I have been wanting to open the discussion around dandelions. Spring has arrived and the dandelion is popping up all over the place. I have read many comments on Facebook about peoples’ battles with dandelions. I had to investigate whether this persistent little plant is our friend or foe. Should we be ripping it out and throwing it away or should we embrace the yellow pom-poms? So, I’ve put together this ultimate dandelion guide – a brief history of the dandelion, how to remove them and how to use all parts of the dandelion. 
Truth be told, history paints a very different picture of our ancestors relationship with this common weed. While we “pull it and pitch it” in the past, the dandelion was honoured. Acclaimed for its medicinal properties, generations of people around the world have harvested the dandelion crop for various reasons. Here’s a list of some of the things dandelions were believed to help with; liver problems, heart aliments, treatment of anemia, digestive aid and rheumatism. Today the dandelion is still used for it’s medicinal properties. Dandelion is rich in vitamin A, D, iron, potassium and zinc. The dandelion is actually an incredibly useful plant!
Bees Love the Dandelion – As you have probably heard by now, North America is being faced with a declining bee population. The decline is so great that many municipalities are looking at eliminating various pesticides from agricultural use in an attempt to save the bees. In early spring, one of the first plants that bees visit is the dandelion. The dandelion’s role in the eco-food chain is important to our bee population…a good reason to let them colour your lawn.
Make Something Useful from Dandelions – There are so many amazing things that can be made from dandelions…
Roast a batch of dandelion root coffee or tea, like this one from Living Herbal Tea.
Sooth and moisturize your skin with this dandelion salve from Montana Homesteader.
How refreshing does this dandelion lemonade from Blissful Living look?
Make a beautiful crown of dandelions like this one from Wabi-Sabi Wanderings
Bake up a batch of dandelion cookies from 5 Orange Potatoes
Use the dandelion greens to make dandelion pesto from Food Babe
Wildflower Ramblings shares a simple dandelion play dough recipe
Fresh baked dandelion bread…who knew…from Walnut Acre.
Scratch Mommy show us how to make dandelion lip balm.How to Remove Dandelions – Whether you want to use the dandelions that dot your lawn in a delicious recipe, or you aren’t fond of them for aesthetic reasons, you need to know how to properly pull out a dandelion plant. How do you get the roots, shoots, leaves, flowers and all? Fortunately, the dandelion has a tap root, like a carrot. This root structure makes it easier to pull. Unfortunately, the dandelion has a super strong root…it holds on with all of its might!
Find your dandelion, and grasp the entire plant in one hand…revealing the base of the plant.
Grab your trusty weed pulling tool, (Lee Valley Dandelion Remover, Fiskars Stand-up Weeder). I use my mom’s old hand tool…it does the job beautifully.
Drive the tool down along the side of the root…
Tip the tool toward the root, without snapping the root, and pull the root up out of the ground…
You might not get then entire root every time…
But, when you do get the entire root what satisfaction…
When you are done, the lawn is dandelion free – just keep on top of it…
Hot tip: pull dandelions when the soil is wet…it is much easier to pull weeds when the soil is wet and loose.
Grow a Diverse Lawn – Last spring we took a look at our lawn and discovered that not only were dandelions enjoying our front law, so was clover. What wasn’t growing very successfully was the actual grass. We took that as a sign that we should move away from growing grass and add more clover. This has been a win-win situation. The bees love clover flowers, we have fewer dandelions and we have found a few four leaf clovers! That has to be a positive sign. 
There is a lot to take into consideration when it comes to the dandelion. Perhaps it isn’t simply an invasive weed? I know we will be trying some of these recipes. Whatever choice you make, I hope your anxiety over having a green and yellow lawn is lessened.
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Wow – I had no idea there were so many uses for dandelions! I guess I am just embracing the dandelions on my front lawn this year – I have zero time to weed my yard right now, plus, my kids think they are fantastic to pull and give to me – too sweet, I can’t say no!