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STINGING NETTLE (Urtica dioica) is plant seems to prefer wet areas, yet it does just as well in backyard urban gar- dens and little patches of soil downtown. During this wet winter, I have seen large patches of this European na- tive sprouting up in residen- tial gardens and along moun- tain streams and trails. Yes, there's that word "sting- ing" in its name, and if you brush up against it, lots of tiny hairs release their formic acid onto your skin, causing a stinging sensation that might last an hour or longer. is one doesn't go into salad. However, the young tender tops of nettle can be cooked into soups and stews, eliminating the sting, and re- sulting in a delicious and very nutritious broth. It goes great with many dishes. e broth from cooking the nettle leaves, or just a tea made from the leaves, is full of nutritional and medicinal properties, as outlined by Dr. James Adams in his Healing with Medicinal Plants of the West. THE WILD SELF-SUSTAINING GARDEN Yes, lots of good, wild edibles are always sprouting up on their own. You can and should use them in your diet. In addition, you can try planting a garden that more or less takes care of itself, a self-sustaining garden. e key to this type of garden is to have good soil, and to constantly improve it with compost and a mulch. What are some of the food plants that require little work, and nearly seem to take care of themselves? Here are a few: POTATOES I have long marveled at how easy it is to grow potatoes. I sim- ply plant potatoes that have sprouted, and I make sure they are in rich, loamy soil. e plant grows up, owers, and a er a few months when the leaves have died back, you can dig fresh pota- toes out of your garden. If you just constantly leave a few in the ground, you'll have a "forever" potato patch. AMARANTH ere are many species of Amaranth, and all are edible and beautiful. ey can grow tall and they make great edible land- scaping. e leaves of all have long been used in cooked green dishes, and in various Mexican dishes such as tamales. e seeds are a high-protein addition to soups and bread batter. If you let a few seeds scatter at the end of each season, you'll always have some amaranth in your garden. NEW ZEALAND SPINACH is is a perennial spinach which is native to the west coast of South America. It is easy to grow, and you'll have spinach "forev- er." I have a patch still going strong a er more than 20 years. Just pinch some new leaves when you want a salad or soup, and you'll never plant annual spinach again. Nyerges is an ethnobotanist and teacher who has led plant walks since 1974. He is the author of Guide to Wild Food and Useful Plants, Foraging California, and other books on wild foods and survival. He can be reached at www.SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com, or Box 41834, Eagle Rock, CA 90041. Photo: bottom right, Rick Adams april/may 2017 29