If you are not sure about a plant, don't harvest it.

If you're 99,999% sure about a plant, it's still not enough. Only harvest plants that you have CERTAINTY on. An error can easily make you sick and in some case it could be fatal. There is no need to be scared, foraging wild food isn't a dangerous activity at all, in fact it is extremely healthy IF you know what you are doing. The best way to learn is from people who have been foraging wild food for quite a while and can show you EXACTLY which plants can be harvested with safety.

Do not harvest food in conditions which may not be safe. For example, picking wild food such as Nettles from a neighbor's yard may not be a good idea as you don't know if it was sprayed with chemicals. It's for the same reason that I don't harvest plants in my apartment complex. Although there are a lot of wild lettuces and other wild foods that I could use in salad, I know that chemicals are used on the property to kill "weeds" so I won't touch it.

Respect Nature

Don't leave trash.

Don't harvest more than what is necessary.

Don't "Kill" a plant when harvesting if it isn't necessary - in the vast majority of cases, you don't need to harvest the whole plant and pruning is the best option, it often helps the plant grow as well. Take what you need and come back later for more. This will also ensure that you will have more to harvest in future years.

Respect private property. Don't pick up plants where you're not supposed to or where the plants are protected.

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