Cattails are one of the best survival food.The roots can be turned into flour.The leaves, stems, and flowers can be used in a variety of dishes.You can make torches and weave baskets out of their spikes.They are very productive in terms of flour production, with one acre of cattails potentially producing over 6,000 pounds.The shoots are more fresh in the spring and early summer.
Step 1: There are cattails in the marsh.
There are cattails along the edge of a pond or stream.They can be found in wet ditches and other marshy spots.Wetlands include swamps, ditches, moist fields and wet thickets.
Step 2: Don't harvest cattails in polluted areas.
If you want to eat cattails, you should avoid collecting them from polluted areas.The use of cattails is increasing for the purpose of cleaning polluted wetlands.Wherever the plants may have been planted with the purpose of remediating a polluted area, you should exercise caution.Cattails can be picked from ponds in urban or suburban developments.In order to clean the water from the development, cattails are planted.Cattails have accumulated toxins and should not be eaten.It's fine to collect the cattails from these areas if you're making rope.
Step 3: There is a shape of a hot dog on top of the plant.
Cattails have a resemblance to eating hot dogs on a stick at summer camp.The flower head looks like a hot dog.The flower head is described as a large cigar by some people.There are thousands of seeds in these flower heads.
Step 4: There are thick, linear leaves.
The leaves are long and flat.There are twelve to sixteen leaves on a cattail shoot.The cross section of a leaf is between ten and twenty millimeters in width.
Step 5: Check the height of the cattails.
The plant grows to between one and a half and three metres in height.There is a seed Pod on the top that looks like a hot dog.
Step 6: See the spikes.
The shoots of a cattail plant look like leaks.Young spikes are poking just below or above the water line if you get close to a bunch of cattails.
Step 7: Look at the leaf and grub.
There is a leaf that is slightly brown.The beetle grub can be found inside this leaf.It can be used as bait.
Step 8: Put on your boots and gloves.
The crop of cattails is marshy.Since cattails grow in marshy areas, you may want to wear rainboots.You could cut your feet on broken glass if you go barefoot.Since you will be working in the muck, gloves are a good idea.It might be a bit cold if you go barefoot.A risk of going barefoot is cutting your feet on objects.If you go barefoot, you could hurt your ankle.Some areas and seasons have a concern with ticks.Don't go barefoot if it's tick season.
Step 9: Pick up the roots.
The roots of the plant need to be loosened, but first you have to find them.The base of the plant will be in the mud if you follow the stalks or shoots with your hands.Feel for a branch of the root system.
Step 10: It's time to loosen up the roots.
The roots of the cattail need to be grasped.Pull and push the roots until they loosen up.
Step 11: Pull up the cattail.
Hold onto the base of the plant.Pull upwards to remove the cattail.You should try to remove as much of the root system as possible.