Duckweed versus Water Hyacinth, Which is Right for Your Homestead?

Duckweed and water hyacinth are two aquatic plants that are increasingly being considered as potential sources of livestock fodder. Both of these plants are able to grow rapidly and prolifically in water bodies, making them attractive options for farmers and ranchers looking for cost-effective, sustainable feed sources.

In this blog post, we will compare and contrast duckweed and water hyacinth as potential fodder sources, looking at their nutritional value, ease of cultivation, and other important factors.

Nutritional Value

One of the most important factors when considering any feed source is its nutritional value. In this regard, both duckweed and water hyacinth have a lot to offer. Duckweed is rich in protein, with some species containing as much as 45% protein by dry weight. It is also a good source of essential amino acids, as well as vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A, vitamin B12, iron, and calcium.

Water hyacinth, on the other hand, is high in fiber and also contains significant amounts of protein (up to 15% by dry weight). It is also a good source of minerals such as potassium and phosphorus. However, it is important to note that water hyacinth can accumulate toxic compounds such as heavy metals, which can make it unsuitable for consumption in certain areas. (They both bioaccumulate, though less research has been performed on duckweed and azolla for that purpose. It would be wise not to consume or allow animals to consume any plants that may be contaminated with large amounts of heavy metals.)

Ease of Cultivation

Another important factor to consider when comparing duckweed and water hyacinth as fodder sources is their ease of cultivation. Duckweed can be grown in a variety of water bodies, from small ponds to large-scale wastewater treatment systems. It requires relatively little maintenance, and can be harvested multiple times per year. However, it is important to note that some species of duckweed can be invasive and may require careful management to prevent them from spreading to other water bodies.

Water hyacinth, on the other hand, can also be grown in a variety of water bodies, but requires more maintenance than duckweed. It grows best in warm, tropical climates and can be sensitive to changes in temperature and water quality. Additionally, because of its potential to become invasive, water hyacinth may require more careful management than duckweed.

Environmental Impact

Both duckweed and water hyacinth have the potential to provide a number of environmental benefits in addition to their use as livestock feed. Duckweed, for example, has been shown to be effective at removing excess nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus from wastewater, reducing the risk of algal blooms and other water quality issues. It can also provide habitat for a variety of aquatic species.

Water hyacinth, on the other hand, can help to prevent soil erosion and reduce water evaporation in areas with high temperatures and low rainfall. It can also provide habitat for a variety of aquatic species, including fish, turtles, and birds. However, as mentioned earlier, water hyacinth can also become invasive and may require careful management to prevent it from spreading to other water bodies.

Cost and Availability

Finally, when considering duckweed and water hyacinth as fodder sources, it is important to consider their cost and availability. Duckweed is relatively easy and inexpensive to cultivate, and can be harvested multiple times per year. It is also available in a variety of forms, from fresh to dried, and can be fed to livestock as a supplement or as a complete replacement for other feed sources.

Looking to buy some live duckweed to try out at your homestead? Look no further than this excellent Etsy store, run by Knotty Pots.

Water hyacinth, on the other hand, may be more difficult and expensive to cultivate, depending on the location and water quality. It is also less widely available than duckweed, likely because it is illegal to buy/transport in some areas, including Florida. Water hyacinth may require more effort to harvest and process for use as livestock feed, as it is larger and heavier.

In conclusion, both duckweed and water hyacinth have the potential to be valuable sources of livestock feed, depending on a variety of factors such as their nutritional value, ease of cultivation, and local and regional laws.

Tradescantia pallida: A Versatile and Easy to Care for Edible for Your Florida Garden

Tradescantia pallida, also known as Purple Heart, is a beautiful and versatile plant that can be grown both indoors and outdoors. It is native to Mexico and has a trailing habit, making it perfect for potted planters or ground cover. Tradescantia pallida is also relatively easy to care for, making it a great choice for beginner plant owners.

