Dandelions are hated weeds. They grow like mad in the lawn, they limbo under the lawn mower blade and are very good at staying once they’re in!
They’re identified by the bright yellow flowers which are shortly followed by the white balls of seeds which blow away easily to form new plants.
You can actually eat dandelion leaves – they’re slightly bitter though, but fine to eat. You can blanche them too by hiding the sunlight and this makes the taste milder.
They are best dug out using a long handled tool – or even a kitchen knife. You will spend a long time getting them out. Some people like to weedkill them.
Remove the flowers to prevent seeds forming in the compost heap and put the roots in the main bin as they will grow if put anywhere in the compost.
The leaves are zig zag edges. Almost every child in the country has been told that if you pick them you wet the bed. It’s not true – and I’m not sure why children were discouraged from picking them. They do have a sap that leaks from the stem and leaves if you break it though.