosta and nettle salad is in my future.

[CWS4322]

Nettles. I can't stand them. I thought I'd cook some up a few years ago...they tasted like, well, like I imagine manure to taste because to me that is what they smelled like. I too have lots of hostas...looking forward to trying them. The flowers are edible, too, at least from what I read.

[Dawgluver]

What I found really neat from your article about hosta shoots was that you could yank them up mid shoot, and you still get hostas, as the shoots grow back.

I agree about the nettles, was hoping more bacon would work. I tried chickweed a couple years ago, as it's even more prolific than the nettles. DH refused to try it. I found it underwhelming as far as taste. Needed more bacon.

[Somebunny]

This is very interesting! I grow Hostas too. I haven't noticed the deer eating them, maybe they just prefer the tulips and the hedge. :(

[Dawgluver]

We have huge herds of deer living in our timber, they LOVE hostas. Mostly they eat the ones I planted around the perimeter, but occasionally they munch the ones in the shade garden. And the bunnies like them too. Life in the country!

[Somebunny]

Maybe I should plant Hostas around the stuff I don't want to get eaten! Lol! We have a "herd" too, they are semi urban deer. We used to have a lot of bunnies,
But only a few the last couple of years.

[GotGarlic]

Cool info. Thanks, CWS.

[cave76]

Snails and slugs just gobble up the hostas I've planted! Even when I put snail bait or other deterrent around them.

[FrankZ]

Originally Posted by Dawgluver

Interesting. Thanks CWS! I remember reading about how hosta shoots are edible some time ago. Might have to try it, I have hundreds of hostas. The deer really like them, they can't be wrong.

Might be the best way to eat hostas is to eat the deer after they have eaten the hostas.

[Mad Cook]

Originally Posted by Dawgluver

We have huge herds of deer living in our timber, they LOVE hostas. Mostly they eat the ones I planted around the perimeter, but occasionally they munch the ones in the shade garden. And the bunnies like them too. Life in the country!

One of the articles I read suggested that it's a good idea to check by rubbing the sap on the inside of your wrist to check whether you are allergic to it before eating it.

[CWS4322]

Originally Posted by Mad Cook

One of the articles I read suggested that it's a good idea to check by rubbing the sap on the inside of your wrist to check whether you are allergic to it before eating it.

Thanks for hat tip--I didn't see that. I did read that it is in the same family as asparagus, so I'm guessing since I'm not allergic to that, I won't be allergic to urui (hosta).