Description

Tradescantia pallida is a perennial plant that grows to be about 6 inches tall. It has thick, fleshy stems that are covered in purple leaves. The leaves are oval-shaped and have a pointed tip. Tradescantia pallida produces small, pink flowers in the summer.

Cultivation

Tradescantia pallida is relatively easy to care for. It prefers full sun or partial shade and well-drained soil. Tradescantia pallida can be grown outdoors in USDA zones 9-11. In colder climates, it can be grown indoors as a houseplant.

To water Tradescantia pallida, water the soil deeply when the top inch of the soil is dry. Tradescantia pallida does not need to be fertilized often. However, you can fertilize it with a balanced fertilizer once a month during the growing season.

Prpagation

Tradescantia pallida can be easily propagated from stem cuttings or from divisions. To propagate from stem cuttings, take cuttings that are about 4 inches long and remove the bottom leaves. Dip the cuttings in rooting hormone and plant them in well-drained soil. To propagate from divisions, simply divide the plant into two or more pieces.

Benefits

There are many benefits to growing Tradescantia pallida. It is a beautiful plant that can add color to your garden or home. Tradescantia pallida is also relatively easy to care for, making it a great choice for beginner plant owners. It is edible to rabbits and ducks. Additionally, Tradescantia pallida is a versatile plant that can be used in a variety of ways. It can be used as a ground cover, in hanging baskets, or even as a houseplant. 

Problems

Tradescantia pallida is susceptible to a few pests and diseases. Aphids, mealybugs, and scale insects can all damage the plant. Additionally, Tradescantia pallida can be susceptible to root rot if the soil is too wet.

Conclusion

Tradescantia pallida is a beautiful and versatile plant that is easy to care for. It can be grown both indoors and outdoors and has a variety of uses. If you are looking for a plant that is both beautiful and easy to care for, Tradescantia pallida is a great option.

Shibataea kumasaca, Ruscus Bamboo

     I'm not even sure how I got this plant. . I don't think I bought it, or did I? No, I think I would remember if I had bought a dwarf clumping bamboo, because it's very cool -

now that I know it's not a weed trying to take over the lemon tree. 

     Indeed, bamboos are cool. I have another larger grass that I quite enjoy because it's beautiful and grows well. And more importantly, it's edible to the rabbits.  These grasses can be very helpful in their ability to displace weeds. They are also easy to harvest and bring to the rabbits.

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. 

Permaculture in Florida: What Should I Do With All These Sticks?

      Have you ever felt like winter has left your place a mess and you don't know what to do with all of the sticks and leaves? 

     The permaculture thing to do would probably be to let the sticks and leaves stay where they fell and fertilize the soil. While I would agree that this is a good idea, it can be a  little bit unsightly in the front yard gardens. Then there is the problem of palm trees and them leaving their fallen branches on top of other plants. 

     These extra branches and leaves do have a purpose in the permaculture garden. Believe it or not, fallen leaves can be fed to livestock. My rabbits eat sycamore leaves and palm leaves, but neither are their favorite. Any amount they can mulch for me is appreciated, and the uneaten leaves are put onto the garden pathways as a mulch layer. Sometimes I also put fallen leaves and rabbit manure around new plantings.

     Large branches and sticks are a whole nother problem. They take years to break down, even here in the South. So I have found a solution, and that is to cut all branches to the desired widths of the paths, and then to stack similar width sticks horizontally to create a path. This is imperfect at times, because the branches often roll, and they also can make a person trip. But I am confident that digging in the logs a little bit will prevent this problem.

Muscadine Grapes

      One grapevine planted several years ago now yields more grapes than I can ever harvest. This year I was able to reach four quarts of grapes for eating. They are sweet and crunchy. You know they are ready to harvest when the grapes are soft and springy, if they feel hard then they need more time on the vine. They seem to last quite a while in the refrigerator. Yes Muscadine grapes have seeds in them unless you are able to get a variety without seeds. 

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.

