Many people think dandelions are a dangerous weed, but I know from personal experience that this is absolutely not true. They certainly do cause harm, primarily due to contamination of plantings. This occurs when numerous dandelions grow directly in garden beds. These weeds can ruin the appearance of lawns in garden plots. The main problem is that completely eradicating dandelions is virtually impossible. However, there are treatments for such situations.
When dandelions grow in a lawn or abandoned area far from the garden beds, there's nothing wrong with it. In fact, it's actually great, because the plant can be used profitably in the garden beds. I have a lot of open space far from the garden, but we can't use it because it stays waterlogged until mid-July. It only dries out briefly. This is what it looks like:
Now about the benefits. Firstly, dandelions are excellent honey and pollen producers. They're even among the top three for both. Moreover, their flowering period is quite long, which is especially pleasing to beekeepers and gardeners. I read somewhere that dandelions produce as much as 10 kg or more of honey per bee colony. Furthermore, the honey they produce is a bright amber color, with a distinctive aroma.
Other positive aspects:
- This plant attracts beneficial insects, so it's okay to have a few dandelions growing between your beds. The key is to control their growth.
- All parts of the dandelion plant are suitable for feeding to rabbits, chickens, geese, ducks, goats, and even cows. Experts say that milk yield even increases after eating dandelions.
- When this plant grows between garden beds, it releases beneficial bacteria and chicoric acid into the soil. These substances prevent the development of fusarium and other fungal diseases.
- As the plant grows, it releases ethylene (a gas), which allows crops to grow much faster. My neighbor even plants dandelions in a greenhouse every year to get a quicker harvest (she sells them to private sellers at the market).
- If dandelions grow near bushes and fruit trees, the fruits will ripen sooner.
- The root system promotes the maturation of humus in the soil, while maintaining neutral acidity.
- Earthworms love dandelions, so the soil around them is always very loose.
Dandelions are also used to make pest control infusions and as a fertilizer. Read more about this. here.
Dandelions are very difficult to remove from strawberry beds and flower beds, especially if they're growing in strawberry bushes or lilies. And if they're growing somewhere outside the beds, they're quite beautiful when they bloom! Especially in the spring.
I had no idea how beneficial dandelions are! I thought they were just noxious weeds—nothing more!