3 Common Herbs You Can Find in Your Backyard RIGHT Now
Spring is fast upon us, faster than I anticipated - which happens every year. I’ve got my peas peeking their heads out (slowly), spinach and some greens just got transplanted out, my perennials are starting to put out fresh buds, and my chives are in full swing. And it really feels like last frost date should be tomorrow, but I know it’s another month out at least still.
But I always get so excited this time of year when I see those first greens coming out. I’m sick of grocery store vegetables, my freezer stash of veg has gotten low, and I’m just craving fresh and flavor. It’s also a friendly reminder that we’ve made it through yet another winter, and spring has - in fact - come.
At this time of year, if you really got a jump start on things - you might have some cold hardy greens that you can harvest, but I’m usually late on those and start with my chives, the blooms from my bolting kale, and any green onions that may have survived the winter. So I absolutely love filling in with what nature herself gifts me as an added bonus: what everyone else may consider common weeds.
I’d like to introduce you to a few of my favorites: Dandelions, Purple Dead Nettles, Violets, and Stinging Nettles - and show you not only how they can bring some more magic into your life - but also explain the value that they can bring.
The first herbs to emerge in spring are supercharged with nutrients. They've been dormant all winter, storing energy in their roots, and when they finally pop up, they push all that energy into new growth. That fresh, young plant material tends to be rich in vitamins (like A, C, K) and minerals (like calcium, magnesium, iron, and potassium). This is especially true for leafy greens.
My husband always told me about how horses in the field eat dandelions in the spring as a sort of detox from the winter - it’s the same for us too. Early spring greens help our bodies detox and transition out of winter. In colder months, we tend to eat heavier, more processed or preserved foods, and the liver/kidneys may be a bit sluggish. Many spring herbs (like dandelion and nettle) are:
Diuretics → help flush out excess water/salt
Liver-supportive → aid detox pathways
Lymphatic movers → help clear stagnation
In traditional cultures, these first plants were sometimes called "spring tonics" or "blood cleansers." Before grocery stores and year-round produce, people needed those early greens to replenish nutrients after a long, nutrient-poor winter.