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Talkback: Weeds - dandelions

Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
in Talkback
Like Pippa I love dandelions. I have picked many heads from the garden this summer. Ive washed and dried them and popped them into freezer bags and am hoping to make dandelion wine. Not tried making it before, but as a child I used to pick the heads for a neighbour who made wine. I have a small wild area with dandelions and buttercups. I must admit I havnt eaten dandelion leaves as yet. I will have to try them in a salad.
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  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Pippa, many is the time recently that I've gazed at a roadside verge whilst driving to work and delighted at the lovely bright dandelions that seem to shine from within themselves! They certainly are beautiful and I will admit to not being completely on top of them in my "lawn" but I do have to be careful as I live in quite a close neighbourhood where some of the residents are somewhat less enamored with them so I try not to let them take over too much and seed all over my neighbours' lawns! I wish they were more well-loved as they have a lot of traits, as you say, that are most beneficial. :-)
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Sorry guys I disagree. I like my lawn to be immaculate like a well manicured fairway at an exclusive golf course!
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    A multi headed Dandelion as grown in my garden rockery and I have decided to leave it there - it looks great and besides I use the leaves in a salad sometimes.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    I agree - along with buttercups and daisies were the first flowers to make an impact on me as a child and still like them.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    As a gardener, you are expected to want to eradicate all dandelion growth, on site. I ask, is this simply because we know that we, in all our "wisdom", have not been able to produce such a beautiful/edible flowering plant, with such an amazing survival/hardy growing habit? We should accept its beauty and enjoy it as a companion, rather than see it as a foe?
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Pippa, how good to see someone else has grass instead of a lawn. I love the dandelions too. I've actually planted 'weeds' like speedwell and daisies in my grass. I've reverted to a manual mower and keep it on the highest cut all year. The result is relaxed and meadowy, and never goes brown in our very dry summers.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    I'm sorry but i dont like dandelions in my grass but i grow them in a pot for my pet snails witch av come from africa i also grow daisies in my lawn good luck
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Well done,Pippa, for speaking-up for the humble but beautiful dandelion!! I feel the same about daisies!! I don't think flowers come much prettier... or tough!
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    My lawn has been neglected for many years. I would leave it uncut for weeks, then cut it as short as possible so as not to have to cut it again. I have managed to control the moss and weeds with Scarification and weed control / lawn feed and I have to say that the lawn has improved over the last few years. However, my biggest problem is with the many various types of grass I have in the lawn. Some areas, the grass left is thin and slow growing, while in other areas it is thick leafed and fast growing. There are also areas where wispy stems grow. How can I get the lawn unified with just one type of grass? I do not want to kill off or plough over the whole lawn. If I put one type of grass seed on the existing lawn would it eventually grow through?
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Are you mad if its dandelions you want then come round here having recently moved house theres hundreds of them and I'm so generous you can have them all, oh don't forget your garden fork
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