Duckweed: The Versatile Homesteading Crop with Multiple Benefits

Homesteading, or the practice of living self-sufficiently off the land, has seen a resurgence in recent years as people seek to reduce their reliance on commercial food systems and live more sustainably. One plant that has the potential to be a valuable addition to any homestead is duckweed. This tiny aquatic plant has a range of benefits that make it an ideal addition to any homesteading operation.

One of the main benefits of duckweed for homesteaders is its ability to be grown as a high-protein feed source for livestock. Ducks, chickens, and other poultry will happily eat duckweed, which is rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals. In fact, some homesteaders have reported that their ducks and chickens will actively seek out duckweed when given the opportunity. This makes it an ideal food source for homesteaders who are looking to raise their own livestock and reduce their reliance on commercial feed.

In addition to being a valuable food source for livestock, duckweed can also be used as a natural fertilizer for crops. Duckweed is able to absorb nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus from the water, which can then be used to fertilize plants. This makes it an ideal addition to any homestead garden, as it can help to increase soil fertility and improve crop yields.

Another benefit of duckweed for homesteaders is its potential as a source of biofuel. Duckweed is rich in oils, which can be extracted and converted into biodiesel. This makes it an ideal crop for homesteaders who are looking to produce their own fuel and reduce their reliance on fossil fuels.

Duckweed is also an excellent source of compost. Because it is rich in nutrients and breaks down quickly, it can be added directly to compost piles to help speed up the composting process and create a nutrient-rich soil amendment.

Another way that duckweed can be used on the homestead is as a natural insect repellent. Studies have shown that duckweed contains compounds that repel insects such as mosquitoes and flies. This makes it an ideal addition to any homestead pond or water feature, as it can help to reduce the number of insects in the surrounding area.

Despite its many benefits, duckweed can be challenging to grow, particularly in colder climates. Duckweed requires warm water temperatures and plenty of sunlight in order to grow and thrive. This is why it is a superior option for Florida. However, with the right conditions, it can be a valuable addition to any homestead operation.

One approach to growing duckweed on the homestead is to create a small pond or water feature specifically for growing duckweed. This can be as simple as a plastic container filled with water and placed in a sunny location. Duckweed can be added to the container and allowed to grow and multiply, providing a valuable source of food for livestock and a natural fertilizer for crops.

Another approach to growing duckweed is to use an aquaponics system. Aquaponics is a system of agriculture that combines hydroponics (growing plants in water) with aquaculture (raising fish). In an aquaponics system, fish are raised in a tank and their waste is used to fertilize plants that are grown in water. Duckweed can be added to the aquaponics system as a natural filter, helping to remove excess nutrients from the water and improve the overall health of the system.

In conclusion, duckweed is a valuable plant that has a range of benefits for homesteaders. From its ability to provide a high-protein food source for livestock to its potential as a natural fertilizer and source of biofuel, duckweed is a versatile crop that can help homesteaders become more self-sufficient and sustainable. While it can be challenging to grow in colder climates, with the right conditions, duckweed can be a valuable addition to any homestead operation.

Want to try out duckweed at your place? You can pick up some from me from my Etsy store here

Duckweed: The Tiny Plant with Big Benefits for the Environment and Beyond

Duckweed, also known as Lemnoideae, is a type of aquatic plant that is found in ponds, lakes, and slow-moving streams. It is a tiny floating plant that can grow to be just a few millimeters in size. Despite its small size, duckweed has a range of benefits, making it an important part of many ecosystems.

One of the most significant benefits of duckweed is its ability to remove excess nutrients from the water. As a floating plant, duckweed is able to absorb nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus from the water, which can help to reduce the levels of these nutrients in the surrounding environment. This is particularly important in areas where there is excess nutrient runoff from agriculture or other human activities, as this can lead to harmful algal blooms and other negative environmental impacts.

Duckweed is also an excellent source of food for a variety of animals, including fish, turtles, and waterfowl. The high protein content of duckweed makes it a nutritious food source, and it is often used as a supplemental food for livestock and poultry. Think of skimming some off the top of a wastewater pond and feeding it to your chickens, rabbits, and ducks, as I do. They love the taste, and I love the extremely low cost of this nutrition source.

