Cleavers pesto

SherryA

Where I live we're now in the very short cleavers season. Fresh cleavers make very nice tea & juice, but don't dry well. I do make tincture & today I started some cleavers infused oil. And new discovery - cleavers pesto! If you have cleavers growing where you live, just use your favorite pesto recipe with cleavers as the base. I think it would be good with some dandelion leaves added, as well.

soeasytocraft

Thanks for the suggestion. So many ways to make pesto. I'll be looking for cleavers if things ever start growing here! Dandelion just starting to grow and I'm getting impatient for warmer weather!!

Karin

@figsagee we have cleavers growing pretty much year round here, even in winter. I make infused oil with it, it makes a wonderful healing salve/cream. Haven't thought about using it in a pesto, maybe will give it a go :)

tomandcara

I will have to share the pesto idea with my daughter. She just sent me pictures of her cleavers harvest

maimover

@figsagee how is the scent with the oil from the cleavers? There are a ton of them in my friends yard. Harvesting some is on my list but wasn’t sure exactly what I was going to do with it.

drpclarke

Now I have to be on the lookout for these cleavers. I have never heard of this plant. I don't know if I get them around, but they look very similar to a plant that is right outside my porch. Thanks for the information.

Momma Mo

I just finished harvesting my cleavers. It was a very good year for it! I will have to try infusing it in oil...

SherryA

@maimover I used olive oil so it has a scent of its own. The cleavers scent is subtle & sort of grassy. It's nice!

In the past I've just made tincture with cleavers, and used it primarily for urinary tract issues & as a diuretic. I'm branching out a bit!

SherryA

@drpclarke Cleavers are easy to id because they "cleave" to everything, sort of like velcro. Here's an article, with excellent pictures.

https://thegrownetwork.com/weed-garden-cleavers/

maimover

@figsagee thank you for sharing this information. I think maybe I’ll try making some of the oil. I have an autoimmune condition that makes my skin very dry; maybe this’ll be helpful. Also I’d not thought about juicing them at all but doing so and freezing in the ice cube trays is a great idea. Not sure I’d do the tincture daily but it surely wouldn’t hurt to have on the shelf.

tomandcara

@drpclarke I found this video to help me identify cleavers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIHpshUh5J4 Maybe it will help you as well. Have a pleasant day.

blevinandwomba

You know, I realized I have cleavers growing in my raspberry patch this spring. It's been in the back of my mind to look into using it, but I had just about forgot. Thanks for the reminder- and I love pesto!

Lisa K

@SherryA Thanks for the suggestions, cleavers is one of the new plants are I am trying this year.

drpclarke

Thanks

MissPatricia

Thanks. Will have to try cleavers pesto. Have never made any pesto. Cleavers showed up in my garden and yard a few years ago. I didn't know what it was, but I did not like it. Nice to know that it has good uses, and this year, I plan to use it.

Ruth Ann Reyes

Great idea!