Dandelions!

[Hugo (Hugo Morvan)]

Bitterness is really personal. There are like 25 différent genes involved. Causing people to experience different substances as bitter.
People who observe vegetables as bitter eat 25% less of them. Finicky eaters can’t help their taste buds don’t like vegetables but it has nothing to do with noticing ‘toxins’.
Water is ‘toxic’, if you drink enough of it you’ll die.
Dandelion is one of the most nutrient dense crops. I find it way bitter though. Only if they’ve been out of the light under a pot with quite some apple i think they’re good.
But i’d rather eat some more lettuce than a small amount of dandelion. Lettuce is really healthy too. Quite dense in nutriments.

People have more and more weird phobia. I met this young man he fled if hé saw a butterfly. Hé stayed on the country side for a half a year and left with a normal attitude towatds butterflies. He told me it’s a young persons thing.
They believe they’re dangerous. They kill them, they spray them with réal toxins.

We have a duty to uplift other people, whether people phobic of innocent insectes or who have gènes that don’t like the taste of vegetables naturally.

I believe your idea of growing sweeter melon tasting cucumbers is really good. I hope it succeeds and wouldn’t be surprised it already exists. But adding some cranberries and cashew nuts to bitter tasting cucumber salad makes for an inviting taste experience while you’re having a go at creating your own landrace.

[julia.dakin]

Lots of people have mentioned dandelions but there is no actual thread, so here it is. And for a less bitter dandelion, EFN has some for sale:

Pink Dandelion

[UnicornEmily (Emily Martha Sorensen)]

Baker Creek Seeds has pink dandelions, too!

https://www.rareseeds.com/dandelion-pink

Fewer seeds per packet (15 at Baker Creek Seeds, 50 at Experimental Farm Network), but with a slightly cheaper price and free shipping. Both seem like good deals.

I’m been eyeing pink dandelions on Baker Creek Seeds for a few months now. They’re very pretty – just look at those pictures! – but I didn’t realize they are also less bitter. Oooh.

Experimental Farm Network says they’re a different species, too, so they hopefully won’t cross with the wild yellow dandelions and get bitter.

That seems like a very interesting idea for an edible ornamental.

[clweeks (Christopher Weeks)]

I planted a packet of those (and another one, maybe white) from Baker Creek last year and never saw a plant come up. I ordered a packet of the pink ones from EFN Tuesday morning, so I’ll try again.

[UnicornEmily (Emily Martha Sorensen)]

I hope they grow! Thank you for letting me know. If they have a low germination rate, it’s almost certainly a better deal to buy more seeds.

[NotFaeGardener (Angela S.)]

I saved seed last year from a number of really nice wild dandelions. All were grown in part-shade, which obviously makes a difference in bitterness, but I exclusively saved seeds from the leafiest, least-bitter ones I could. Properly prepared, they make a great spring meal (a pasta dish with sautéed dandelion greens, bacon, and blue cheese is our favorite) so I look forward to seeing if I can reduce the bitterness just a little bit more for wider acceptance in the household. So far, only 3/4 of us are into dandelions… my holdout is a little less fond of bitter flavors.

Looking through my seed collection, I realized that I actually have the Pink and White dandelion seeds from Baker Creek… as I recall, I tried to start them last year but didn’t have success. I pulled them out and will try them again this year, probably indoors in deep starting pots so I can transplant anything that sprouts without disturbing the taproot. And now I’m wondering if they need some cold stratification for better germination? I just tossed last year’s into pots out on my porch after frost.

[UnicornEmily (Emily Martha Sorensen)]

Good question! Cold stratification could very well be worth trying.

This year, I’ve planted all my seeds that need cold stratifying in pots that I’ve scattered around my front yard. They’re covered in snow right now. That should give them cold stratification, at very little effort to me.

[NotFaeGardener (Angela S.)]

@UnicornEmily

This year, I’ve planted all my seeds that need cold stratifying in pots that I’ve scattered around my front yard.

My favorite method of stratification!
I think I’m going to take a couple of seeds from each packet and toss them in pots on my porch as soon as the worst of this extreme dip is over (we’re due for -6 by Monday) so they get some cold/freeze but not THAT much cold/freeze. Then I’ll try a few cold stratified indoors, and a few more just straight into my seed starting setup. Since I’ve been slowly working my way towards direct-seeding more of my spring plantings, I have plenty of room for the more creative projects. They’ll go great alongside all my more complicated EFN stuff!

