Dandelions, love 'em or hate 'em?

1. 61

   Yard of natureposted 13 years ago

   A lot of people spend a lot of money killing and whacking dandelions. Others love the "weed" for their bright beauty, especially when they take over a field. In seed, they capture light and are wonders of geometry. Some people cook with them, some make wine (If you've never read Ray Bradbury's "Dandelion Wine," do yourself a favor and do so) wine with them. As kids we made chains, bracelets and rings out of the stems.
   So what do you think?
   Love dandelions or pass the weed killer cuz you hate them?

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      Brenda Durhamposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I rather like them!
      
      Hubby hates 'em.  He's the one who has to mow the yard and spray the weeds, etc...

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   2. 61

      pinkboxerposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I think dandelions are beautiful. They gave me special joy as a child. As I watched those seeds fly in the wind, I thought it was fascinating. As for my lawn, I never kill them. But I do control them.

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2. 73

   Cagsilposted 13 years ago

   I really do not love or hate them. I guess I'm indifferent. I do not have a house or yard and when I see them in other yards or growing somewhere, I like the color. It adds a little more positiveness to the beauty of nature.

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3. 61

   Originposted 13 years ago

   If your trying to make your lawn a solid green, then it's probably best to get rid of them. On the same token, I do like how they look in meadows and such!

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4. 60

   jrich1936posted 13 years ago

   Dandelions are beautiful, and unique almost like a parasite in there ability to spread out over such far areas with the right wind current. Its amazing what plants and life can do!

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5. 59

   valbondposted 13 years ago

   I like them, they look good in their natural environment, not so great in the vegetable plot.
   
   Also dandelion wine is great - made from the yellow petals only and picked on St George's Day.

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      kephriraposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I used to like dandelion and burdock pop, but I never see it any more.

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6. 75

   Jeff Berndtposted 13 years ago

   Love 'em. I put the leaves in salads.
   
   Never tried making dandelion wine. Someday...

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7. 82

   kerrygposted 13 years ago

   I love them! They're such cheery flowers, and they're important for bees, too, which need all the help they can get right now.

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8. 83

   Anolindeposted 13 years ago

   I like them well enough as long as they aren't in my yard   My daughter loves them, though!  Dandelion wine sounds like something I might like to try making someday .. but wouldn't that require a LOT of petals?

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9. 0

   MichiganLoverposted 13 years ago

   I love dandelion greens in salad and soup.  I don't pour weed killer on them but do mow them over since they grow like...well you know.

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10. 63

    Lisa HWposted 13 years ago

    I don't want eat them or drink them in the form of wine, or anything; but I kind of like them, at least as long as they're still yellow.  I'm not really a fan once their gray hair blows away and leaves them pretty ugly-looking; and I'm not a big fan when they get so bad it makes raking the lawn a major challenge.  You gotta admire their strength and endurance, though, don't you.....   

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11. 73

    Rafiniposted 13 years ago

    I like dandelions but would like them better if they were controllable...  Never had dandelion wine - course, I don't really like wine either....

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12. 65

    Richieb799posted 13 years ago

    Isn't there a myth that if you lie next to them in the grass they make you need a wee

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       Kathryn LJposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Based on fact Richie, they're a diuretic.  It's an old wives tale that if you pick them you wet the bed but if you ingest them either as a tea or in a salad they will get rid of bloating by stimulating the kidneys.  Not that you look old enough to suffer from such an old git affliction.

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13. 88

    IzzyMposted 13 years ago

    Dandelions...ah...takes me back. as a child, my rabbit loved the leaves. I used to collect them for him.
    Then you got to play "he loves me..he loves me not..ne loves me" as you blew the seed heads.
    I lived in the country - they were all around- bright pretty yellow flowers that bobbed and danced in the wind.
    Then my dad went through a wine-making phase (he was always taking up hobbies) and could I collect - like - 10 million dandelion flower heads so he could make wine?
    I was...11?...12?
    Yup, no probs.
    He made his wine...no idea how because I didn't pay the slightest bit of attention, but then he had all these glass lemonade bottles full of them in the attic.
    And one day I tried one. It was lovely. I was thirsty, lifted that bottle to my lips and downed the lot!
    I can distinctly remember walking into our kitchen, and the floor - the cheek of it - came straight up to meet me. Oddest sensation ever!
    
    I don't really remember much more, but my mum made me go to school next day and I spent half of it in sick bay!! And no, I didn't touch the stuff again.

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       Anolindeposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       LOL!  What an endearing story   Thanks for sharing!

