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Kilei zera'im: Mint and purslane

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Question

I've discovered purslane and mint growing voluntarily throughout my raised bed vegetable garden, often in close proximity to other vegetables. I had thought the purslane was a weed and ignored it but I've since learned it is very healthy and would like to consume it. Do the mint and purslane require special spacing from other vegetables to avoid an issue of kilayim?

Answer

Plants that are eaten by healthy people (and not just used as medicine or are simply weeds) are subject to the kilei zera'im prohibition, so they should be distanced 1.5 tefachim (roughly 12 cm) from other vegetables. 
The converse is also true: weeds and medicinal herbs used only by sick people are not subject to kilei zera'im. Since you want the purslane as a food to promote health, you need to make sure the plant does not grow too close to other annuals. 

Mint definitely poses a kilayim issue! Mint is also very aggressive and invasive, so it's important to be on top of the mint and make sure it's not too close to the other vegetables.

You can move the plants that grew too close to other plants, and they may still be eaten. Alternatively, you can set up a barrier or small fence between dissimilar species (at least 10 tefachim, or 80 cm, high).

Note that purslane needs to be thoroughly washed and inspected before eating (guidelines from our agronomist, Dr. Mordechai Shomron):

First visually inspect all the leaves and stems and remove anything that appears suspicious due to signs of infestation (such as gnaw marks, discoloration, etc.). Then wash thoroughly under running water and examine each leaf and stem in sunlight.

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