Insanity and dandelions...

He's not alone in the dandelion appreciation society http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ons_31021.html

Personally, I hate the beggars on my lotties, don't mind them in the lawn, and prefer lettuce in my salad

Well I live and learn...

Personally I share your aversion to them - too many popping up in my lawn, flowers and getting close to the veg patch...

I don't mind them in the lawn so much. I make wine with the flowers and feed the leaves to the chooks.

I weed them out of the borders and veg patch though (and chuck them to the chooks)

I rather thought he was taking the wee out of those who take some aspects of gardening all too seriously<g>
I like dandelions, as long as they aren't growing where I want to plant something else. It is certainly one of the most usable plants around (roots are edible, or can be roasted into a coffee sunstitute, as well as all the rest)

Have you ever tasted dandelion "coffee"?

I tend to persuade myself to like anything I can't get rid of! My ground elder flowers in bouquets is a case in point. I'm feeding the leaves of dandelions to the chickens - I think it's their preferred greens!
I've noticed around here that council mass daffodil plantings seem to be encouraging the increase in the dandelion population. They don't mow the daff patches till early June. By now there are long stretches of verge in Hull and surrounding areas that are a mass of dandelion clocks. THAT'S where the beggars are coming from!

I've made my own. Not a bad drink as long as you don't think of it as coffee!

I made dandelion tea out of the flowers a couple of weeks ago and it was really nice! Apparently more of the 'drug' is in the root and leaf, though. I actually like dandelions - I think they're pwetty!

Has anyone tried dandelions as a liquid feed?

I've got one steeping at the moment, mainly dandelion heads with a few stalks and leaves, but no idea whether it works or not.

Yep, both the one sold under the name Dandex and a home-made version (from a neighbour)!
As with most coffee subtitutes it is a lot better if you stop expecting it to be like coffee................

All taken from "All Good Things Around Us" Pamela Michael.

Dandelion Soup,
Two thirds colander dandelion leaves
1oz. butter
1 small onion
1 medium potato
1 1/2 pints chicken or veg stock
salt and pepper.

pick leaves from bitter nid-rib wash and leave to drain. Melt butter in pan, finely slice onion and sweat. Peel and dice spud and add to onion. Cover and cook very gently for 5 mins. Add dandelion leaves and sweat for a further 5 mins. Stir in stock, season with salt and pepper and cook gently for 15 mins. Seive or liquidise and serve with crusty bread and butter(tried and reccomended!)

Dandelion Fizz

2pt measure dandelion flowers
4 pints water
2 lbs sugar
2 lemons

Trim stalks from flowers but leave on the green sepals underneath the flower. Discard any flowers that are overblown and any unopened buds. The prepared flowers should fill a 2pt. jug when gently pressed down.
Wash flowers in a colander and tip them into a plastic brewing bucket with a well fitting lid. Pour over the boiling water, put lid on bucket and leave for twelve hours.
Strain liquid through a double thickness of muslin into a large saucepan, add the sugar and zest and juice of lemons and heat gently, stirring until sugar has dissolved.
Strain liquid into large jugs and leave to cool.
Pour into clean(sterilized) bottles with strong screw caps.
Ready to drink in three to four weeks.
This is mildly alcoholic and though sweet is very refreshing. Serve over ice in a tall glass.

There were dandelions at Chelsea this year on one of the herb stands run by Jekka McVicar who feels they are very valuable. Personally i love them they are so cheerful and their seed heads are quite beautiful, we called them dandelion clocks when we were little and how ever many blows it took to blow all the seeds off was what time it was!
I have alot on my plot, not because i am using them to tell the time, but they are very common on there, i am trying to take them out but they have such deep tap roots. I let them flower in my garden so long as they don't bully out some of my more delicate border flowers.

I try to keep them out of my garden - as with anything else growing where I want to grow something else. But they are lovely growing en masse in wild places - plenty around here. And they are a source of free food if that is what you are into.

So, in answer to your question Sheepish , I think he is of sound mind but we just don't all share the same values. Room for everybody I think.

Indeed. I was far from up to speed on just how many uses they have. I do still hate the ones threatening my veg patch though