Water Hyacinth Recipe

      The hardest part about eating vegetables might be the texture. Or maybe because it's unusual, or not native to your culture. People question the safety of vegetables they have never heard of, as if it must be unsafe to eat if it's not available at the store, which is illogical. There are a great deal of vegetables we probably should be eating because they are sustainable and local, but aren't. Is that because big business controls everything?

This recipe is great with frozen broccoli if you have no mushrooms.

Water Hyacinth with Mushrooms and 🧄

A recipe by Chrissy.

-  4 cups water hyacinth, sliced into strips the size of green beans.

- 2 cloves of garlic, minced

- 3 teaspoons olive oil or your favorite oil, sunflower is good but coconut is so so.

- 1 cup mushrooms, frozen is ok.

Put the oil and garlic into your favorite cast iron skillet and bring to medium heat, then add mushrooms and sliced water hyacinth. Cook until tender, about 20 minutes, stirring and turning often.

Spiderwort, Spring 2022

 

     Every Spring, around Alban Eilir, all the Spiderwort start blooming. The flowers are open in the very early morning, and as the sun rises they appear to be glowing 🟣. They are amazingly beautiful, and one of the few plants of early spring that is native to this area and edible. 

 

    Every year I transplant seedlings from the mowed areas to safer areas of my place. And every year I have more and more beautiful color in the spring. One year I used the flowers to color eggs, by sticking them to the egg and then boiling the egg in a wrapper. It came out amazingly.

New Side Yard Garden

     After the neighbors put in their new plastic fence, I learned that I had a few more feet on that side of the yard. That would have been helpful to know before they cut down one of my while I was at work. 

     It took a lot of digging to remove the African Honeysuckle from that part of the yard. Months later I am still finding sprouts from buried canes that need to be ripped out.

     These gingers, taro, and the new moringa tree have all survived the winter and are well on their way to providing an excellent shade hedge.

     This picture was taken in December not long after the plants were put into the ground.
 

Bill Mollison's Videos

      I have permie in my heart. Here are some of the classic permaculture videos from one of the creators of permaculture, straight from vhs to you.

     I'm not going to lie, I have created no content for this post, but I created it because I don't want to lose these wisdom filled videos.

Bill Mollison's Videos

Mice, Not Wabbits

     Last fall two of my three rabbits passed on, likely due to old age. I had originally acquired them ten years ago to be a breeding trio, and to be eating the kits they produced. Back then I had someone who would help me with the slaughtering. Time passed, and things changed, and I stopped breeding the rabbits. 

     They became my little garden buddies, and they only required daily water and about three bags of rabbit food a year. I had them under strict orders to mulch or manure all of the (safe) trimmings and weeds that I provided. And they were good at it. I am particularly proud of the water hyacinth - rabbit combo to pull nutrients from the ponds and turn it into nutrients for my favorite cannas and loquats.

      As I look to the future I wonder if it wouldnt be smarter to raise mice instead of rabbits? They are smaller and easier to manage, breed just as readily as rabbits, and can be easily maintained on a garden-provided vegan diet. They should also eat the water hyacinth and produce a nutritious manure. 

     Moreover, the meat could potentially be used to feed my cats. It would be a good complete diet for them. And cheap! One of the girls at work says that she buys mice for her 🐍... Perhaps I could be selling additional mice. They would probably be easier to unload than rabbits! And any escapees would be hunted by the neighborhood cat strays.

     I am liking the idea of this. What do you think?

Cannas

     If you've met me, you probably know that I gush over cannas, my favorite root vegetable. And I have never eaten a single one other than the green leaves. 

    I was introduced to the fun and ease of growing bulbs and tubers when I briefly lived in Michigan, and the love of it has stayed with me with cannas, amaryllis, and taro. Cannas are my best, they have amazing flowers for months on end.

     Sadly, over the years my canna collection has been dying down, mostly due to neglect and cold winter weather. Im not going to pretend that I am a perfect person. I have three kids and a job, trying to fit in exercise and watering the plants has been rough.

