The much maligned dandelion

Dandelions are viewed by most gardeners as a nuisance, destroying lawns and something that needs to be eradicated by careful extraction or systemic weedkillers.These much maligned flowers are a reletive of the sunflower and with control can be a welcome edition to your garden.To control the spread, once established, remove of the flowers once faded (dead head), this will prevent the production of seed and promote the production of more blooms.As any viewer of the Chelsea flower show coverage would have seen both dandelion and nettles were introduced onto gold medal winner Jekka McVicars herb display.Nettles support around 40 insect varieties as well as their cullinary uses whereas dandelions support no less than 93 different insect varieties including bees as they produce an abundance of nectar.Its not only the insects that can benefit from this plant as we to can eat the fresh young leaves in salads and use the root in such drinks as dandelion and burdock. Not only this but their medicinal qualitys are invaluable for use as a diuretic. The root can be gently boiled and the liquid left can be used as a liver cleanser and antibiotic to help with urinary tract infections. Please make sure you know what your picking before using any wild flowers or herbs I know this sounds silly but humans can be very silly.So why not give them a place in your border or veg bed, I am as this will be one of the more unusual plants in my Show garden for Sandringham this year.

"Others have ID ed it.
I chop them off at ground level with secutears then spray a drop or two of Praxys on the wound... if it doesnt killt he first time, it will the 2nd or 3rd"

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Comments

Glynis Hales May 26, 2009 at 10:41am

I am so glad you have written this and would like to add that they are also one of the early food sources for bees and butterflies, both of which as you probably know are on the decline. I am at present trying to create a mini wildflower meadow in my garden to support wildlife along with growing fruits and vegetables to support me! :) I am also encouraging more acceptance of wildflowers with my customers. Thank you again.
PRO

Phil Voice May 26, 2009 at 8:16pm

Hi Shadow

Have you aver seen the Dandelion explosion in France during late April/early May? All of the plum orchards and the meadows are a real picture and because the grass has not been treated for ages, every year seems to get more colourful.

Even the buttercups are such a fantastic sight.
PRO

Phil Voice May 26, 2009 at 8:18pm
Andrew Fereday May 26, 2009 at 9:51pm

Cat and I were happily wandering through the plant centre at Harlow Carr a couple of months ago. We came home with three 'Itailian Herb' dandelion pots (that special irony was reserved just for me...). Now growing them happily in a Yorkshire flowerpot (also bought at Harlow Carr) next to the Mizuna and Rocket. Although I must admit that I volunteered to split them myself - what was I thinkig? I'm waiting for Cat to get sick of the leaves in salads, but I think I've got a way to go yet, as she feeds the extra leaves to our three house-rabbits as treats. I'm never going to win against that sort of genius am I...?
pete May 27, 2009 at 2:43pm

Gorgeous pictures Phil, here's some more from wikipedia (trust the speedwell doesn't upset the lawnsters)

by Wadester16.
by Wonglijie.
by ArtMechanic.

Magnificent aren't they.
Shadow Hall May 28, 2009 at 8:48am

These are beautiful pictures phil and pete and they highlight my point perfectly. Thank you glynis your garden sounds lovely.
Shadow
Shadow Hall May 28, 2009 at 8:52am

Andrew
Rabbits and giunea pigs, I can say from experience, are particularly fond of these so you may be stuck growing these for some time.
Shadow
Linda Laxton June 11, 2009 at 5:24pm

the dandelion has made many visits to chelsea. we had it in a garden in 1996 and again in 2004,5,6,7,8,9. Dandelion Taraxacum agg. consists of at least 229 microspecies in GB alone. All are apomictic and at least 40 are endemic. With a bit of effort it is possible to key them out into 9 sections. though the main flush of flowers is in the spring, some will flower at later times. and the habitat they grow in can help identify the particular group.
We first included stinging nettles into a garden at chelsea in 2000. They have an even more interesting biology, being a hybrid which has followed civilisation into the world. They cerainly show that renowned "hybrid vigour"!