5 Dandelion Secrets that Will Blow you Away!

Did you know:

Dandelions may not be the prettiest flower in the garden but their presence can make you other more desirable plants shine.

1. These understated plants are actually beneficial your lawn & garden. Their roots spread wide underground and help loosen hard-packed soil, aerate the ground, and reduce erosion. If allowed to fully develop, dandelion taproots can penetrate deep into hardpan, layer of compacted soil, to extract calcium, iron, and potassium from within the subsoil, into their leaves and make them more readily available to other more desirable ground level plants.

2. Dandelions are among the first weeds to colonize disturbed land. Not only do they condition distressed soil while growing, they help fertilize the grass when they die and decompose, leaving behind mineral-rich organic matter that nourishes the soil.

 3. Dandelions are a 100% edible herb! One cup of raw dandelion greens (25 calories)  provide 112% of the daily requirement of vitamin A. Their leaves can be eaten raw or cooked and are a source of vitamin A, C and K!

 4. A dandelion's roots can be roasted to create a caffeine-free dandelion coffee.  Mmmmm...Yum!

 5. Dandelion flowers do not need to be pollinated to form seed. They can go to seed even after being plucked!