We get a lot of dandelions in our lawn - we're happy to leave a lot of them for the benefit of bugs and birds but I also pull a lot, partly because its quite satifisfying and partly because I'm keen to encourage other flowering stuff in the lawn so like creating bare patches to give other things a chance.
I've not really done it this year as we've got loads of building work going on and associated crap everywhere.
Anyway I was out in the garden today and something - and I'm presuming it's not the builders taking pity on me- has efficiently pulled up a 6 or 7 adjacent dandelions. As in they're completely gone - tap root and all. They've not been dug out, but cleanly yanked out of the ground.
What sort of critter does that? And how can I encourage them to do it more often?
Dandelion ice cream - yum 😋
I don't know the answer, but if you find a way of capturing one of the critters, I'll pay you good money for it.
Rabbits. They especially like the roots. They won't eat the plant if it's been left to wilt tho'.
They've not been dug out, but cleanly yanked out of the ground.
Rabbits
They've got some grip if they can yank them cleanly out of the ground !
Were-rabbits maybe ?
The Rabbit of Caerbannog?
Fire.
One of the builders had some burdock and really wanted to create something unholy.
Tortoises. They love dandelions.
Squirrels will dig small holes in lawns and they happen to enjoy a dandelion. The furry prats in my garden haven't heard of the second part and just dig holes
Wildlife camera FTW
I wouldn't put it past one of the builders yoinking them out. A mild interest in gardening and a deep sense of satisfaction.
Especially if you own a fiskars puller
(Goes off to Google Fiskars puller....)
Eat them yourself. Dandelion is OK and safe.
I've got one of those pullers and had loads of dandelions - the tool is satisfying but leaves big holes all over the garden/
I've now filled the holes with soil and added grass seed - although it has been a bit hit and miss whether the seed has taken and when it does it comes up a different green than the rest of the lawn so will take a year or so to blend in based on previous experience.
I am now doing any others I find with a hand tool to avoid the huge holes made by the bigger tool.
What eats dandelions? Like REALLY eats them?
My guinea pigs
(not sure either would get the roots up for you though)
(Goes off to Google Fiskars puller....)
I've got one - oddly addictive.
I'm guessing it must be rabbits never seen them (or evidence of them) in the garden but we do see them by the beach at the end of the road so theyre definitely about. But given the use of a fiskars puller - how deep down it grabs the root and the leverage to get them out I've now got a new found respect for rabbits!
My first though was crows or magpies - when I first started pulling dandelions I'd plant wildflower plugs in the holes and bloody crows would just pull them all back out again - didn't eat them or take them, would just pull them out and leave them next to the hole.
Eat them yourself. Dandelion is OK and safe.
That recommendation seems to fall slightly short of 'delicious'.
I was given a book about foraged foods at Christmas - a month by month guide to whats forgeable through the year. It gives details of where to find stuff, how to identify it, suggestions on how to prepare it then in almost every instance goes on to describe how disappointing it is to eat 🙂
Eat them yourself. Dandelion is OK and safe
And as bitter as... a very very bitter thing.
The very young leaves are ok if you strip out the central vein. As are the petals, a flower head is quite nice to munch on if you shake out all the insects first.
How on earth do you pull them out without snapping it off at the top of the root anyway? Is it very loose soil?
I'm guessing it must be rabbits never seen them (or evidence of them) in the garden
You must have conscientious rabbits that won't shit on your lawn !
I'd plant wildflower plugs in the holes and bloody crows would just pull them all back out again - didn't eat them or take them, would just pull them out and leave them next to the hole.
Although they do like sweet fruits crows diet is almost completely carnivorous, they don't eat salads. So whilst they won't eat wildflowers they will have been curious to know what juicy worms and bugs might be in the hole after the plant plug had been yanked out.
You need a Tortoise
my grandparents one would meticulously go for the dandelions on the lawn
Chickens love em
How on earth do you pull them out without snapping it off at the top of the root anyway? Is it very loose soil?
we’re by the sea so it’s quite sandy soil but even then we still need a fiskars puller that grabs the root lower down to get them out with a moderate rate of success. That’s why it’s so addictive - there’s a bit of an endorphin hit when you get one out whole - pretty skillful of the rabbits being able to do it
Having used extensively a Fiskars Xact tool, there's no way a rabbit is pulling out the tap root of a dandelion in one go. It take as huge amount of force and a great deal of patience so as not to apply too much and snap it off and without opposable thumbs, they've only got their teeth to grab it. I reckon you've got a benevolent neighbour who's as addicted as maccruiskeen and has pulled all of the ones out of their lawn.
Reminds me I've got to buy another puller as I've broken mine. I have had it 5 years and its seen some action so I don't really begrudge it though I do with there was more metal and less plastic in its construction.
Squirrels will dig small holes in lawns and they happen to enjoy a dandelion. The furry prats in my garden haven't heard of the second part and just dig holes
It's about 70-80 million years since our evolutionary path diverged from that of squirrels, and we still sit on beaches and dig pointless holes. For the kids, of course, for the kids... Also, show me a man who won't get in a mini-digger and dig a pointless hole.
It's about 70-80 million years since our evolutionary path diverged from that of squirrels, and we still sit on beaches and dig pointless holes. For the kids, of course, for the kids... Also, show me a man who won't get in a mini-digger and dig a pointless hole.
Who doesn't like to sit on the beach and bury their nuts?