“Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them.” — A.A. Milne

The soil in my garden and yard is full of clay, not unlike many of the soils all over Routt County. And do you know what loves to grow in clay soil? Yes, dandelions! The more dandelions you see in your yard, the more likely it is that you have heavy clay soils.

What I find is so great about dandelions is they are editable, medicinal and free to harvest in your own yard (do not harvest from yards that have been sprayed with any chemicals). The plant can be used from the root to the bright yellow bloom. The only inedible part is the stem, which contains a very bitter milky substance.

According to Mount Siani research, “Taraxacum officinale (dandelion) may be seen as a pesky weed, but it is chock full of vitamins A, B, C and D, as well as minerals, such as iron, potassium and zinc.”

This research goes on to say, “Dandelion leaves are used to add flavor to salads, sandwiches and teas. The roots are used in some coffee substitutes, and the flowers are used to make wines.” The Mount Siani research paper also cautions, “So far, there have not been any quality scientific studies on dandelion. Today, the roots are mainly used to stimulate the appetite, and for liver and gallbladder problems. Dandelion leaves are used as a diuretic to help the body get rid of too much fluid.”

I am constantly looking for ways to use the dandelions in my yard. I have been experimenting with many different recipes from sun tea, dandelion kombucha, dandelion jelly, cookies, infused oils, vinegar, syrup and infused honey. I have used the leaves for salads, but I am not a fan as they tend to be very bitter if you do not use very young leaves. I have not tried dandelion wine yet, but I hear it can be quite good.

Note that while dandelions are generally safe for most people, if you have active gallstones, are on diuretics, are pregnant, nursing or on medication, check with a health care provider before consuming.

If you have small children, they love to go out into the yard and harvest your dandelions for you. To avoid too much proliferation of this plant, however, it’s a good idea to get the dandelion harvested or cut down before they go to seed. No matter how many ways I use my dandelions, I just can’t get them all harvested out of my yard and they always come back the next spring. Years ago, I tried so hard to rid my yard of them, but now I embrace them and make the most out of the lovely, yellow, blooming plant.

Bees also love the dandelion as it is one of the first foods for them in the spring. I like going out to my patch of dandelions and watching as the bees fly from one flower to the next.

If I have not convinced you to love your dandelions and you still want them out of your yard, a good resource for options to eliminate broad leaf weeds is the CSU Garden notes No. 552, which can be found at CMG.Extension.ColoState.edu/. Beginning May 2, you can also stop by the Routt County CSU Extension office during Master Gardener office hours, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursdays in the Routt County Courthouse Annex. You can also call us at 970-879-0825 or email us your questions at csumgprogram@co.routt.co.us. 

Holly Rogers is a Master Gardner class of 2017.