Purslane Season Extended!

This year I was delighted to have lots of the good purslane (common purslane) growing around my front yard. Three large patches grew up between the two piles of gravel Dan dug up. Purslane loves gravel!

I always feel a pang of regret at the end of the purslane season. Once the purslane gets those pretty little yellow flowers, it is already becoming less palatable. Then the pinkish green stems get thick and woody and start drying up.

After some discouraging gardening experiences (infrequent summer rains and critters devouring my carefully tended tomatoes, eggplant and mint ) I was heartened by the recent rains that gifted me with a second season of this native edible plant.

Clever volunteer taking advantage of my daily watering of the loquat tree 

Along side of the lone survivors in my summer garden (bean stalks and self replanting chard) the purslane I planted from seed is growing nicely. (I rinsed off the purslane over a bowl and the little black seeds sunk to the bottom. I just poured them onto the spot I wanted them.)

I'm grateful for one last taste of summer.

Potato, tomato, cilantro, onion, lime and purslane salad! Yum!