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       1. 88

          IzzyMposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          Hey that's a classic!
          Most young kids these days are into the shop bought cheap wine...but hey old Izzy had to have the home made DANDELION wine!
          Its been many years but its one of those things in life you don't completely forget lol, and I don't mind sharing

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14. 61

    ediggityposted 13 years ago

    They look good in the wild, but not on a nice green lawn.

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    1. 88

       IzzyMposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       I should take photos now of my nice green lawn, even if it doesn't yet stretch to cover my garden (I have a creeping lawn).
       The house next door has been abandoned, and the dandelions have grown right through their red chip covering, and all I can see when I look there now is dandelion seed heads.
       That'll be my lawn in a few months!

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       1. 61

          ediggityposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          Do your self a favor, spend the 15 bucks, go over there, and put the weed killer on it.

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          1. 88

             IzzyMposted 13 years agoin reply to this

             It's too late.
             
             As I continually tell my partner, you have to cut a weed off at the flowering stage, once it is gone to seed it is like pissing in the wind.

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15. 0

    ralwusposted 13 years ago

    pee-the-beds and dandelion toes

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16. 67

    menithposted 13 years ago

    I love dandelions! They are a very useful herb. The entire plant can be eaten, although the leaves are very bitter when they are older. The roots can be roasted and ground for a great coffee substitute. I recommend adding in some chickory though. And don't drink too much, because it is a diaretic. Dandelion wine is on my list of things to try, I hear it's wonderful.

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    1. 88

       IzzyMposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Absolutely...hic! <g>

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17. 89

    livelongerposted 13 years ago

    Braising them and serving them on top of fava bean mash is really delicious.

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       IzzyMposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Each to their own...but didn't fava beans feature in the Hannibal Lector films?
       Kinda puts you off! ... a bit.

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          livelongerposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          I had forgotten about that. Although the dried white beans cook down to a sweet, creamy mash that is totally unlike the green beans Hannibal >gulp!< liked to eat with his liver.

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             IzzyMposted 13 years agoin reply to this

             And what was the rest of it...with a nice chianti?
             Aww forget it....I ain't eating or drinking THAT! lol
             Anyway I am going to fail so big time at writing food hubs...unless I try a  Hannibal Lector cookbook...now there's a thought!
             Mix my health knowledge with cookery!

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18. 77

    Joni Douglasposted 13 years ago

    I hate them in the front yard, don't mind them too much in the back yard. Sounds weird given that we actually hang out in the back yard and only sit on the front porch occasionally.

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19. 61

    Yard of natureposted 13 years ago

    It's kind of fascinating that such a common plant elicits such differing responses. Very interesting reading.
    My dandelions have gone to seed now and I've been meaning to mow at least some of them, but I'm afraid it's low on the priority list ... though rising. It's one nice thing about living in a woods with little traditional lawn, my neighbors don't see it so I can leave it go as wild as I want. Thus the dandelions again were spared.

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20. 74

    cheaptrickposted 13 years ago

    When I was a kid my dad showed me how to cut the greens and make a red wine vinaigrette to splash over them.Best salad I ever had.

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21. 71

    AEvansposted 13 years ago

    They do look beautiful but they have to go it is the dandelions or the allergies so I always choose to call in the weed control team, man the pump and spray , spray , spray although I feel horrible after doing it.

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22. 67

    wingedcentaurposted 13 years ago

    Personally I have always loved dandelions. I only learned a few years ago that people considered them weeds and try to kill them! I think the bright yellow makes a wonderful color collaboration with the green of a lawn. They have so many uses, as you indicate. Pick them by all means, but don't slaughter them, for goodness sake.

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23. 67

    Rod Marsdenposted 13 years ago

    Apparently you can make wine out of dandelions. Maybe that might be a good reason to have them around. Maybe harvest them and enjoy the wine. Just a thought mind.

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24. 0

    Justine76posted 13 years ago

    I love how they never give up. You can find dandilions growing out a crack in a sidewalk when there is no plant life for miles anywhere around. They aer useful, pretty, and one of the first things to gorw here, in the spring. Next to daisies and violets, they are one of my favourite flowers.

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25. 65

    Bob Ewingposted 13 years ago

    Love them Dandelions are a great plant and should be treasured and grown intentionally rather than assaulted.

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       watchyaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Agree. I love them !

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    Shealy Healyposted 13 years ago

    I wish they were our state flower. Why try so hard to get rid of them and try so hard to grow other non-native flowers? If we all loved them-what a beautiful front yard we could all easily have.

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