     They absolutely need water in the summer to survive. The native Florida cannas, which I have none of, grow in boggy areas at the edges of ponds and lakes. I havent ever seen any growing in a river. Mine are in pots sunken into my ponds, many of which I built primarily for canna and water hyacinth culture. And yes, the rabbits love to eat cannas!

     My mother bought me these bright pink beauties for my birthday last year. Maybe I had told her how much I loved the pink ones with the big flowers. And these, like my few other pinks, appear to be dwarf cannas, not climbing the 8 feet like the nondwarf variety.

    Somehow these have not just survived, but thrived in the location that I placed them, chosen mostly for safety. They have been blooming since March, and its now almost June. The tubers are growing so large they have nearly broken the plastic pot holding them. The leaves have been yellowing, notbsurebif thats from packnof nutrition, the heat, or fromndyingbdownnat the end of the season. I want to divide the pinks and repot, but when I get a few minutes to take care of it I realize that they have sent up yet another flower. Which begs the question:

     Do tropical bulbs need to be separated after flowering is completed, or can you separate them and transplant at any time?

     

   

Eat the Water Hyacinth

Raw

     If you want to grow your own food, you may have to open up to the idea of eating some fruits and vegetables that are not commonly found at the grocery store. And if you live in Florida, you're going to be working with a whole different plant set and growing season changes than them Yankee gardeners. All this flexibility in diet isn't easy, most people eat the foods that they were raised eating and find trying new foods to be difficult.

     Water hyacinth is my new favorite local food. It's a water plant that grows in warm water, and is well known for how quickly it creates baby plants. In the past it has been used to pull toxins out of water sources, indeed, water purification is one of it's advantages. After I had added it to my pond the water instantly cleared and the fish became visible. Because the pond water is kinda yucky, I feel that water hyacinth should always be cooked, and I handle it like it's contaminated with E.coli (as it may be after the great manure spill of 2016). 

     According to Green Deane, the best way to eat water hyacinth is to stir fry, and I completely agree. With oil and garlic preferably. It has a taste not dissimilar from some good fresh green beans, which are hard to come by nowadays. The texture is decidedly different, as the air bulbs are crunchy and airy, like eating potato chips, and can be a bit chewy. Overall I would say that water hyacinth is quite palatable.

     Water hyacinth is very different from other fruits and vegetables. Because it is so unusual I couldn't get the kids to try it, what a shame! It's so easy to grow in the pond - right plant, right space - that is seems to be ever bearing. Like ever bearing crunchy green beans! Even if the kids never eat it, I know I can eat it and the rabbits do quite enjoy the green bits (they won't eat the roots.)

     This video talks a little bit about how water hyacinth is used at this lake to feed local livestock, including chickens.

 

Acalypha wilkesiana, Copperleaf

     I bought this gorgeous plant at the botanical gardens near my house. At the time, I had hoped it had edible value, but as my research continued, I discovered that Copperleaf is used largely as a topical antifungal agent.

     There is an entry in a book from Archive that talks about the edibilty of Acalypha, written in 1943. It says the young shoots and leaves may be cooked and eaten.
     The internet assures me that copperleaf is not frost hardy and will surely freeze in my area. Bring it, winter!

Monarda punctata, Horsemint, Spotted Bee Balm

   I was at the forest garden and snapped a nice picture of an interesting looking flower near the road that I had never seen before. It was growing under the edge of shade from trees but also getting a few hours of sunlight as it was near the road. To me, these are among the harshest conditions known to plants.
     Then later I found an article on social media put out there by the Pasco County UF IFAS office that touted the horn of beebalm. It specifically mentions how the flowers of beebalm herald the beginning of Florida's fall wildflower season. What it neglected to mention in detail was beebalm's edibility and medicinal uses, plus the fact that it's a native that grows with no irrigation!
     Green Deane says it has more thymol than the other mints. It can be used as a cough suppressant, an antihelminthic, anti-inflammatory. He also says that it can make a sedating tea. Which might be good if you have a cough.