In addition to being a valuable food source for animals, duckweed can also be used as a source of biofuel. Researchers have found that duckweed is a promising source of renewable energy, as it can be converted into bioethanol and other fuels.

In addition to its environmental and economic benefits, duckweed has also been found to have a range of medicinal properties. Studies have shown that duckweed contains compounds that have anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties, making it a potential treatment for a range of health conditions. For example, duckweed has been found to be effective in reducing inflammation and oxidative stress, which are linked to a range of chronic diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Due to duckweed being grown in freshwater, it should be cooked to reduce the possibility of contamination from harmful pathogens that are endemic to our environment, such as E. coli.

One of the most exciting potential uses of duckweed is in wastewater treatment. Because duckweed is able to absorb nutrients from the water, it has the potential to be used in wastewater treatment systems to remove excess nutrients and pollutants from the water. In addition, because duckweed is able to grow rapidly and reproduce quickly, it can be used to treat large volumes of wastewater in a relatively short amount of time. This could be particularly beneficial in developing countries, where access to clean water is a major challenge. Here in Florida, I have found it extremely helpful in managing the duck slough, as it sucks up the manure and clears the water for other garden uses.

Despite its many benefits, duckweed is often considered a nuisance by pond owners and other water users. This is because duckweed can grow quickly and form dense mats on the surface of the water, which can limit the amount of light and oxygen that reaches the aquatic ecosystem below. In addition, dense duckweed mats can interfere with recreational activities such as fishing and boating.

However, there are a number of strategies that can be used to control the growth of duckweed and minimize its impact on the surrounding ecosystem. One approach is to use mechanical methods, such as raking or skimming, to remove excess duckweed from the water. Another approach is to introduce natural predators, such as ducks or fish, that will feed on the duckweed and help to keep its growth under control.

In conclusion, duckweed is a tiny plant with a range of benefits, from its ability to absorb excess nutrients from the water to its potential as a source of food, fuel, and medicine. While it can sometimes be considered a nuisance by water users, there are a number of strategies that can be used to control its growth and minimize its impact on the surrounding ecosystem. With its many potential uses and benefits, duckweed is a plant that deserves further study and exploration. With its low initial coat (buy some from me at my Etsy store) and ease of maintenance, it is a perennial that should be evaluated by any permaculturist or homesteader.

Duck Potato, Sagittaria platyphylla, Delta Arrowhead

     I once stole this plant from a ditch at the community College. No really,  I really did do that. I wasn't arrested either. It almost tops the time I took cattail from the ditch at the hospital. I wasn't arrested then either. 

     Actually I didn't know what this was until it made a pretty white flower, and now I love it. I had wanted to buy duck potato because I had read that it's edible to, well, ducks. Possibly rabbits? Not sure. But now that I have this plant, all I have to do is propagate it, and I will have unlimited duck food! Mwa haha.

     Supposedly the underground tubers are eaten by ducks and snapping turtles. It sounds like a great plant to grow. Supposedly it can be propagated by transplanting the tubers. Also supposedly, it was a major food source for the Native Americans that lived in the Okeechobee area. 

Do Ducks Eat Shrimp Tails?

 

     They absolutely do love to eat raw shrimp tails and shrimp peels.

Utilizing Food Waste on the Homestead

      The kids have been driving me crazy lately with what they will eat and what they won't eat. Literally worsened by the idea that their other family just gives them whatever they want, even going so far as to leave the house to drive to get takeout for them. Obviously I am not a fan of this kind of thing, nor am I a fan of encouraging picky eating. So I decided in my frustration to just start cooking whatever I want for myself, and if they don't like it then they can make themselves sandwiches. Mmm... sandwiches.

     The high prices of foods have also changed my life. I used to shop at the good grocery store that had everything, now I shop at two stores to save money, Walmart and Sav a Lot. I particularly enjoy how Sav a Lot has a huge Latin section with dried peppers, tortillas, and many other staples being really inexpensive. One day at Sav a Lot the freezer section had a big bag of frozen whole tilapia, very cheap. Of course, I knew that I wasn't going to get much usable meat from those little fishes, but it was kind of an experiment too, as I wanted to see if the cats would dig in. 