[Ken1 (Ken Martin)]

I like to sample edible wilds around my yard for survival awareness. I have found that the dandelions in the shade of my elm trees produce much larger leaves, and are very tender when young. I would not eat them alone, but together with some lambs quarter, dames rocket, and bell flower greens (and maybe some mothers wort for a little mood lifting.) All good whether raw in a salad or cooked as a potherb. All of them grow wild in my yard, and in the neighbor’s empty lot are burdocks and sunchokes.

If you have enough variety, you can just pick the ones you prefer, and leave the rest for the deer and rabbits. No cultivation needed, they grow in the margins and don’t compete with the garden, and you’ll quickly learn how and when to use each in season.

Happy foraging!

[BohemianHerbology (Julia)]

Dandelions

Oh how I absolutely adore dandelions!

First and foremost medicine, medicine, medicine

Dandelions are strong medicine. Excellent for digestion and circulation. So much so it is advised you do not partake in them if you are currently on another form of diuretic or blood thinner.

As the ultimate companion crop. All of the vitamins and minerals dandelions are so well known for encompassing? Vitamins A,B,C, and D; iron; potassium; calcium, etc…Dandelions draw that magic from the soil and bring it up to the garden to share.

The tap root that is transporting nutrients and water is also totally aerating the soil in a natural beautiful and crazy efficient way. No man made strategy or machine could ever match the precise and exact strategy they deploy. They don’t tear up the roots around them. Instead they grow alongside them and enable the surrounding life to also benefit from their every stride.

Spectacular indicator species. They will seemingly magically appear in compact areas. In tune and first on the scene their leaves will show you if you have a deficiency or abundance in the area before it becomes out of balance.

An excellent example of this in my garden is in regards to deficiencies. I grow a ton of food in a small space with as little input as I can. If I begin to see a purple mottling appear I have learned it is telling me the vegetation has consumed the available quantity in the area and would like to please eat and/or drink before they become stressed as well.

As a ground cover I have never stopped being amazed at the power of dandelions. They grow places others couldn’t even fathom. In rocks, logs, sides of cliffs… During last season’s drought I took a few pics of dandelions still thriving in dry dusty cracked Earth. The soil covered by it’s leaves? Noticeably still hydrated. Crazy awesome. There’s no watering system out there that could duplicate that result. And for free with zero effort on our part? In my humble opinion that speaks definitely for itself.

Natural Dye, source of latex, excellent for skin and hair…
I could go on and on

I could have sworn I had a dandelion mix with a Calendula. It was twice as big and definitely more orange than yellow. I didn’t even think dandelion breeding was a thing. So funny how relative perception is. I knew it’s an aster and that a Calendula is in the same family yet didn’t even let it hit my radar!

I have never “planted” a dandelion. However I do encourage them quite liberally by letting them grow and go to seed in the garden. I’ll also add the big heads to the mix by blowing them toward the garden.

How I use them

I will partake in a couple greens in the very beginning of spring. Around that time the lettuce isn’t in full swing yet and it helps to fill out salads. I can’t really taste much difference when they are very young. By April they are already too bitter for me. I’ll know if I pull a leaf and the latex appears it’s past time I can enjoy the greens. I’ll just let them grow and flower for the Spring season. I’m a sucker for all my little pollinator friends so I don’t harvest any flowers until more food sources start to appear. Then I begin collecting and utilizing heads throughout the growing season.

My breeding without even realizing I’ve been doing it…I’ve been selecting for bigger flower heads. I pick the smaller ones and let the bigger ones go to seed. It takes ALOT of flower heads to concoct things. I use them for skin care products and natural colorant. Used in the same manner as Calendula. My dream goal is to someday brew my own dandelion wine.

The roots are where it’s at for me. So good. I have pulled them in the Spring but usually wait for Fall now.

Hand pull from the garden. If I leave a piece of root that’s even better because it’ll grow back! I just throw the leaves down and keep the root.
Soak them for a few to loosen the soil and scrub them with a brush, a bit of baking soda, and rinse.
Put them a handful at a time through a food processor to shred. They are fibrous so it’s easier in small batches.
Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet in the oven to dry for around an hour at 220 F. I make sure to keep an eye on them and stir every twenty or so.
Crank up the heat to 350 and roast them for around 40 more minutes. When they are done they will begin to smoke a bit and smell like chocolate cake. That sounds crazy but it’s absolutely true!

