Dandelions, with their little yellow flowers and fluffy seed puffs, may very well be a nuisance to gardeners as soon as they pop up the place they aren’t wanted. Above ground their seeds expertise the wind currents to propagate the species. And beneath ground the weed sends down a taproot as a lot as 10 inches prolonged that could be robust to remove in its entirety. Gardeners often technique dandelion elimination in two strategies: pulling the plant or spraying it with herbicide.
When to Take away Dandelions
Dandelions are broadleaf, herbaceous perennials that die once more throughout the winter, though the plant’s roots reside on underground. Inside the early fall, nutritional vitamins are transferred from the leaves to the roots, making this the right time to utilize herbicide. Chemical compounds utilized all through this time could be absorbed by the leaves and handed on to the roots along with the nutritional vitamins.
You probably can harvest and eat dandelion greens throughout the spring. The leaves may be boiled or used raw in a salad. This superfood is rich in vitamin A, vitamin Okay, and iron. Moreover, the flower could be utilized in wine or boiled and stir-fried. And the roots may be dried and steeped for a tea. For the right model, harvest dandelion greens and dig up their roots sooner than the plant goes to seed.
Warning
When pulling dandelions to eat, steer clear of harvesting near roads the place avenue salt or totally different toxins is more likely to be present. Likewise, don’t harvest from a backyard the place herbicides and totally different chemical compounds have been used. Always completely wash the dandelions sooner than consuming.