     I got the fish home and defrosted them, the my oldest saw them in the fridge. She, of course, hates me and everything about my life as she is a teeny ager right now. She looked at me like I was absolutely crazy when she found the fish. But then she offered to do the gutting and skinning which she wasn't too bad at. It turns out you have to have a really good knife for skinning, which I have since picked up from Walmart for a few dollars. 

     So the skin and heads and tails and fins all went into a bowl for the cats. Another thing I learned from this experiment is that my male cat who loves ham, sliced turkey, and cat treats will not eat fresh fish; my female cat who loves ham and bits of chicken, will eat fresh fish. She will only eat three small bites before she is full though. I should retry this picky eating with two hungry cats who have had an empty food dish for a few hours.  🤔

     I put the rest of the fish pieces outside for the ducks to eat, which they quite enjoyed. And I learned that the ducks love fish but they prefer it to be cut into bite sized pieces. The heads, which I had not cut up, stayed in the dish for a while before they disappeared into the compost. I don't think they ever did get eaten. But the fins and tail and spine all got eaten.

      So now I deliberately buy foods that have waste so I can feed it to the ducks or rabbits. For example, did you know ducks like to eat shrimp peels and tails? Who knew. And the rabbits absolutely love banana peels, orange rinds, and apple cores. These guys turn waste foods into compost.

Do Ducks Eat Tradescantia Purple Heart?

 

    Things are so expensive. A bag of plain chicken food without the additives to promote egg laying is about $20. When you factor in the cost of the baby duck food I have already given them, at this time I have spent about $40 in nothing but feed for these ducks. That makes them kinda expensive if I was owning them for meat. So any supplementation that I can give them from my plants would be a good thing.

     Between the corn sprouts and the water hyacinth, I have learned that they will eat Spanish Needle, but they won't eat Papyrus. And today I covered their splash ponds in Tradescantia Purple Heart, also called Moses in a Boat. It's a lovely succulent that grows in deep shade and is used often around here as a groundcover. Previously I had determined that the rabbits do indeed like it.

     Covered the splash ponds in Purple Heart, and then went on to do the next chore. By the time I turned around they were eating everything in sight, including the Purple Heart.

     That day they didn't finish their chicken crumble food or the corn sprouts because they filled up on healthy plants.

     Ducks love water hyacinth.

Alternative Duck Feeds

      You may have seen that I have been trying to sprout seeds to feed the ducks in order to feed them as naturally as possible and as cheaply as possible. I am a strong person, and I did carry 50 pounds of chicken crumble from the road to my house in order to make sure I had something for the ducks, but it wasn't fun. As awesome as having the ducks are, buying food isn't one of the things that I prefer to do for them.

     You may also know that my rabbits, when not breeding, eat a diet of alfalfa pellet and things I grow and harvest for them. I buy about two bags of alfalfa pellet a year. During the spring summer and fall, they eat water hyacinth, grass, and perennials. I always have them mulching things that I am trying to clean up in different areas of the yard. And they help in the kitchen too by eating banana peels and orange rinds and other waste.

Both of my dishes covered with Spanish Needle and Water Hyacinth

     When I first got the ducks I started them off with a bag of duck starter food, because I heard that it was wise. I heard that they need the niacin that is added, that if they don't get enough niacin it causes developmental problems. I also heard you could add brewers yeast for niacin, but when I looked up the cost of brewers yeast I discovered that it was cheaper to just buy the duck feed for the two chicks. And easier.

     Now that they are almost full grown, I have been researching as much as possible how and what to feed them. Most sources say regular chicken feed is fine with no supplementation needed until they start laying, and then you give them chicken layer feed.

     I watched a few YouTube videos about what they like to eat, of which there are not too many. Most people suggested pond plants, sprouted grains, and not much else. I bought some cheap dent corn, $9.00 a bag. At first they weren't interested in it at all, so I fed a bunch to the rabbits. Now they eat the sprouted corn if they are hungry, so win win. When I blow through this bag of corn I am going to get a bag of black oil sunflower seeds or birdseed and try sprouting that for them.