To me they are delicious with a deep indescribably rich flavor. Absolutely similar to coffee but with even more depth. Wow. So good!
I have a stash that I have kept as pure dandelion root. My preferred super tonic tea is equal parts dandelion root, milk thistle seed, and burdock root.

Thanks for adding a place to discuss the amazing hardworking Dandelion!

[NotFaeGardener (Angela S.)]

@BohemianHerbology

My dream goal is to someday brew my own dandelion wine.

I made a small batch of dandelion mead once. I swear it tasted like springtime!

I love that you’ve been accidentally selecting for bigger flowers. It makes sense, though… if you usually leave the bigger ones and pick the small ones, of course over time the bigger flowers will predominate. Do you find that the pollinators love the bigger flowers?

[BohemianHerbology (Julia)]

@NotFaeGardener

dandelion mead

Wow that sounds beyond phenomenal! Bottled Springtime? I mean… speechless! That is really awesome to hear about!

I haven’t ever made a Mead before. I looked into the recipe and got a little more blown away. Made by fermenting honey, water, and a little bit of yeast. Absolute perfect application to capture the flavor and essence of the flower. It only takes a cup or so of petals compared to recipes I’ve seen for wine that call for quarts. Pretty stoked I’m going to be able to make a dandelion beverage this season. Thanks!

I’m not sure if the bees prefer the larger ones. I’ll have to keep an eye out and see if there’s a noticeable preference. I absolutely see them all over the dandelions. Pretty wild. Dandelions + honey from the bees+ natural yeast in the air+ water in from the Earth = Mead. Crazy awesome

[NotFaeGardener (Angela S.)]

Mead is my favorite thing to brew, though the quantity of good local honey required for larger batches means it’s been a while since I’ve made up more than 1-2 gallons at a time. My wider social circle works the local Renaissance festival, so mead is a popular gift around here and anything I bottle doesn’t last long.

I used a few pounds of good wildflower honey and a neutral champagne yeast to brew my dandelion mead. It turned out dry and about 12% alcohol, but if I’d used more honey the yeast could have gone several more % (not the best idea for dandelion… the mead gets “hot”/harsh tasting and you lose the “bottled sunshine” flavor.) Keeping it simple and light allows the dandelion to shine. Just don’t let the greens in… it can lead to an unpleasant flavor in the final drink.

[peterd (Peter Dilley)]

You might want to try my Spiced Sack Mead recipe, then use the base for making other sweet mead variants. Mine is in metric as I was brewing this a lot overseas.

As with all fermentation, the yeast has an optimum temperature usually under 75F. High hot summer temperatures can cause high order esters and other undesirables. If you have a temperature controlled house great, if not consider repurposing an old fridge and get a temperature controller that can turn on a heater in the fridge when its too cold and turn off the heater and turn on the fridge itself when its too hot to keep the temperature dialed into the perfect zone.

For a 5 litre demijohn

• 1.6 kg honey (raw honey for full tastes and aromas)
• 1 large orange (cut into about eight pieces – rind and all)
• 1 small handful of raisins (25 or so)
• 1 stick of fresh cinnamon (no old spices that have lost flavor and aroma)
• 1 whole fresh clove (or 2 or more if you like cloves)
• optional (a pinch of fresh nutmeg and fresh allspice )
• 1 tsp of freshly purchased bread yeast
• Add water to bring final batch to 3.8 liters of total liquid volume

Process:

Use a cleaned and sanitized 5 liter demijohn (see brewing stores for appropriate sanitizers).

Dissolve honey in some warmed water and pour into a cleaned and sanitized demijohn

Wash the whole orange well to remove any pesticides on the skin and slice into eights (just shove em through the demijohn’s hole)

Put in raisins, clove, cinnamon stick, and the optional ingredients if you choose to use them and fill demijohn with water to about 3.8 liters with cold water.

Shake the heck out of the demijohn with the top on or bung in (of course). This is your sophisticated oxygenation process. No more oxygenating or shaking the demijohn ever again after it starts fermenting.

