Dandelion Whine

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ryan Hagerty

I suspect I’m not the first to employ this pun; probably many have used it before me. But, unlike many, I don’t whine about having dandelions in the yard, rather about our obsession with getting rid of dandelions and having perfect lawns.

Before society labeled dandelions as undesirable weeds, they often were planted as garden flowers. And indeed, a field of dandelions in bloom can be quite lovely. 

Creative Commons 2.0, Roger Kidd

I generally like dandelions, but in keeping with societal expectations I’ve tried many things over the years to control them. With the major spring flush of dandelions just past, I find myself asking “WHY do I want to get rid of dandelions?” The answer is cause for pause: I think it’s all about aesthetics.

But before whining about WHY control dandelions, here are some of the HOWs I’ve tried to control them over the years.

NOT-SO-GREAT OPTIONS

Roundup

At one time, I spot-treated dandelions with Roundup. And it worked well. But as I’ve learned more about the environmental and health risks associated with glyphosate—Roundup’s main component—I’ve stopped using it.  Searching the literature—including peer-reviewed sources—turns up a frightening array of problems associated with Roundup. It’s toxic to amphibians and its overuse on genetically modified crops is linked to the decline of Monarch butterflies.  Agriculturally, Roundup is associated with the rise of resistant superweeds.  Roundup has also been linked to many human health problems.  

While Roundup works well quite well as a weed killer, it comes with too many uncertainties and potential problems. So, I’ve stopped using Roundup and avoid other herbicides as well.

And so, I searched for more natural options to fight dandelions.

Boiling water

I read that pouring boiling water on weeds will kill them. But yikes! There are so many things living in soil, including scores of beneficial organisms; I’m not going to scald them to death. This literally is overkill. I did not try this.

Salt

This is another example of overkill and long-lasting overkill at that.  Suggestions to apply salt to weeds as herbicide also come with the warning that the salt kills surrounding vegetation, too. Beyond this, salt lingers in the soil, altering soil and water chemistry and preventing plant growth for some time to come.  I opted not to try this, either.

Removing flowers and buds

It seems reasonable that pinching off dandelion flowers before they go to seed will help get them under control, right? Sadly, no.  As a recent New York Times Science item reported, deadheading just encourages the plants to put out more flowers.  So when I’ve picked dandelion buds to give to our Monk Parakeet, Tango, as a favorite treat, I’ve actually been encouraging them to bloom more. Sigh.

Vinegar and water mix

I’ve tried spraying a vinegar and water mix (roughly 50-50) on dandelions. At first, it seemed to work. Leaves on the sprayed plants turned brown, shriveled, and died. But the plants lived, as evidenced by the flowers they later robustly produced. Dandelions’ long tap roots allow them to survive surface treatments.

SOMEWHAT EFFECTIVE OPTIONS

Dig them out

This option requires elbow grease and continuing diligence all summer long. But to me, avoiding the chemicals is worth the hard work.  Hand-weeding, making sure to get as much of the tap root as possible, visibly decreases the number of dandelions in the yard.  But although I make a good start when dandelions first start blooming, I find I can’t keep up.

For me, this option comes with an added benefit: It recalls fond memories of childhood. I enjoyed helping my Dad in the yard; digging out dandelions was a job I could do.  I remember the cool feel and earthy scent of the grass as I lounged on the ground and “worked.” My father was very tolerant of my extended diversions—creating necklaces from tied-together dandelion flowers.

Corn gluten

This control method uses an agricultural byproduct—corn gluten—as an alternative to chemical herbicides. A germination inhibitor, corn gluten prevents successful germination of seeds, not just dandelions, but grass, vegetables, and more. However, corn gluten doesn’t have any effect on established plants.

The product I’ve used, Gardens Alive! WOW!® Pre-Emergence Weed Control, is applied with a broadcast spreader at a very specific time in the spring—when Forsythias are in bloom.  I feel that I’ve had some success with this method, although I’ve seen studies that say corn gluten has no effect on weed germination. 

I infer success based on a few years of NOT using corn gluten.  When I used corn gluten for a few years, I wasn’t sure that it had much effect. But, after not using it for about 5 years, I feel that the number of dandelions in the yard has increased. Of course, it could be that I’ve slacked off on other dandelion control methods at the same time.  But I think I’ll try this method again next spring.

TO REMOVE OR NOT TO REMOVE DANDELIONS: THAT IS THE QUESTION

At present, I’m still keeping my eyes open for new dandelion-control options, but I’m also wondering why I try to control dandelions at all. Why do we spend so much time and money trying to control what is a harmless—and even beneficial—plant?

It seems that Americans’ dislike of dandelions is mostly aesthetic. We live in a society that has highly manicured, turf grass-dominated yards as its ideal. Dandelions, which produce many seeds, spread readily. While their sunny yellow flowers are quite pretty, when they go to seed, they’re less attractive and not very neat.

However, in focusing on dandelions’ looks, we miss some great qualities. Dandelions are edible and nutritious. They’re packed with vitamins, including A and C. Dandelion flowers are used to make wine, and dried roots have been used as a coffee substitute. Dandelion greens are sold in large, leafy bunches in grocery stores. In fact, our pet Monk Parakeet, Tango, loves them.  Ironically, when I bought some seeds from a culinary seed catalogue, I couldn’t get them to sprout. 

Dandelions have been used to treat medical conditions for centuries. Sometimes brewed as a healing tea, the plant is a natural diuretic, and is used to help liver problems, high blood pressure and other ailments.

Dandelions also provide a good food source for wildlife. A number of bird species eat the seeds and some mammals eats the leaves and flowers. Dandelions are even used as forage for livestock.

It seems to me that there are many reasons to like dandelions. So while I’ll still adhere to convention and attempt to control them (to some extent), I’ve become a dandelion fan. I want to practice “dandelion acceptance” and promote a move away from artificially perfect “Stepford” lawns. Paraphrasing a familiar proverb, when life gives you dandelions, make wine. Does anyone know of a good dandelion wine recipe?