I’ve been seeing some dandelions in my garden and it’s bringing a bit of extra colour and variety to the place which I like (it’s a 10 year old newbuild so not an awful lot of that currently). I’ve also learned that bees love daffodils and I know there’s a bit of a push in general to stop people mowing their grass as much for biodiversity reasons. It’s nice just to help the bees more than anything.
But everyone (including my wife) just says they’re weeds and I need to get rid of them. My dad even admitted that weeds are basically just unwanted flowers, but I’m not being funny, but what’s the point in having a load of grass in the garden that’s just sitting there being grass? I’m not a gardener and have very little interest in it. I don’t want to let the place get overgrown so it looks totally unkempt but I think a little biodiversity is only really a good thing.
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In school people would say if you picked them you would wet the bed.
Because they root well and they very successfully self-seed, and so will take over and crowd out other vegetation.
Unless they’re too close to something I’ve planted, I tend to leave them. As you say, they’re a bit of colour and food for the bees.
It’s not as if they’re useless either, the leaves are edible and you can roast the roots to make a coffee. I’ve not tried that though!
Weeds and having long tap-roots. Personally I like the look of them. But my mother is the Gardener in the family, she zaps them as soon as she notices them. Weeds are, generally, an annoyance to those Garden lovers for the most part.
Because they ruin their perfect lawns. Our back garden is at least 50% weeds at this point and we stopped worrying about it ages ago. If I take my glasses off I can’t even tell – they’re all green 🤷♀️ We actually let everything grow in the front garden until the end of May as it’s good for pollinators, but we keep the back “lawn” mowed. I’m with you though. I think they’re pretty. I do try and clear them from the drive though, as they’re a trip hazard.
They’re very good at growing, often in place of things people specifically wanted to grow.
Personally I’m happy to have them, we have guinea pigs so dandelions mean fresh food for them for free.
I really like them, they’re colourful and a sign that summer’s almost here.
Unless you get rid of them your entire lawn will be dandelions.
A weed is just a plant or flower that you didn’t plant and you don’t want. If you want them in your garden then they are not a weed.
Dandelions are beautiful. AND you can eat them. The leaves are like rocket salad leaves. Esp when young.
British weeds are simply wild flowers
I don’t I think they’re great – nice early food for bee’s and they heal your lawn.
Dandelions only grow where the soil is missing nutrition, when the soil is back to its happy self the dandelions disappear.
Plus you can make a pretty nice syrup from them
They spread everywhere and won’t stay where they’re supposed to.
I really like them, I leave mine in. The colour is beautiful and the bees like them.
Start calling them Lions Teeth – no stigma attached to that name. You could also turn you lawn into wild meadow if you like the idea of bee friendly flowers and not bothered about the “lawn” look.
Daffodils or dandelions? Dandelions grow voraciously if left to grow wildly and can ruin the grass after a few years of untamed growth and then you no longer have a lawn to use for sitting out or playing on but a seed production factory that gives your neighbours tonnes of extra work to do.
But a few dandelions and daisy’s growing within a height of 10cm is usually just kinda pretty.
I keep them for the bees as there’s not much else in flower at this time of year up here.
In Greece they make herbal tea or salad with dandelions: https://www-gastronomos-gr.translate.goog/agora/o-thisayros-ton-ellinikon-chorton/121241/?_x_tr_sl=el&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp
I leave them at this time of year because it’s often the first pollen bees have after hibernation.
Like most weeds if left they spread like wild fire. I pick them to give to my rabbits as it cleanses their bladders but we don’t get many dandelions around where I live now Bittercress and Shining Cransebill I got plenty and it winds me up because they’re useless to me.