I like these little critters - their pretty yellow tops gently blowing in the wind on a background of green grass - assuming the grass is visible.
My Wife Anne though hates them - as do apparently all of our neighbours and as likely most of you.
In fact, the whole neighbourhood is at war with these harmless yet valuable flowers ...okay weeds if you must.
And speaking of valuable, did you know that in China the Dandelion is used in some of their medicines.
Not only that, all parts of the Dandelion are edible and even can be used in the making of wine.
Bet your tulips can't compete with that.
Not surprisingly then, up until the 1800s, people would actually pull grass out of their lawns to make room for their dandelions.
That of course was then and this is now when everyone seems to be trying all manner of things to rid their yards of these cuties...including our neighbours and of course Anne.
And now even me, with some gentle(?) shoves from my wife.
And in this ongoing . should I say near hopeless fight, Home Owners are paying $Billions of Dollars a year to rid their lawns of this most resilient flora:
- to lawn treatment companies*; and to,
- ubiquitous lawn treatments available at all local home stores and nurseries.**
**note: this year I attended at a local well respected nursery and asked what if anything they had that would kill off the demon yellow. Their olde time employee just looked sympathetically into my eyes and said "zip...all you can do is dig each and everyone of them up being sure to include the plant's 2 foot root".
In addition to that, when you check the Internet you will find a number of home remedies which may or may not work for I have not tried them. They just seem to be so bizarre.
Two for instance- spray them with concentrated vinegar or with a concentrated salt solution. I just don't see either of those working nor would I be sure how to properly apply them in any case. If you on the other hand have had first hand experience in either of these home remedies or another other for that matter ... that have worked, please let me know and I will give it a try.
In the meantime, I along with my dedicated and most determined neighbours, are on our knees pulling them out - one dandelion at a time - with hopefully root attached*.
*I'll let you in on a little secret though - you seldom if ever get much of the root and certainly never 2 feet worth.
Hopefully what goes around comes around and one day soon we will once again follow the wisdom of our ancestors of the 1800s and let the Dandelion Flourish, ...As It Should.
As I see it...
'K.D. Galagher'
In addition to that, when you check the Internet you will find a number of home remedies which may or may not work for I have not tried them. They just seem to be so bizarre.
Two for instance- spray them with concentrated vinegar or with a concentrated salt solution. I just don't see either of those working nor would I be sure how to properly apply them in any case. If you on the other hand have had first hand experience in either of these home remedies or another other for that matter ... that have worked, please let me know and I will give it a try.
In the meantime, I along with my dedicated and most determined neighbours, are on our knees pulling them out - one dandelion at a time - with hopefully root attached*.
*I'll let you in on a little secret though - you seldom if ever get much of the root and certainly never 2 feet worth.
Hopefully what goes around comes around and one day soon we will once again follow the wisdom of our ancestors of the 1800s and let the Dandelion Flourish, ...As It Should.
As I see it...
'K.D. Galagher'
