It's that time of year when the shelves in various shops are stocked with weed killers and pesticides ready for the new killing season of unwanted plants that crop up in garden lawns, paths, flowerbeds and patios. Being so recognizable, the dandelion if often used to promote weedkillers. The dandelion is a great plant for infuriating the perfectionist gardener with its persistent resilience.
Here, on a Bayer Garden product, the dandelion is not only the star on the front of the packaging, but also in diagram form on the reverse - showing how the product is taken in by the plant to the roots.
Just found this by accident. I fully agree with what she says. I think we need to make a national dandelion day to celebrate this most amazing plant. Ranked in the 10 most nutritionally important plants on earth and absolutely essential to emerging bumble bee queens as they search out early flowers and nest sites. I hate it when the pesticide giants plaster this wonderful plant all over our TV screens as a weed only to be destroyed by using their chemical weapons. Kill the dandelion, kill the bees - anything to make money.
ReplyDeleteWe need to promote this plant and, in doing so, we will alter our culture of ignorance of the value of the natural world around us. My neighbours now appreciate my display of yellow dandelions in spring, the fruit their trees provide after bees have pollinated them and the birds in the area that dandelion seeds attract such as goldfinches and green finches. I save hundreds of pounds on food bills and have no health issues.
So how do we do it ?