Getting Rid of Dandelions Non-Toxically
As promised, we continue to answer Lisa {quote} “here in the Lehigh Valley” who asked about getting rid of dandelions in her lawn. I explained that if you treat your lawn correctly (which very few people do) the lawn will crowd out weeds without direct assistance from you.
But I also promised to actually answer her question directly this week, so:
Let’s start with the positives.
Although experts feel that dandelion pollen (in the yellow flowers, not the puffballs) is not as nutritious for pollinators as other plants, there just aren’t many pollinator plants blooming at that time, and the yellow flower heads in my back yard (where the neighbors won’t see them) are very attractive to my bees.
Virtually all of the plant parts are edible and highly nutritious—except the stem, which contains a milky bitter substance. To get the best flavor in salads and spring tonics, the distinctive and nutritious leaves should be harvested as early as possible--before the first sign of buds appear in the center. (After that, they are still edible, but get progressively bitter as the plant matures.) They also make an excellent cooked substitute for spinach and other greens in sautés and stir-fries.
Michigan State University Extension notes that “Dandelion flowers are a great addition to pancakes or fritters. Just add one-half to three-quarter cup of plucked flowers to your regular pancake or fritter mix. Choose large heads that are fully in flower, and gently pull the petals away from the green base. This is a great activity for kids who want to help in the kitchen. The flowers are a good source of antioxidants as well as vitamins A and B12.”
The flowers are also used to make dandelion wine (you’ll find lots of recipes online) and syrup. The root is edible, but requires washing, peeling and cooking to remove enough of the bitterness to be incorporated into soups and stews. Those roots are an excellent source of calcium and other nutritious things.
Removal: The absolute best way to deal with dandelions is with a stand-up root puller; a long metal rod with a small cage at the bottom and a step plate you use to activate the tool. You pull the handle at the top straight up and the cage opens. Then you center it over the offending plant and push down gently until the top of the little cage is at the soil level. Then you place your foot on the step plate and push it down. This will close the cage and allow you to pull the plant out of the ground, root and all—without ever bending over!
My old original puller (the “Hound Dog”) doesn’t seem to be available under that name any more, but I found a surprising number of similar ones online, like “The Breeze Touch thirty-nine inch detachable three-claw stand up weed puller tool” (not sure what’s ‘detachable’ here, but it’s in the name so I kept it). Amazon has a video of it in action so you can see what I’m talking about.
The Fiskars line of high-quality gardening tools offers a version with a four-claw cage: “The Fiskars 4-Claw Stand Up Weed Puller Gardening Hand Weeding Tool with 39" Long Ergonomic Handle with Easy-Eject Mechanism”. As noted in the name, comfort is integrated into the tool, which has a unique ergonomic handle. It also comes with a lifetime warranty. I really like Fiskars tools in general, and the entire line is ergonomically designed to cause less stress to your body.
All styles require no bending over. You pull the caged weed up, lift it out of the ground, position it over a bucket or trash can and use the top control to open the cage. You can recover all that calcium by composting the bodies with lots of shredded fall leaves.
And finally, my favorite tool: The Flame Weeder: a Shepherd’s Hook made of curved metal. You attach a small camp-stove size propane bottle to the top (the short end), push the electric igniter and a flame comes out the long end. Move the torch over the weed and it will visibly desiccate. You’re only supposed to make it wither, but I won’t tell anyone if you linger for a while and taunt it (especially if you’re from Chicago, Philadelphia, Brooklyn or Queens.)
But you have the most flame weeder fun when puff balls begin to form on the dandelions you missed (or just outran you). Just get close to them with the flame and the puff balls explode into Munchkin fireworks! Fun for the whole family!
I just checked Amazon under “flame weeders” and most models here are way too complex and unwieldy for a homeowner to use. (Unless you have a lot of land and want to use a big gas grill size tank.) For most of us, the simple Shepherd’s Hook design is the right-size tool for the job. “The “Flame King” model shown on Amazon is the perfect example of what you want.
Two cautions. One: Have a bucket of water, or even better, a garden hose standing by in case you set some dry leaves or such on fire. Two: Be careful handling the device when you’re done. The nozzle where the flame comes out will be EXREMELY hot for the first ten minutes or so after use. Set it down where kids can’t get at it, and don’t put it down on the lid of a plastic trash can.
(Or so I’ve heard [cough; ahem].)
