Take a New Look at Dandelions

Today is Earth Day. In celebration, here is an article I wrote for my Canton Daily Ledger column in 2000. Over the years, it received many hits on social media and ran in newspapers across the country. Twenty years later, I hope you still find it pertinent and interesting.

Today is the 30th anniversary of Earth Day. On this day, take time to reflect about our world around us. You might even try to look at a small piece of our world from a completely different viewpoint. Take dandelions for example. To many people the dandelion is a weedy pest that invades our lawns; but other people find many positive attributes in the plant.

Kids love dandelions. They enjoy collecting masses of blooms to give to their mothers. As a mother, I equally enjoy receiving the clumps of yellow blooms. Tyler, my 5-year old, gives me another blossom almost every day and I love everyone he gives. They do not last long, but the thought is what really matters. Kids also love the seedheads that follow flowers. Who can’t remember blowing dandelions and watching them float on the breeze?

Dandelions have several uses including culinary, medicinal, cosmetic, and commercial. For at least 1,000 years, the dandelion has been in constant use as both a food and a medicine. Like so many plants, its origins were in the Mediterranean regions of Europe and Asia Minor.

History shows that the dandelion was brought to this country for its culinary uses. There are even books that detail how to grow this “new” crop. “About 4 pounds of seed to the acre should be allowed, sown in drills, 1 foot apart.” “The yield should be 4 or 5 tons of fresh roots to the acre in the second year.” Can you picture an entire field of dandelions? Actually, that is not difficult, since it is very prevalent in some grassy fields.

Dandelions are used commercially in the United States. Large quantities of the plant’s leaves supply a considerable popular demand for fresh spring greens in many ethnic grocery stores and supermarkets. Additionally, dandelion roots are domestically grown for use in patent medicines and more than 100,000 pounds are imported annually to fulfill the pharmaceutical needs.

In addition to the leaves, dandelions are cooked as a potherb or infused as a tea. One source says that it’s the dandelion flowers that pack a wallop! Yes, the flowers are also edible. My Grandma used to fry them like mushrooms in the early spring and I enjoyed eating them. But as Pamela Jones, the author of Just Weeds said, “If you have never tasted dandelion herbal wine, it is one of the most elusive, delicately fragrant flavors imaginable, the color pure liquid gold.”

So, look at the dandelion differently this Earth Day. You might even celebrate the day with a salad of dandelion greens, followed by fried flower heads and a glass of dandelion wine. Supposedly the best dandelions are found where no lawnmower has touched them. But, of utmost importance look for a lawn that has not been sprayed if you plan to eat from it.

2020 Vegetable Garden Schedule

Today I developed a plan for when to plant the rest of my vegetables (and some flowers). I’m attempting to do all my gardening this year without purchasing anything new. This is partly to prove I can, and partly due to the pandemic (though there are exceptions for purchasing garden supplies).

Dad's seedlings

Therefore, I took into consideration the seeds and plants I currently have, planting area sizes and locations, soil and air temperatures, and experience. My Dad starts many plants from seed indoors (pictured), so a few of those are included. In addition to catalog seed orders, I have many old seeds that are still viable.  

Soil thermometer on 4-20-20

I have two vegetable garden areas and several herb locations in my yard. In addition to the new terrace vegetable garden (pictured), I am planning a three-sisters garden in a large sunny area. I’ll do an article later explaining what a three-sisters garden is and what I’m including in mine.

Terraced Vegetable Garden

University of Illinois Extension planting date recommendations categorize vegetables according to air and soil temperatures.  Soil temperatures were 55^o F this morning in my garden (pictured), and our average last frost date is April 18. Click HERE to consult your location Extension office for information specific to your location. 

Combining all that information with my past experiences, here is the plan I developed.

Radish seedlings on 4-20-20

Very Hardy Vegetables are planted March 25-April 10 in our area. I already planted radish, shallots, and peas in my new terrace garden. The radishes are started to emerge yesterday (pictured). 

Frost-Tolerant Vegetables are planted April 10-25. This week I’ll plant seed carrots, Swiss chard, nasturtium, and chamomile seeds (germinate in soil 50-85^o F). As soon as they are ready, I’ll plant Dad’s cruciferous plants (i.e. cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower).

Tender Vegetables are planted April 25 – May 10, so next week I’ll seed sweet corn (germinates in 55-90^o F soil), and maybe Dad’s tomato plants.

Warm-Loving Vegetables are planted May 10 - June 1 in our area. I usually plant these about Mother’s Day. This year that will include Dad’s pepper plants, and the following seeds that need 65-70^oF soil: cucumber, zucchini, watermelon, beans (pinto and lima), and pumpkin.

Mandevilla vines in 2019

In previous years I’ve always purchased flower plants.  This year I plan to try a few more seeds in the ground, using seeds I already have in inventory. In the containers that usually have vining mandevilla (pictured), I’ll seed Cardinal vine, nasturtium vine, sweet pea, and thunbergia this week. As soon as the ground warms more I’ll seed zinnia, sweet allysum, and calendula in other areas. Dad also starts many flower plants, so I should have a nice display of flowers throughout the gardens.

