Dandelion Weeds

A high school botany teacher taught me that a weed is just any plant growing in the wrong place. An orchid growing in an onion patch could be considered a weed. Some native plants that spread easily are generally unwanted and categorized as "weeds."

The dandelion is one of the most stubborn yard and garden weeds. It spreads so easily because the wind carries its seeds everywhere. When your grass plants have deep, healthy root systems they can compete well with weeds and prevent the seeds from germinating. Deep and infrequent watering of your lawn helps grass develop strong deep roots. Water needs to soak the soil 6-8 inches deep. It's time to water when the top inch of soil is dry again. It can take a week for your soil to dry out if it is watered well enough.

Use a herbicide containing 2,4-D to control dandelions that are already present in your yard. Be careful because herbicides like Roundup will kill any plant or tree they touch. Follow directions for application because contact with herbacides can make you sick, too. If the dandelions are growing in a flower or vegetable bed, you may want to dig them out rather than use herbicide. Just be sure you get all of the root. Otherwise, the remaining root will produce a new plant. Some gardeners use a special fork-like dandelion weeder tool to loosen the dandelion from the soil.

The following recipe is from Fat of the Land - Adventures of a 21st Century Forager a delightful blog by Langdon Cook in Seattle, WA. http://fat-of-the-land.blogspot.com

"You'll want to harvest in the morning, before the flowers have fully opened. Grasp the yellow part of the flower (the petals) and twist away from the green sepals and stem. Discard any greenery. I prefer the bread to the muffins.

2 cups unbleached flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup dandelion petals
1/4 cup canola oil
4 tbsp honey
1 egg
scant 1 1/2 cups milk

Combine dry ingredients in large bowl, including petals, and mix. Make sure to separate clumps of petals. In separate bowl mix together milk, honey, oil, and beat in egg. Add liquid ingredients to dry and stir. Batter should be fairly wet and lumpy. Pour into buttered bread tin or muffin tin. Bake at 400 degrees. A dozen muffins will take 20-25 minutes. Bread will take 25-30 or more minutes. At 25 minutes, check doneness of bread with a toothpick. If still too moist inside, lower oven temperature and continue to bake, checking every five minutes."