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.
Recent Comments