Why are dandelions considered pests?

[Primalclaws1974]

I don't understand why so many people hate dandelions. They are pretty, and harmless in terms of hurting other plants. They are even edible. People are constantly mowing them down, or spraying weed killer on them. I don't seem they as unsightly, or as weeds.

 

[ChanellG]

It's very simple: They are invasive wild plants. Most people consider them to be weeds so they don't see them as having any value. In Europe dandelions are used as food, but in the U.S. they are just blight on a lawn. Considering how easily they spread and that they can take over a lawn, that hardly makes them "harmless."

 

[marlingardener]

I certainly don't want a lawn full of dandelions, but considering that they are prime bee food, we let ours stay around until they start to get out of hand. If the number of 'lions starts to multiply too quickly, I dig the most mature ones and feed them to the chickens. It makes for an interesting morning getting acquainted with all the little critters that live in the grass, and an interesting afternoon working the soreness out of my back!

 

[Mockingbird]

I don't mow down or pull out the dandys, In fact I use them, I raise tortoises and it is a big part of their diet so I am happy that I have some. I just make sure that they are picked back quite often, before they go to seed because otherwise they would spread like fire. They are pretty indestructible, i find them under the snow already green in the springtime.

Its funny, where I live people pay a fortune to have perfect lawns, Not me, and I think I get something better in return, i have song birds, I get ducks and I have small creatures i so adore. I know they come back because I do not use herbicides and have a pretty balanced ecosystem. Dandy's are fine they can stay along the driveway.

 

[claudine]

My parents hate them In my opinion it's crazy! Dandelions are one of the prettiest plants in the whole world. I love them. Looking at their funny, yellow flowers always makes me smile

 

[Pat]

We don't get many dandelions in our lawn but we do pull them out when we do get a few. I don't dislike the plant, I was trained as a child to pull them because they are weeds so I still pull them up.

 

[kammy]

When there is excess dandelions on my lawn i usually pull them up and have them dried to make tea and as a matter of fact this is a tea that i like lots.

 

[Primalclaws1974]

It's very simple: They are invasive wild plants. Most people consider them to be weeds so they don't see them as having any value. In Europe dandelions are used as food, but in the U.S. they are just blight on a lawn. Considering how easily they spread and that they can take over a lawn, that hardly makes them "harmless."

I don't agree. It is harmless, if it causes no harm. I can understand not leaving thistles or thorns, or hedge or small tree, because these things can cause accidents that could physically hurt someone. The prickly plants could be stepped on, or the hedges and small trees might be blocking the line-of-sight of traffic. I just don't see something in your yard as colorful and small as a little flower being a problem. Just my two-cents.

 

[ChanellG]

When there is excess dandelions on my lawn i usually pull them up and have them dried to make tea and as a matter of fact this is a tea that i like lots.

I've read that the dandelions that grow wild everywhere are not necessarily the same as the culinary ones so I've never tried mine. I would like to order culinary dandelion seed, but containing them might be an issue. I have purchased dandelion tea as it is very good for maintaining certain aspects of health.

Our own @zigs likes dandelion coffee.

 

[ChanellG]

I don't agree. It is harmless, if it causes no harm. I can understand not leaving thistles or thorns, or hedge or small tree, because these things can cause accidents that could physically hurt someone. The prickly plants could be stepped on, or the hedges and small trees might be blocking the line-of-sight of traffic. I just don't see something in your yard as colorful and small as a little flower being a problem. Just my two-cents.

You don't have to agree; it's an invasive plant and it can take over the lawn. Any plant that spreads and robs something else of growing space and nutrients is in effect harmful to that plant. There are plenty of small colorful flowering plants that are just as much of a problem when you want your growing space dedicated to something else.

 

[zigs]

Yep, love a cup of Dandelion

I leave a few to grow big roots in the veg plot, then just harvest them like any other crop

 

[Mockingbird]

When there is excess dandelions on my lawn i usually pull them up and have them dried to make tea and as a matter of fact this is a tea that i like lots.

Really you can make Dandelion Tea? What do you add to it, is it just the dandy's or do you add Echinacea or some other herbals? I have lemon mint that I have used for teas, as well as anything else that might work but had never thought of doing this with dandelion.

not necessarily the same as the culinary ones so I've never tried mine.

Really? I had always thought the only difference is the Dandy's that people buy in the stores are grown larger, is it that this is a different species then the wild type? Seriously they look identical to me, but if they are different I wonder why? You know I always wondered if there was a way I could cultivate this in a more uniform way for my turtles, but I have never seen dandelion seeds or plants available in any of the catalogs which might be why I had such a faulty assumption. The things you learn on the net

 

[zigs]

Add milk and 2 sugars

Tastes more like coffee,

Dig the mature roots up,wear gloves though as the sap will stain your hands for days,

Scrub & chop the roots up, in a food processor if you've got one, then roast them till they are dry, golden brown if they've gone black, you've burnt them

 

[kammy]

I've read that the dandelions that grow wild everywhere are not necessarily the same as the culinary ones so I've never tried mine. I would like to order culinary dandelion seed, but containing them might be an issue. I have purchased dandelion tea as it is very good for maintaining certain aspects of health.

Our own @zigs likes dandelion coffee.

Well i've always used the dandelions found on my lawn to make tea and i've never had any shortcomings...i just dry the roots and leave and make me a cup of tea.

 

[Primalclaws1974]

You don't have to agree; it's an invasive plant and it can take over the lawn. Any plant that spreads and robs something else of growing space and nutrients is in effect harmful to that plant. There are plenty of small colorful flowering plants that are just as much of a problem when you want your growing space dedicated to something else.

So what in your yard is a dandelion robbing of nutrients? A single blade of grass? Dandelions clearly do not suck nutrients out of any yard that has them, or it would be patchy with dead grass. I am not expecting someone to leave them in a garden, but they are just as harmless as those little purple flowers (bluebells?) that grow in the yard. I also agree with Zigs and Kammy, if anything they are the OPPOSITE of harmful, as they can be eaten for sustenance, and made into drinks. Killing a pretty flower is bad enough, but killing something edible is even worse.