Cursed Dandilions

[hqueen13]

We just moved into this house, and it has a beautiful shaded area in the front, where the driveway wraps around across the house.
The outer edge of this is rather weedy right now, being populated largely by Dandilions. While dandilions are useful in salads and wine, I would just rather not have them.
SO, I'm seeking suggestions on how to get rid of the dandilions.

Thanks!!

~Ginny

 

[Ga Chicken Mom]

Please send them to me! My chickens LOVE them. Really, I'm going to grow some for the chickens this spring if I can find some seeds. One woman's flower is another woman's weed. When I was a kid in Pa. my father constantly battled dandilions in our lawn. My siblings and I had chores and one was to uproot dandilions. Good luck!

 

[digitS']

You didn't have a chance to do this, Ginny (and I have no excuse whatsoever in my yard , but killing dandelions in the Autumn is probably the best approach.

They are either biennials or perennials and neither make much growth nor flower during their 1st year. That give you the chance to kill 'em before they cause you much concern.

Once established (since I don't use herbicides on my lawn, I got 'em too), a handy tool to remove them looks like this. I have the long-handled type and it's easy.

Something I've discovered (like Ga Chicken Mom) is that with a quick rinse, placing them in a plastic bag and the microwave for just a minute - the chickens will eat the entire plant with relish! (Well, they don't really need relish but you understand what I mean.

Steve
:tools

 

[Carri]

A screwdriver and a 5 gallon bucket. Have fun weeding!

 

[hqueen13]

Please send them to me! My chickens LOVE them. Really, I'm going to grow some for the chickens this spring if I can find some seeds. One woman's flower is another woman's weed. When I was a kid in Pa. my father constantly battled dandilions in our lawn. My siblings and I had chores and one was to uproot dandilions. Good luck!

Yeah, I know they're useful... just not really where I want them. I am interested in possibly replacing them with some sort of minisunflower that the birds will enjoy, though I don't know if I want anything that tall on that side. Its the only spot that gets pretty good sunshine. I also have to be deer warry...

Heh, if the seed heads is all you need, that probably isn't a problem! I'm sure I'll have TONS this summer! I had an old persistant dandilion in one of my boxes at my old house, and I got to the point where I'd pull the flowers off before they ever had a chance to finish blooming to prevent them from mulitplying further...

They are definately a royal pain when they are where you don't want them! They're almost as bad as trying to get rid of wild onions... they just don't come out of the ground easily!

~Ginny

 

[hqueen13]

DigitS, Dang, well I missed out on that. I was busy moving in this place in the fall.... Oh well.
At least I can try to get some of them out, but they sure are pesky. That tool looks super cool, I wonder if I can find one around here. That would make life a lot easier, that is for sure.

Of course, additionally, I don't know how much soil is underneath at this point and what good it is. This is approaching the edge of the driveway, and it is very probable that there is old asphalt and stuff underneath this. I'll have to do some more research to find out.

Thanks yall!!

~Ginny

 

[Rosalind]

Fry 4-5 slices thick-cut bacon
Take the bacon out and make it into bacon bits. Save the hot grease. In a big bowl, mix 3 tbsp. white sugar, 3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar, 3 tbsp. water, 1/2 tsp. thyme, 1/2 tsp. salt, 3 finely chopped green onions, whisking until the sugar dissolves. Add the hot grease slowly so you don't splash. Whisk again.

Pour the warm dressing over a really big bowl of 1/2 dandelion leaves and 1/2 Romaine or looseleaf lettuce. The greens will wilt slightly. Sprinkle bacon bits on top.

Pick a big bucket of yellow dandelion flowers. Strip the petals from them, and put the petals in an enamel pot. Boil them in 3 quarts of water, with 1 sliced lemon, 1 sliced orange, 5 pounds of honey, and let cool to room temp. Then strain into a very clean 1 gal. glass bottle (has to be glass, not plastic) and add 1 packet of wine yeast, any kind. Over the top of the bottle, stretch a balloon or put a fermentation lock if you have one. Wait about 1 month, then siphon off all the clear stuff into another 1 gal. glass bottle. Add balloon. Wait another month, then bottle.

Pick some dandelion flowers and rinse the bugs off. Dip them in the following batter, and pan-fry in olive oil. Dip the resulting yummies in ranch dressing.

Batter: 1/2 c. cornmeal, 1/2 c. flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, 3/4 c. milk or buttermilk, 1 tsp. chili powder, 1 tsp. thyme, maybe some Italian seasoning if you like, 3/4 tsp. salt, garlic or onion powder to taste.

I have hardly any dandelions in my yard. I think they're afraid.

 

[hqueen13]

Wahooo Rosalind! I think they have clear reason to be!!! That sounds delish!!

 

[Rio_Lindo_AZ]

We just moved into this house, and it has a beautiful shaded area in the front, where the driveway wraps around across the house.
The outer edge of this is rather weedy right now, being populated largely by Dandilions. While dandilions are useful in salads and wine, I would just rather not have them.
SO, I'm seeking suggestions on how to get rid of the dandilions.

Thanks!!

~Ginny

When my garden had belonged to my mom, there were many herbs there. She had Rue, dill, basil, and many other types. But she had a TON of mint. Before she knew it, the weeds in her garden was the mint. It had spread all across the garden killing all the other plants. My mom didn't realy care until it got more serious. After the garden was trenched with the mint and you couldn't see the dirt or the other plants. And thats when she gave the garden to me. That same day, I got the tiller and stabed the Ugly plants and added them to the compost pile. After I was done and the garden was clear, I sew some peas. but by the time harvest time came, the garden was packed with the mint. every season, I have to do the same thing. I have to weed the garden till my back breaks. I guess that if your garden has a history of weeds, the next generation of plants in your garden will have weeds. No wonder they call it "Yerba Buena" wich means "Good Weed" in Spanish.

 

[hqueen13]

When my garden had belonged to my mom, there were many herbs there. She had Rue, dill, basil, and many other types. But she had a TON of mint. Before she knew it, the weeds in her garden was the mint. It had spread all across the garden killing all the other plants. My mom didn't realy care until it got more serious. After the garden was trenched with the mint and you couldn't see the dirt or the other plants. And thats when she gave the garden to me. That same day, I got the tiller and stabed the Ugly plants and added them to the compost pile. After I was done and the garden was clear, I sew some peas. but by the time harvest time came, the garden was packed with the mint. every season, I have to do the same thing. I have to weed the garden till my back breaks. I guess that if your garden has a history of weeds, the next generation of plants in your garden will have weeds. No wonder they call it "Yerba Buena" wich means "Good Weed" in Spanish.

*mental note* Don't plant mint........... (Even if the deer don't like it....)