Planting Dandelions on purpose?

[SpindriftAli]

I know Dandelions are not strictly a herb but their leaves and roots are available from a herbalist and wasn't sure where else to post this.

I know Dandelions can be the bane of a gardeners life but I have recently been partaking in a mug or two of dandelion tea and dandelion root coffee. I have also felt the benefits of these drinks and was wondering if anyone had planted dandelions on purpose for harvesting their leaves and roots to make teas and coffees or for use in salads? I noticed that you can buy the seeds online but wasn't sure if they were worth planting or if I should just buy the prepared stuff.

[Scarlet]

You could get seeds anywhere if you pop outside! Wish you lived near me..I'd be happy to hand anyone a dandelion trowel everytime they turned up for a cuppa!

They have a very long tap root and are very difficult to get rid off so I wouldn't sow them...they will reseed very easily

[SusieG]

I've got to agree with Scarlet, SA....
You must be blessed indeed NOT to be plagued by dandelions.....

If you lived closer, I would gladly let you roam around my garden helping yourself to dandelions (and many other unwanted 'plants'...!!!) - I'd even supply the kettle, cup and milk & sugar, if required...!!!

Their roots go on forever and really take some shifting - so be wary if you do decide to go ahead with your plan...

[SpindriftAli]

Thank you both. I was worried about the reseeding and wasn't sure I would be popular with the neighbours if I planted them. Technically I could use the dandelions coming up out of my lawn but they have been treated so unusable.

Thank you Susie for the offer of a dande-latte, dandelion root coffee is actually delicious. I have been drinking dandelion tea for a week and the symptoms of my arthritis have all but gone and symptoms relating to my thyroid problem have greatly reduced, even the folk at work have noticed something different about me but can't put their finger on it. Think I will just stick to the ready prepared stuff.

[SusieG]

SA, can you furnish me with details of where you get your dandelion root coffee - and also the tea. Can you buy it commercially...?
I'd like to try it to see if it makes a difference to my arthritis (don't know if it would help rheumatoid only or if it helps osteoarthritis ....?)
Thanks!

[SpindriftAli]

I am sure you can get it from any health food store but I got the Cotswold Health ones from that very popular online store beginning with A (wasn't sure if I was allowed to name them).

I infuse the leaves for 5-10 mins and have a cup with a half spoon of agave or honey. I have been having two cups a day for about six days and have not had any pain from my arthritic ankle or fingers since. In fact the day I didn't have any because I was at work was the day I had some pain in my ankle. I have also had less fluid retention and less bloating, silky soft skin where before it was very dry, glossier hair and have more energy too. It is also caffeine free as is the dandelion root coffee which I steep for about 5 minutes and have with a little agave and milk. The leaf tea has a light tea flavour with a bit of a bitter aftertaste hence the sweetener. The coffee on first taste has a dark roast coffee flavour but after a few sips has a slight aftertaste which is not unpleasant but again would need something to sweeten it.

The health benefits were talked about on the bbc show 'the truth about food' as they were talking about super foods and whether they lived up to the claim and they found dandelion to be a proper super food containing vitamins and minerals and helped a number of health complaints. I had got the tea before watching this show but I must admit it has certainly helped me, hence my query.

[ecudc]

Don't forget if self medicating with herbs such as dandelion, St. John's wort and echinacea amongst many others that they can have, even in low doses, unexpected impacts on medications you are taking or existing conditions so you should check with your go if the above apply.

Dandelion is a mild diuretic so could impact on heart, kidney and liver.

[happyhumph]

From what I've read the leaves can be quite bitter, but if you force them like rhubarb they're meant to taste nice

[SusieG]

Very interesting .....certainly sounds like it has helped you!!
Thanks for sharing your info and experience, I'll do a bit of research into this. I don't like having to take regular painkillers, so this sounds an interesting alternative!

[SpindriftAli]

Yes of course ecudc, you are correct, thank you for mentioning that. I was only enquiring as I had noticed benefits to my own health. It was not my intention to put anyone's health at risk, apologies if I have inadvertently caused offence to anyone.

[Ryez]

My boyfriend had symptoms of restless legs syndrome, which again are due to bad blood circulation. So I got him into taking ginkgo biloba and ginseng every day and it stopped. So yes, some supplements might help individuals, depending on the severity of their condition, but of course always consult a doctor. As for planting dandelions, only in isolation!!! They are very aggressive and propagate very fast.

[21up]

Hi SpindriftAli
i have bought the seeds before they are not the dandys that you see although similar as you cannot tell the diff.
when i got them many years ago i just used the roots as suggested then i had to roast them and crush them up and used to make coffee no mention of tea BUT i did not get loads of dandys comming up like you do from the wild ones maybe they were sterile like bocking 14 comfrey which dont set seed that reseeds itself like the wild comfrey does.
But the roots of the dandy will carry on growing from the bits left in the ground but it did not spread around so it was contained .hope this helps but it was a pain roasting it

[Jay-ell]

Dandelions are eaten alot more on the continent as a salad herb (leaves are forced under buckets) where a more bitter flavour is preferred, although some of the plants called dandelion are in fact chicory (mainly in Italy I think) the true dandelion is also used.

The roots are roasted an ground, often mixed with chicory roots) to make a caffeine free coffee like drink. There are various herbal uses of dandelion which I'm not qualified to go into.

I used to have a plot on a large allotment site in East London where a horticulturist is supposed to have done a survey of the dandelions and concluded that they were all Victorian cultivated varieties - although how he could tell a cultivated variety apart from a wild variety I don't know, especially after 100 years of cross pollination.

Anyway there are cultivated varieties available which have broader leaves than wild plants.

Dandelion Thick-leaved Seeds £1.75 from Chiltern Seeds - Chiltern Seeds Secure Online Seed Catalogue and Shop

[Nicos]

As Jay says, we often see various types of forced dandelion on market stalls.
I'm not sure if each type has a slightly different flavour...or is better for it's roots etc, but I've just found this and thought you might be interested?
It's got a lot of interesting recipes and advice.....

16 Dandelion Recipes | The Prairie Homestead

Let us know how you get on if you decide to have a bash at any of them!

[Mr Bones]

I read that half-dried out dandelion roots made a tasty chew so when clearing my first allotment I washed some of the fleshier roots, left them in the sun for a few days until they seemed about right and gave them a try. The taste took a bit of jaw work before it came through but when it did it hit big and tasted just like half-dried out dandelion roots. Really bitter with a lasting after taste. Not one for me but I can see why you'd grow them to make tea.