Uses For Dandelions What To Do With Dandelions

You can eat them fresh, use them to make a tea, or dry them for future use. If drying, chop them up into smaller pieces when fresh and then dry them. Use the vibrant yellow flowers of the dandelion to make wine, to infuse vinegar, oils, and honey, or to make tea.

What part of the dandelion can you eat?

Dandelion is probably one of the most common and recognisable varieties of edible weeds and it's also very versatile. The yellow petals from the dandelion flower and the leaves can be eaten in salad, and the leaves can also be cooked and eaten like spinach.

Is it safe to eat dandelions from your yard?

Yes, you can eat dandelions that grow wild in your yard. Remember, avoid any dandelions that have been sprayed with fertilizer or any other toxic sprays. Here are a few popular ways to eat dandelions, including my favorite, dandelion tea.

How do you harvest dandelion flowers?

Use clean scissors to snip off leaves and flowers. Retain a bit of stem on the flowers so you can keep them in water. Avoid high traffic areas when harvesting dandelion plants, especially those frequented by animals. Always wash plant material well after picking.

How do you prepare dandelion flowers to eat?

If raw dandelion leaves don't appeal to you, they can also be steamed or added to a stir-fry or soup, which can make them taste less bitter. The flowers are sweet and crunchy, and can be eaten raw, or breaded and fried, or even used to make dandelion syrup or wine.

What part of a dandelion is poisonous?

Almost all parts of the dandelion are edible and nutritious. Avoid the flower stems, as they have a white, sticky 'latex' in them that has a bit of a laxative effect. :) Leaves can be eaten raw or as cooked greens.

Should I kill dandelions?

Removing the dandelion's entire tap root is essential! If you remove just the dandelion flower and plant from the surface of the soil a new plant will grow. Even removing a couple inches of root won't kill it. Dandelions can easily reproduce from the remaining root.

Can you get sick from eating dandelions?

When taken by mouth: Dandelion is LIKELY SAFE for most people when taken by mouth in the amounts commonly found in food. ... Taking dandelion by mouth might cause allergic reactions, stomach discomfort, diarrhea, or heartburn in some people.

What are the health benefits of dandelions?

13 Potential Health Benefits of Dandelion

Highly Nutritious. Share on Pinterest. ...
Contain Potent Antioxidants. ...
May Help Fight Inflammation. ...
May Aid Blood Sugar Control. ...
May Reduce Cholesterol. ...
May Lower Blood Pressure. ...
May Promote a Healthy Liver. ...
May Aid Weight Loss.

Will vinegar kill dandelions?

Household vinegar is not strong enough to kill dandelions. Household vinegar is only 5% acetic acid. Horticultural vinegar which is used to kill weeds is 20% acetic acid.

What is the side effect of dandelion?

Side effects of Taraxacum officinale are abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, heartburn, increased heart rate, bruising and bleeding, excessive urination, and increased potassium levels (hyperkalemia).

How do you keep fresh picked dandelions?

Preserving Dandelions for Future Use:

Air drying: Gently scatter and place your dandelion flowers on a smooth flat surface in full sun. Pick a warm and sunny day. After a few hours the flowers will be noticeably wilted. Store loosely in an airtight container.

What can I do with dandelion flowers?

You can eat them fresh, use them to make a tea, or dry them for future use. If drying, chop them up into smaller pieces when fresh and then dry them. Use the vibrant yellow flowers of the dandelion to make wine, to infuse vinegar, oils, and honey, or to make tea.

When should you eat dandelions?

Dandelion leaves to be eaten raw are best when they are fresh and young. As they age, the leaves get increasingly bitter. But they are still edible, particularly if you blanch them before using them in your recipe.

What part of the dandelion is most nutritious?

The health benefits of fiber are also well known. The root of the dandelion is rich in fiber and may help to support the balance of bacteria in your digestive system. Dandelions are an easy-to-grow food source.

What month do dandelions bloom?

Biology: Dandelion flowers from May to October but most profusely in May and June. A period of low temperature seems to intensify flowering but daylength does not have a great influence. Seedlings that emerge in spring may flower in their first year.

What sickness can dandelion cure?

In traditional Chinese and Native American medicine, dandelion root has long been used to treat stomach and liver conditions. Herbalists today believe that it can aid in the treatment of many ailments, including acne, eczema, high cholesterol, heartburn, gastrointestinal disorders, diabetes, and even cancer.

How do you get the bitterness out of dandelion greens?

You can add the greens to a white bean salad, stew or even soup for that extra flavor and nutrition. Just a nice citrusy vinaigrette will do the trick to balance the bitterness of a raw dandelion greens salad. Eating them raw may be an acquired taste, so don't be disappointed if you do not like them prepared this way.

Can you eat the yellow part of the dandelion?

Dandelions are close relatives of these cultivated greens and have a similar taste. All parts of the dandelion except for the fluffy seedheads are edible.

Why you should not kill dandelions?

Bumble bees, beetles, birds, butterflies and a host of other beneficial insects all look to the dandelion as a source of nourishment in early spring. And when those dandelions are sprayed with chemicals, it can have serious and fatal consequences to their health and well-being.

Does spraying dandelions kill bees?

When they visit dandelions in their search for nectar, they also consume the pesticides, which can have deadly consequences. The bee population has been declining over the past few years because of a phenomenon called colony collapse disorder, or CCD, which was first identified in 2006.

What is the best way to get rid of dandelions in my lawn?

The quickest and least labor-intensive method of getting rid of dandelions is to spray them with a broadleaf herbicide that will kill the entire plant, not just the leaves, without harming the surrounding grass.