Time 1:40 – 2:20
The dandelion is part of the daisy and sunflower family. It has conquered the world. It was once world famous for its beauty, there was a time when gardeners weeded out the grass to make room for dandelions. In Japan botanical societies were formed to admire their beauty. However the 20th Century 1900 – 2000 say modern lawns and the demise of the dandelion. It was now seen as a sign of wealth to have beautiful grassy lawns, and that you didn’t have to use all your land to grow food. The dandelion turned from been a beautiful flower to a menace. But just look outside, despite not being wanted it has been a really successful plant. That’s because the bulk of the plant is in the root so a lawn mover does nothing to stop it.
Time 4:20 – 5:30
The dandelion has a tap root and it snaps if you pull it. The irony is that it is successful because of humans and how we manicure and cut lawns. If you look at a meadow with long grass, you will not see a dandelion, the light is blocked out.
Time 7:30 – 8:50
The dandelion os not one flower but over 100 flowers. If you disect, each of the 150 flowers has 5 petals and down in the bottom corner is a drop of nectar which proves to be a vital early food for bees butterflies and many bugs.
Time 15:35 – 18:15
Where the the name dandelion come from? Why is it called Pissenlit in France?
Time 18:30 – 22:50
The Irish for dandelion is called Caisearbhán meaning bitter stem. Humans can’t make vitamin C and need to ingest it. After a long winter the old Irish needed to get Vitamin C into their bodies and eating dandelion was the best way to do that. The dandelion has many medicinal properties , it is a diuretic and it was sometimes put on bread and butter to help treat TB an awful disease in Ireland in the past. The white sap in the stem was used to treat warts. Many people just have a dislike for the dandelion. We will listen to the podcast contributor speak about her 3 year young son bringing her a bunch of dandelions but her 6 year old daughter giving out to him for doing so, she already had made her mind up it was a weed.
Time 22:50 – 26:00
Dandelions are so important for honey bees, when the bees return to the hive with pollen from a dandelion it alerts the queen that summer is about to start. It is important not to cut or used herbisides to kill them. There are initiatives now such as ‘No Mow May’. People know honey made from dandelion nectar.
Time 26:00 – 28:40
The dandelion is very important to the butterfly, it is low to the ground and warm and the wind doesn’t affect the butterfly as much. The dandelion does so much good for nature.
Time 29:10 – 31:20
Dandelions are very important to other insects also. Dandelions flower early and they are food when nothing else is around.We must encourage people to leave them in the garden. Why is it unpopular for gardeners to leave them in the garden?
Time 31:20 – 35:00
How are dandelions important to humans? They are used in salads by some, they provide Vit A,K and many minerals. They provide food for bees which help us humans grow food. Dandelion wine is also made. In the 1800’s women were not supposed to drink alcohol, it was not proper but dandelion wine was considered therapeutic so women drank that. Dandelions are also used to make a form of coffee. There is even a song about Dandelion wine.
Time 43:30 – end
The importance of the dandelion can’t be overstated. Our midst is changing and initiatives such as No Mow May are helping. Wild plants (some call weeds) are good. Gardens have gone through phases, in the 60’s and 70’s herbicides were used in abundance but we are learning and changing.
