Is there anyone who doesn't know the bright yellow floret of a dandelion bloom? Be careful though, because these dandies do have their imitators! At maturity, the purplish stems are more than half full of milky nectar, supporting the flower heads. The leaves are shiny and do not have hairs. Each leaf is cut into jagged edges or teeth, pointing either upright or a bit backwards, and these teeth are themselves cut into lesser teeth. There are many varieties of Dandelion leaves; some are deeply cut into their segments, in others the jagged edges are less noticeable.
As dandelion grows so commonly as a lawn and garden 'weed', growing them generally involves as little effort as finding the newest one in the yard! However, should you want to create your own dandelion plot, they do prefer full sun to part shade, and will tolerate any soil condition and any weather. Be aware that there are several flowers easily mistaken for the Dandelion when in bloom, but these have hairy leaves or branched flower-stems, and the roots differ in shape and structure.
Dandelion planted throughout an orchard is said to increase the harvest of fruit trees.
HARVESTING: The most important part of 'gardening' with Dandelion is harvesting. The leaves are best taken young, before the plant has flowered. For culinary use, Spring growth will need to be blanched first before eating to reduce bitterness, but by Fall the bitter taste in younger leaves is greatly reduced. The full-grown leaves should not be taken as they are extremely bitter.
If the flower buds of plants reserved in a corner of the garden for salad purposes are removed at once and the leaves carefully cut, the plants will last through the winter.
The tops should be cut on a dry day, when quite free of rain or dew, and all insect-eaten or stained leaves rejected.
There are many opinions on the best time to harvest the root. The British Pharmacopceia considers the autumn root more bitter than the spring root, and is preferred for medicinal purposes. The root is best taken between September and February, and in perfect condition in November or early December depending upon climate.
To harvest the root, only the large, fleshy and well-formed roots should be collected, from plants two years old or older, not the younger, more slender or forked ones. Dig them up in wet weather, but not during frost, when they are less nutrient rich. Shake off as much of the earth as possible and then cleanse the roots under running water. Do not cut or slice the roots or the valuable milky juice on which their medicinal value depends will be wasted by bleeding. Drying dandelion root should take about two weeks. The root should be hard and brittle, and should snap easily. The inside should be white and not gray. They should be kept dry even after drying to avoid mould, preferably in tins or sealed jars. Dried Dandelion is exceedingly liable to maggots and should not be kept beyond one season.
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