(Eats all the Spanish Needle)

     As for growies, so far their favorite food appears to be water hyacinth. It's very nutritious as well, some sources citing it at up to 60% protein. I eat it as well and so do the rabbits. It has a strange mouth feel but tastes just like green beans. Their next favorite food so far appears to be Spanish Needle, my good friend Bidens alba. I cut the leaves into bite sized pieces and throw it right into their water. The only other plant that I know for sure that they will eat are squash leaves, which were growing on a volunteer pumpkin in their enclosure. And they didn't want to eat that I think, they were just hungry that day and mad about the corn sprout situation, because at first they wouldn't eat them. Maybe tomorrow I will chop up some papyrus into the water and see if they will go for that.

Duck Enclosure and Ducklings

 

     These pictures were taken when the ducks were about three weeks old. My daughter had put a branch in the duck ponds, so they could use it as a ladder, which they needed when they were smaller. Now that they are larger they have no trouble hopping in and out of the water.

Ducklings, Week 2 and 3

  

    It's amazing how fast they are growing. They are eating a diet of baby duck crumble and water hyacinth, and nearly doubled in size. No escaping, just had the one predator attempt.

Gratuitous Duckling Photos

 

     After I reinforced the lower areas of the enclosure with mesh wire fencing, we were ready to go and buy ducklings again. This time the store had a cheaper variety, the Pekin duck.

     They start off with yellow feathers and turn white. The store personnel had no idea about gender, but tried to tell me that higher pitched squeaking is an indicator of female birds. I hope they are female for the 🥚.

     On the second day I put some water in one of the containers, and I was so worried it that my daughter figured out how to use a piece of wood as a duck bridge, which they quickly figured out. Then I was worried that the water would be too deep. I said, "Do you think the water is too deep for them?" And right after I said it one of them diced underwater and started zooming around under there. I guess they figured it out.

Gone-lings, not Ducklings

      One of the more helpful learning tools in life can be learning from other people's mistakes. When I teach I often talk about some of my mistakes, to use as examples and to reassure the student that mistakes happen and it's what you do afterward that matter. 

     One of the things I learned is that small ducks can fit through really small areas in any enclosure to escape. It cost me the price of the birds I lost, about $25. 

     So these are not my ducklings, but my gone-lings. I hope they fed one of neighborhood cats or rats very well.

The Ducks Enclosure Part 2

 

     After much deliberation, I ordered a chicken enclosure from the Walmart website for about $300. I am one hundred percent sure that the enclosure came from China originally, as it was written all over the instructions and the box. It was not very easy to put together, largely because the diagram of the finished product showed the door on the wrong side of roof. But after following all of the directions I only ended up breaking one of the welds and had an enclosure. And the door is crooked.

     My daughter helped me with the netting, which is zip tied to the aluminum frame. It all looked great, so we went to the store and came home with three baby 🦆. She was so worried the ducks would be too cold with the night temperatures down in the 50s that she brought them in her room at night.

 

    The next day when I got home from work, the ducklings were gone. It looked more like they had escaped rather than that a predator had eaten them, as there were no mess and feathers. I have no doubt that after they escaped something came to eat them.

     

The Ducks Enclosure Part 1

      Spent a great deal of time cleaning up the backyard. A lot of things have going on, the least of which being that the neighbors cut down one of my trees and jacked up my privacy hedge. So I ended up cleaning the weeds out of the back yard and removing most things that are inedible. 

     Anecdotally have been learning a lot about the other small animals that people enjoy having around, and have decided that ducks might be a great place to start. After the rabbits of course. I had wanted rats but not a whole lot of support or at least polite smiling from my friends and family. But learned that ducks can eat a lot of things that chickens can't, like bugs, caterpillars, water hyacinths and cat food. Supposedly they are very much omnivorous and can clean up leftovers like dogs can. Not really sure about all of that but have confirmed that even baby ducks like water hyacinth.

     I can't say that any one research point has given me good information about ducks. I listened to a bunch of podcasts and videos made by people who are doing their best to raise ducks given what little is out there. It's known that they eat fish plants and bugs. It's known that ducklings grow very quickly and if they are niacin deficient then they develop angel wing. Not a whole lot else is out there.

      Speaking of duck diet, I now am wondering how feasible it would be to breed cockroaches or palmetto bugs to feed them to ducks. Those things will eat anything .

     This is the cleared area in my backyard, some elephant grass as a mulch, and two tubs for the ducks to swim in.