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Ackersenf - cultivation, use and healing effect
Maca root, chia seeds or goji berries - globalization is always bringing new "superfood" into fashion. The more "exotic" the plants are, the more interesting they appear. Omnipresent herbs, which promote good health and grow along the wayside, come out of sight. To these overlooks belongs the Ackersenf.
We usually only know mustard in the glass from the supermarket. On the other hand, we rarely prepare mustard vegetables here in Germany, although it was a matter of course only a few generations ago. The wild mustard already used people in the Neolithic, later he was widespread in Rome and Greece. He was considered a means of "sharpening" sexual desire, while Pythagoras believed he was strengthening the mind. In the Middle Ages, women wore mustard seeds and believed that men would succumb to them.
contents
- biology
- confusion
- ancestry
- Natural protection
- Use in the kitchen
- medicinal plant
- Prepare mustard
- Mustard in the garden
- Loosen soil
- tracked paradise
- Where to plant?
biology
Ackersenf is a pointer plant for nitrogen-rich soil. Ackersenf is one year old, grows up to 60 cm tall, its stems carry hair, the lower leaves are stalked. The flowers are hermaphrodite and have four horizontal sepals; the petals are characteristic "poison yellow" and can be confused with rapeseed.
Up to 13 seeds in two compartments are in the bald pod, and the mustard flowers from May to October. Beetles and flies pollinate the mustard. The seeds surround a seed coat, and this swells up when it is moist. It sticks, and this spreads the mustard.
Ackersenf was formerly a widely used domestic plant that has fallen into oblivion today. It resembles the rape in its appearance and is often confused with this. (Image: hjschneider / fotolia.com) confusion
Wild mustard can be confused with rapeseed and hederich, but the petals of the hederichs show purple veins and the flowers a white color. Rapeseed has no hair.
ancestry
Ackersenf presumably comes from the Mediterranean, at least brought him early farmers from there to Central and Northern Europe. Of course, it is widespread in Europe, North Africa and Asia, but today it occurs worldwide in the temperate zones.
Wild mustard grows everywhere on fallow land, on the wayside as on railway embankments, on rubbish dumps as on vacant lots. He prefers loamy soils with many nutrients. Once these are given, the plant can spread quickly. Ackersenf prefers moderate heat and half light.
Natural protection
The typical mustard flavor comes through the spicy mustard oil. This prevents herbivorous insects as well as fungi and other pathogens. Few species have been specializing in mustard for this reason: the caterpillars of the cabbage white butterfly prefer to eat mustard plants, as these protect them from predators.
Use in the kitchen
The leaves of Ackersenfs are cut small as a spice, the flower buds can be roasted, cook or bake. The plant itself, we have to cook long, so that it is softer, then it produces a good vegetables.
Mustard leaves and seeds are excellent with curly kale and boil together and give this a better flavor than simply ready must from the glass to reach. Mustard vegetables are also a good accompaniment to fish dishes and fatty meats.
We can also mince the raw leaves and stir in cottage cheese or mix with butter and salt and use as a dip or spread.
For sore throats, externally applied envelopes with Ackersenf may provide relief. (Image: SENTELLO / fotolia.com) medicinal plant
Ackersenf warms and prevents bacteria. It promotes blood circulation and stimulates digestion. Folk medicine used him for rheumatic pain, sore throats, bronchitis, indigestion and joint pain. It contains mucilage, fatty oil and mustard oil glycosides, lots of vitamin C and minerals. The consumption of leaves and plant parts also stimulates the metabolism.
We can apply Ackersenf as externally as internally. Externally, we crush the seeds to a pulp. We put this on an envelope and place it on the sore skin. The mustard warms the skin now, boosts the blood circulation and thus accelerates wound healing. But we should rub the affected skin with a cream of fat beforehand, as the spicy oil irritates the skin.
Caution: We should never lay mustard wraps on open wounds, but only on painful areas where heat reduces the discomfort.
Outer envelopes also relieve the symptoms of sore throat, bronchitis and rheumatic complaints.
Internally, we can cook tea from the seedlings and / or seeds and drink it if we suffer from constipation or intestinal upset.
Prepare mustard
We can easily make kitchen mustard from Ackersenf. For this we need mustard seeds and vinegar as raw material. Honey, cloves, cinnamon, juniper berries, crushed lavender flowers, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, dill, parsley, chives, garlic, sage or mild paprika, as well as laurel leaves, black pepper or nutmeg. Some salt and a few spoonfuls of oil are always included.
A handful of seeds are crushed into powder, which is doused with boiling water and stirred into a porridge. The porridge should rest for one day, then we stir in the remaining ingredients and leave everything in the fridge for three hours.
In combination with classic mustard seeds, seeds of Ackersenfs can be used to make a homemade mustard. (Image: graletta / fotolia.com) Mustard in the garden
Ackersenf is ideal for preventing predators such as nematodes from garden vegetables. With its sulfur content, it kills bacteria and fungi in the soil. In mixed crops, Ackersenf is a good filter to disinfect the soil. You can use it as a shield to protect plants that are frequently attacked by predators. These include, for example, zucchini. We use the seeds from June to August, the leaves from April.
Loosen soil
Ackersenf is ideal for loosening heavy soil. So, if you have a lot of heavy parent earth, it offers a good alternative to repot the ground. Let the mustard grow a summer and see how the earth changes.
Ackersenf can also be used excellently as green manure.
tracked paradise
Would you like to do something good in the natural garden of native butterflies? Then Ackersenf is one of the plants that also caterpillars provide food - in contrast to the popular "butterfly shrub", the summer lilac. To the caterpillars, which love the Ackersenf, belong beside the Weißlingen also Aurora and Resedafalter.
In a wild corner for butterfly caterpillars you can combine Ackersenf for the whitefly with dandelion wings for the swallowtail, nettles for peacock butterfly, painted lady, small fox, admiral and country cards and clover for blue-eyed,
Where to plant?
Ackersenf needs a lot of sun, lime and clay. Put it in a place with direct sunlight, ideal is the south side of a hill. (Dr. Utz Anhalt)
References:
- http://deacademic.com/dic.nsf/grammatisch/1845/Ackersenf%2C_der
- http://www.floraweb.de/pflanzenarten/artenhome.xsql?suchnr=5640&
- https://www.naturwelt.org/kr%C3%A4uter/gew%C3%BCrze/die-senfpflanze/
- http://www.pflanzen-deutschland.de/Sinapis_arvensis.html
- http://universal_lexikon.deacademic.com/60083