     On Archive, there is actually a book discussing the production of thymiol using beebalm, and breaks down the costs by acre. It's an interesting read. The information from 1916 is still every bit as true today, even if our currency's value has changed over the years.
     I have often thought about the value of creating herbal teas and tisanes to treat some common ailments. Dehydration would be necessary, of course, along with a delivery system such as tea bags. Beebalm would be a great herb to start out with, as it is medicinal, safe, and native.

Back Yard Pond Gardening

November, 2018

     After I moved into this house, my daughter and I dug a pond garden in the back yard. Then I lined it with expensive 6 mil liner from the big box store, a purchse I will never make again. Not that I am not happy with my pond, but I found a larger liner 50 mils thick for half the price. Then I placed some patio pavers around it, that I had gotten from my mom.

July 2019

   During the storm season of 2018 the pond flooded badly enough to draw the plants up and out of their pots. I recovered most of them, but some died off or were eaten by who knows what.

Animals must visit the pond a lot more than you would suspect, because last month I found a plant uprooted and a paver pushed into the water. Then I found this cute tortoise unable to climb his way out.
     I learned at the pond shop nearby that most people who have ponds put a lot of value into their fish and their waterfalls. I grew up in Florida, what the heck is a waterfall?? Fish are necessary to control mosquitos, so I began shopping for the black mosquitofish that are at the Nature Coast Botanical Gardens and couldn't really find them. Okay, I will admit, I didn't look too hard. Instead I bought some feeder goldfish for $0.20 each. Most have died off or disappeared, but I have counted as many as five 6-inch long goldfish at any one time. I don't feed these fish, they live on bugs and algae.
The water is pretty clear, but there is quite a bit of sediment at the bottom. Once in a while I scoop it out into the garden.

Wild Coffee, Psychotria Nervosa

     I like to call this plant Psycho Coffee, because it's just more fun to say. I bought this several years ago from the Nature Coast Botanical Gardens, and it has thrived with no care at all. When I planted it back then I heeded the advice of IFAS and put it in the full shade, where it doubled in height and width and produced two seedlings. The seedlings also thrived in the full shade with no care, no watering, nothing.

     Psycho Coffee is native to Florida, and Florida is its only home. It's hardiness is from 10B to 11, but it's growing well in the full shade in my 8A front yard. I happened to be at the Pasco County Earth Day celebration, and there was a gentleman there from the Florida Native Plant Society and he had some for sale, so I picked up another one and supported the Society. I have also spotted it growing as a huge bush at the entrance of the Boyd Hill Nature Preserve in St. Petersburg.
     Psycho coffee propagates by seed, and I have found that the easiest way to propagate it is to dig up seedlings and put them where you want them.
     The berries are edible, and have a large seed in them. They don't taste good. Flowers attract butterflies and the fruits attract birds. Some say that members of the coffee family contain a hallucinogen called dimethyltryptamine, but it is unknown if Psycho Coffee has that chemical. It's called Psychotria nervosa for the prominent ribbing on the leaves.
     Definitely a keeper because edible fruit, beautiful flowers that bloom for months and attract pollinators, requires no care or watering, and loves full shade.

Tradescantia, Spiderwort 2019

     After several years of encouraging the spread of Spiderwort all over my little place, I have finally achieved sizable plantings. Enough extra Spiderwort that I could sell some at my future nursery, or bring some to the Fortress of Solitude.

     I really like Spiderwort. It sprouts in the Spring and blooms for months. It is one of the few native edible succulents, heck, I can't think of another. I once took the flowers and dyed them onto Easter eggs. There are so many reasons to keep Spiderwort around. Read my original post about Spiderwort HERE.

Found Opuntia

     I feel like it's Christmas in the Springtime. When I was planting the Yucca filamentosa on the easement boundary of the new place I found several beautiful, native Opuntias growing there. I wonder if the previous owner planted them or it was just a fortuitous accident?