My farmer parents knew better than to kill the dandelion, violet, plantain and other grassy elements of our lawn. The truth is that if their daughters picked every sunny yellow dandelion flower to make chains, crowns and other adornments, the dandelion population would plummet. Dandelions need to mature and develop their feathery white seeds, which scatter in the wind.
These days, I go one step further and make dandelion fritters from those golden blossoms. I’m glad I wasn’t raised to hate plants that grow naturally.
Spring is days away and that first push of outdoors activity means that people will be putting something called lawn “food” on their green spaces, unaware that they are applying a substance called 2, 4-D - which is a chemical cousin of Agent Orange.
Yikes!
Even if you don’t eat your lawn, are you willing to track that poison into your home every time you walk outside?
But there’s hope.
Besides getting to know native plants, there are non-toxic lawn care products like dehydrated cow manure, dried poultry manure, bloodmeal, cottonseed meal, fish emulsion and mixed organic fertilizers, all widely available.
There is also a world full of sustainable technology options. One option is to plant ground cover, which prevents erosion, attract birds, butterflies and beneficial insects, like ladybugs. Another is to let those wild weeds grow - harvest and eat them. See my Wild Recipes for resources.
Water is a major concern. What seeps into your ground water will end up in your drinking water.
So, on behalf of the beautiful and beneficial dandelion, I pray for tolerance and a real end to the double-speak that dupes people into thinking that poison is food and that healthful weeds are toxic.