Photos of Edible Greens

Chicory       Chicory is sometimes called the 'Italian Dandelion'. Like the dandelion, chicory leaves are nutritious but have a bitter edge to them, even when young; eating them is an acquired taste for humans, but our birds don't care, they all love these greens. It's as if they instinctively know that this unassuming plant can be very beneficial to your health.       Chicory is very high in vitamins and minerals, containing essential trace elements that can be difficult to acquire in a vegetable. The greens as well as the blue flowers and the green seed-heads are all greatly appreciated by canaries, and if you dig it up and slice it down the middle before offering it to them, they will even eat the roots and the soil around them!       Chicory is easy to grow; in fact, you could say it grows like a weed. It prefers cool weather, but is tolerant of warmer, though it will insist on flowering and setting seed. But this is no problem if you're feeding canaries, as they enjoy the flowers and seeds every bit as much as the rest of the plant. Ihe flowers help bring beneficial insects and butterflies to your garden, too.

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