Here's Something To Try Next Time You Weed Dandelions

Dandelions can be a real pain because they can grow seemingly anywhere and are hard to get rid of completely due to the fact that they often have long taproots that can regenerate the entire plant after being pulled if even a small piece remains in the ground. If you want to prevent dandelions from growing in your yard without using herbicides, then it is important to know what it really means when you have lots of dandelions. Once you understand what is causing your dandelion problem, you will need to go about fixing the reason these opportunistic weeds are able to take over in the first place. However, this will take time. So, while you wait, you might as well try something new next time you pull your dandelions — like eating them.

While it may sound a little out there, dandelions are actually packed with nutrients and even contain compounds that can help control blood sugar and reduce cholesterol. This is why these sun-loving bright yellow plants are often considered to be one of those weeds you shouldn't pull in the garden. As registered dietitian Nancy Geib explained in an interview with the Cleveland Clinic: "They're probably the most nutritionally dense green you can eat — outstripping even kale or spinach." Plus, there are plenty of ways to eat dandelions, including using the young green leaves in a fresh salad, boiling and then sautéing the older and darker green leaves, or frying the yellow flowers up into fritters (which are rumored to taste like popcorn).

However, despite the fact that dandelions are edible and quite good for most people (you shouldn't eat dandelions if you are allergic to ragweed, marigolds, chrysanthemums, or daisies), you still need to be careful about where you harvest your dandelions from. You should never eat dandelions, even from your own yard, if they are growing in an area that was treated with pesticides, herbicides, or other chemicals. If you don't know if a certain area — like a portion of your yard that is on the border with a neighbor's — has been treated with chemicals or not, it is best to avoid eating the dandelions growing there. It's also important to avoid eating dandelions that are growing near railroad tracks and roadways to avoid consuming any pollutants from car exhausts or fallen train cargo.

Once you've found some dandelions that are in a spot that hasn't been treated with chemicals and isn't near a road, you should also consider if pets have access to the area or not. The reason for this is that you may want to avoid eating dandelions if there is a chance they could've been contaminated with pet feces. Possible contaminated areas may include certain parts of your yard (if you have pets) and the strip of grass next to your sidewalk. It's also important to wash your dandelions well to remove any possible contaminants and pollutants before consuming.