21-05-2013, 10:03 PM
1
Dandelions.
I don't normally find myself in this section, been looking for something about Dandelions and don't see anything, maybe I didn't look hard enough, anyway as some of you know I have no interest in gardening whatsoever, however over the past few weeks I have become interested in the Dandelion, what a persistent little bugger it is, when the wife mows the lawn up they pop the very next morning (before anyone jumps at my throat, she wont allow me to mow it, thinks I'll ruin the mower), they are very clever are Dandelions, the ones behind the short fence that can't be got at all have long stems but those on the lawn they pop up without the long stem very close to the soil, so I started to pluck the heads off them one by one, the next day they were even tighter to the soil, then they started to come up without the flower, almost ready to launch the seeds, just the grey parachutes that carries the seed, clever eh?, that led me to believe that these despised weeds are fantastic survivors and it's small wonder they have been around for 30 million years, a damn sight longer than we have or ever will be on this planet, this plant is able to think, how else would it forsake growing a long stem knowing it was going to be chopped as soon as it grew?
I started to read up on the Taraxacum as it's called, in Dublin we used to call them 'Piss in the beds' don't ask me why, there is not an awful lot written about them apart from what we already know, the ingenious method of spreading their seed being the main concern.
I did discover something interesting, the Taraxacum Kok-Saghyz, or Russian Dandelion was used to produce rubber from the milky latex inside between 1930-1950, the highest yield being 110 Kg. per Hectare, I wonder what they made out of Dandelion rubber during the war, I have a fair idea but I'm not saying, just humming "When Johnny comes marching home again..."
The Japanese Dandelion has a white flower, well fancy that.
The miserable looking one in the photo is right down to the soil, must have seen me coming to decapitate it.
21-05-2013, 10:40 PM
2
Re: Dandelions.
The British Rubber Company??.
Dandelion and Burdock pop.... dandelion leaves in salad.... dandelion wine (wonder if you can make daisy wine)
In Lancs we called them Pee the beds, so makes me think there must be some connection if it's called same in different countries.
22-05-2013, 08:18 AM
6
Re: Dandelions.
I love Dandies. They are survivors as you say. I let them grow in my garden and just nip the heads off when they go from their gorgeous yellow to the clock seeds. As mentioned they are diuretics and can be eaten in salads. Please DONT eat Daisies they are poison. Nasturtiums are also edible for salads, both the leaves and the flowers.You will find that flowers like Dandelions are from a really old breed of plant who survive from seeds blowing in the wind, but also a root that is bulbous
and that survives underground should the heads be taken off. Trickey Dickey they are.
22-05-2013, 08:59 AM
7
Re: Dandelions.
they are also called pissenlit (piss in bed) in france. Everyone here in the village uses them in salads as a mixed leave salad. Every house I have eaten in has had them in salads, as well as plantains nastursums and plenty other wild leaves. I use to wonder what everyone was walking around picking and putting in carrier bags when I first came here. they also eat those round spongy leaves that grow in walls.The goats also love them ... so a plus for danny's from me
22-05-2013, 05:07 PM
9
Re: Dandelions.
We called them 'wet the beds' as children.Lovely photos Jimmy and Alan.. and a very interesting post Jimmy, thanks.
(I'm sure you have a book in you Jimmy
)Sue, I found this for you re: dandelion wine
it gives a little history too.http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/dandelio.asp
23-05-2013, 04:51 PM
10
Re: Dandelions.
Originally Posted by Janela
->
Sue, I found this for you re: dandelion wine it gives a little history too.http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/dandelio.asp
Thanks Janela!
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