In addition to seed catalogs and reputable websites, I highly recommend the Vegetable Gardening in the Midwest book from University of Illinois Extension. Updated in 2018, this book includes 100 major vegetables and herbs. It is available for $28.95 at pubsplus.illinois.edu.

African Violets Add a Welcome Splash of Color Indoors

While watering my African violets this morning I noticed new growth on a leaf cutting I did several weeks ago. Almost all of my African violets are in full bloom right now, which rarely happens. They typically bloom at different times, so this is a real treat!

African violets are houseplants that most people recognize. They are very popular, easy-to-grow, and add a welcome splash of color indoors throughout the year.

African violet (Saintpaulia ionantha) is a member of a large, interesting plant family known as Gesneriads. They are originally from tropical East Africa. I always taught my University of Illinois horticulture students that understanding where a plant comes from helps understand how to better care for it. Picture an African violet in its native setting alongside tropical waterfalls and mountainous streams. Obviously, we cannot recreate a tropical waterfall in our homes, but we can give the plant what it likes most.

Proper water and light are key to growing African violets successfully in the home. Medium to high light is ideal. They do best with sun in winter and diffused bright light in summer. The plant will grow in lower light, but must have higher light in order to flower. My plants do best in a north or east window.

Irregular and excessive watering results in several problems, so proper, regular watering is important. I suggest watering this plant from the container’s bottom because any water splashed on the leaves will spot and discolor the leaves. I use special African violet pots that my Mom makes in her ceramic workshop (pictured).
Regardless of the watering method, always allow the soil surface to dry thoroughly between watering. Overwatering can be fatal to African violets.

Although these plants tolerate most home conditions, they do best at 70-80 degrees with greater than 30% relative humidity levels. I trim off dead flowers and leaves each time I water, which is about weekly. After flowering, I fertilize that plant with an African violet fertilizer. The plant will rest briefly then reflower with adequate light.

Repot only as needed to renew crowded or overgrown plants. It is best to use special African violet potting mix because it contains proper humus amounts.

New plant at base of leaf

If your plant is very old and has a trunk-like stem, you might consider propagating a new plant. Simply cut off a leaf and stem and place it in a loose medium such as vermiculite or sand-mix. Thoroughly wet the pot and place it all in a clear-plastic bag near a window. When the cutting has rooted, a cluster of leaves will form at the base of the stem (pictured). Remove the plastic bag and you have a new plant! Be patient! It often takes many weeks to start a new plant this way.

As with all houseplants, when you purchase new plants examine them carefully before taking them home. African violet pests and diseases spread very easily among other violets. Be especially watchful for distorted and yellowing leaves, which could be a sign of the incurable cyclamen mites or mealybug insects.

In recent years I’ve notice African violets used outdoors in the summer. Try adding an African violet as a focal point in your flowers beds this summer, or in a container arrangement. Just remember to overwinter them indoors.

To learn more, check out this 3 minute African Violet video I created several years ago on YouTube.

Create an Edible Landscape

I grow edible crops in many locations in my yard. Instead of using the traditional row-type vegetable garden, I use various methods to integrate edibles into my landscape. Many food plants are beautiful and work well integrated into the landscape. By combining fruit and nut trees, vegetables, herbs, edible flowers or berry bushes in aesthetically pleasing ways, edible landscapes can be just as attractive as ornamental ones.

In addition to providing flavorful and nutritious produce, growing our own food is a great family activity and builds community. We can grow produce that is unusual or hard to find using the gardening methods we trust.

Consider starting small by replacing traditional ornamental landscape plants with edible version. Here are a few examples.

Plant a fruit tree instead of an ornamental tree or a nut tree instead of a shade tree. A hickory tree makes a great large shade tree, while also providing delicious nuts. Instead of a spring blooming tree such as redbud, consider an apple or cherry that not only have beautiful spring blooms, but later provide delicious fruit.

Small fruiting shrubs are good substitutes for deciduous shrubs like burning bush and forsythia. Current, quince, and berry plants come in many shapes, sizes, and colors to fit most landscapes.  

Edible flowers replace ornamental flowers. Sometimes I’ll add flowers to a dull looking salad to add color. Or, sometimes I just eat flowers right out in the garden. Examples include nasturtiums, borage, calendula, and chives.

Strawberries and many perennial herbs make great groundcovers. I especially like the many different varieties of thyme that form durable, dense outdoor carpets. Grow food, not lawns by converting some lawn areas into edible groundcovers.

You get the idea. The possibilities are endless. Use a raspberry fruiting shrub as a hedge.  Hops, grapes, edible passionflower, cucumbers, or pole beans work well as vines.

Even if you only have a small patio or balcony, you can grow edible plants in containers or raised beds. Smaller varieties of tomato, raspberry, blueberry, and many herbs work well this way. Even a citrus tree houseplant can be moved outside during the summer.

As you integrate edible plants into your landscape, consider the variety. Many fruits, vegetables, and herbs come in dwarf sizes or in unusual colors. Bright lights chard, ornamental peppers, dwarf blueberries, and black lace elderberry are just a few examples.

Want to learn more about how to eat your yard by creating a tasteful home landscape using edible plants? I really like the book Edible Landscaping by Rosalind Creasy.