Your 2024 Garden

[Nomadicus]

One other thing I want to find seed for is dandelions. Chickens love them and they are so easy to sow right over a stand of pasture sod. They hang on during a drought or freezes.

 

[Sally PB]

One other thing I want to find seed for is dandelions. Chickens love them and they are so easy to sow right over a stand of pasture sod. They hang on during a drought or freezes.

If I hadn't seen them advertised in a catalog, I would have thought this was a joke. They grow everywhere here. Ev.Er.Y.where.

 

[tripletfeb]

One other thing I want to find seed for is dandelions. Chickens love them and they are so easy to sow right over a stand of pasture sod. They hang on during a drought or freezes.

I have never heard of anyone wanting to plant dandelions. They are all over here in Ohio. And I found out recently how usable they are. They aren't just a weed. Yes, I've eaten dandelion greens before but even the flowers and roots can be made into teas that are beneficial to gut and immune health

 

[fuzzi]

One other thing I want to find seed for is dandelions. Chickens love them and they are so easy to sow right over a stand of pasture sod. They hang on during a drought or freezes.

When I was a child (1960s) there was an old Italian lady who would walk into people's yards with a knife in hand...looking for dandelions! My mother said it was fine with her, but no way she was going to tell the woman to leave, not with that big knife in her hand!

 

[Iluveggers]

I have never heard of anyone wanting to plant dandelions. They are all over here in Ohio. And I found out recently how usable they are. They aren't just a weed. Yes, I've eaten dandelion greens before but even the flowers and roots can be made into teas that are beneficial to gut and immune health

I had a few growing in my garden’s walkway, and I left them there this fall. Been using dandelion root for tea (it’s great for the stomach), and cooking the greens. I don’t think I would plant any IN the garden, but I am definitely going to be on the hunt for them next year in the yard. I have a few neighbors that spray with that Sta-Green pesticide to keep the dandelions off their grass and I have to bite my tongue…they have kids and dogs that play in their yards.

 

[NanaK]

The chickens love dandelions. Gold finches too.
They are everywhere here. If you have a couple but want more just let them seed out. You will soon have a yard full of them.

 

[Sally PB]

I never really cared for or about dandelions. Or goldenrod. Then I found out that honey bees love both. Now I do too.

I'd known dandelions were edible, but I've never eaten any. How do you prepare the greens? Steamed, or raw?

Been using dandelion root for tea (it’s great for the stomach)

Really interested in hearing about this! How to prepare, how to make the tea, and what it tastes like.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I'd known dandelions were edible, but I've never eaten any. How do you prepare the greens? Steamed, or raw?

They can be cooked (I've only tried boiling, probably not the best way to do it) or eaten raw, like in salads. Bitter though, if you don't like bitter greens.

My chickens won't touch them at all. Anything they're supposed to want to eat, they won't.

 

[tripletfeb]

I never really cared for or about dandelions. Or goldenrod. Then I found out that honey bees love both. Now I do too.

I'd known dandelions were edible, but I've never eaten any. How do you prepare the greens? Steamed, or raw?


Really interested in hearing about this! How to prepare, how to make the tea, and what it tastes like.

Dandelions are bee's first food in the spring. Goldenrod is some of their last food in the fall. The greens I had were steamed and had seasoning and oil on them

 

[Nomadicus]

I have a good deal of golden rod that I let go for the sake of the pollinators. Over 4 acres here and I've never seen a dandelion. It should be easy to get it started in the pasture area were chickens can get to whether free ranging or in their runs.