With the liquid mixture in the demijohn at room temperature, put in 1 tsp of bread yeast (no you don’t have to rehydrate it first – shake or swirl the yeast is going to have months to multiply so it has no major impact)

Install water airlock or similar anti-insect protection. Put the demijohn in a dark place. It will start waking up and working in an hour or so – its okay to open your dark cabinet to inhale deeply the smell every once in a while.)

Honey is a complex material to ferment, it is antimicrobial and antiviral and gives the yeast a harder time. A simple sugar like beer wort or wine must can usually ferment out in a month or less depending on yeast strain and the temperature used for fermenting. Honey can take up to 2 months before the bottle shows signs of the CO2 bubbles stopping and the yeast dropping out of suspension. When it does, however and you get to taste this recipe you will be in for a pleasant surprise, especially if you like holiday / Christmas-like flavors. Its like a little Christmas party in your mouth.

You can use a length of food grade plastic tubing to siphon the mead off of the yeast on the bottom of the demijohn – or just be very meticulous when pouring.

EDIT: For the brewers, the starting Brix is targeted for exactly 29 Degrees Brix. That would be a Starting Gravity of 1.125

[anon14613632]

That is interesting. For some reason, historical plus gardening interests me a lot more than modern.

I’ve started my first batch of wine with Peter’s help.

[NotFaeGardener (Angela S.)]

This is the first mead I ever learned to make, basically, just a different proportion of the extras. I love playing with fruits and herbs/spices, but this recipe will always taste like nostalgia to me!

@BohemianHerbology Now I’m thinking about whether I have the space to put down a batch of dandelion mead this spring. My youngest is a very willing helper in picking the flowers as long as I make him some syrup, too. And it would be a good way to help start selecting against smaller flowers in my current dandelion population. And next year, if I can get the white and pink dandelions mentioned upthread growing, I think I’ll have to try those in another batch to compare!

[BohemianHerbology (Julia)]

@NotFaeGardener

Mead is my favorite thing to brew

Thank you for this friend. You have totally awakened me into yet another miraculous realm of the natural world. Also it looks like a few cups of petals are all that is needed versus quarts or even pounds called for in wine recipes. So beyond excited for Springtime Dandelion Mead! Thanks for sharing the tips on how to keep the Dandelion flavor at its best.

In regards to flower size I totally did notice one defining factor. It was the environment. If it was growing in the garden bed versus out in the lawn. Domestication? Inadvertent selection practices? Both? Here’s to flower heads as big as our hands someday!

I’m really interested to hear how the pink Dandelions turn out. I wonder if the pink is a natural pink dye that could be as easily extracted as the yellow from the common ones now? Also I think that could really help to give them a new image and back into the landscape for more home growers.

Shout out to the Renaissance Festival! I used to camp out at one here many many moons ago and help with the campground maintenance. Truly some of the most fun with the kindest people. They had us dress as peasants as to not break the vibe. Way fun! Epic bonfires. I hadn’t thought of that in forever. I don’t remember what the beverage was but I do remember a wench ran around with a bucket and a ladle! I’ve started looking into this historical beverage and am beyond intrigued.

[BohemianHerbology (Julia)]

@peterd

Spiced Sack Mead recipe

I sincerely appreciate this! Thank you so much.

This will be my first time brewing anything. It truly has been on my dream list! Concocting spirits with raw ingredients. It’s just so wild to think of how perfect the natural world is.
I appreciate the share of your tried and true recipe. Printing it out and for sure beginning a batch within the next week. I’ll post a pic once I get it going. I’m a packet of sanitizer and a few raisins short of beginning today! Really phenomenal that it is crafted from such simple ingredients. I can only imagine the flavors once they get together.
Thanks again for sharing your knowledge and expertise. Being able to print it out and follow along is phenomenal for an old school/new brewer such as myself

[Rachel (Rachel Gopie)]

A dandelion-calendula cross sounds really amazing!

[Rachel (Rachel Gopie)]

Dandelion Germination:
After reading these posts recently, I realized that my Pink Dandelion seed from Experimental Farm Network might be harder to grow than expected.

I found an internet article that dandelions require light and temperatures above 55 deg F to germinate, with germination in 7 to 21 days. So I tested this theory (damp paper towel in a plastic bag, positioned indoors by the window). I forgot about them for 9 days, and it turned out that 9 of 10 seeds had sprouted!