I find it curious that as my garden winds down, dandelion are popping back up. What makes the dandelion so special it gets 2 seasons of bloom? I'm sure I don't know. But my philosophy about weeds has always been, if you can't beat them, put them to use. So before you mow them down, spray them or actually try and dig all the dandelions out of your lawn, grab a basket and harvest a batch.
Both the flowers and the leaves of dandelions can be put to work. Amy Jeanroy, About's Guide to Herb Gardens, sautes dandelion greens into a tempting and nutritious side dish. Amy also uses the flowers to make a dandelion infused oil, to soothe her aching muscles, from pulling dandelions. And our Homecooking Guide, Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, sweetens the pot with dandelion honey. Perfect as a breakfast pick-me-up, before going back into the garden to weed again.
Photo: © Marie Iannotti
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