THE DANDELION - A Natural Free Garden Fertiliser

The Dandelion Plant - A natural free fertiliser for your garden. Botanical Name: Taraxacum officinale

So do not think of this plant as just a weed - think free natural fertiliser! It’s easy and quick to make and can be used in your garden to fertilise vegetables, herbs, ornamental plants, and flowers.

Dandelions are an herb that often get overlooked as a weed. All the parts of the dandelion plant - roots, leaves and flowers can be used in various ways from cooking to medicinal.

The plant’s deep tap roots aerate your hard-packed soils and brings valuable minerals and other nutrients from the soil. Dandelions are rich in potassium and creates a highly inexpensive and nutrient rich fertiliser that promotes healthy plant growth. So when you are next gardening and pulling them out - have a happy thought and go make fertiliser!

Their flowers are also a good food for bees especially in your late winter garden when there are minimal flowers. They are rich in nectar and pollen and the flower head is flat so it is easy for the bees to forage on.

You can eat the tender young greens by incorporating them into your salad mix especially in early spring, but later in the season, you can dry the larger leaves and use them for a tea or like me add both flowers and leaves to oils for infusions for soaps and balms. The photo here is my base oil I start with for our Gardener's Soap.

To make the fertiliser - All of the plant can be used. Put about 3 cups of roughly chopped plant material into a 9L bucket with a lid. Fill with water, cover and allow to steep for about two weeks. Strain and reserve the liquid. All else can be composted.

To use - Dilute to the following ratio - 1 part dandelion weed tea to about 10 parts water. Pour it around the base of your plants or use it as a foliar spray. If you are using it on your veggies, don’t spray it on those that you will be immediately harvesting - that's because like all rotting plant material, there is a bit of a pong about it, but it does go!

Did you know -

• Identifying the plant is easy - pointed leaves, only one flower per stem (stem is hollow) and no hairs on the plant.
• The milky sap extruded from the plant stem can been used topically to remove warts.
• The dandelion is the only flower that represents the three celestial bodies of the sun, moon and the stars. The yellow flower resembles the sun, the puff ball resembles the moon and the dispersing seeds resemble the stars.

I hope this blog changes you mind about having Dandelions in your garden! Check out our products that use Dandelions here  Gardeners Soap , Hand and Heel Balm