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spring has sprung for me!

13 comments


Really enjoying this mild weather here in kent!
I am able to get into the garden most afternoons with my two boys who i can keep amused with all their toys from the shed! took some spring photos and i was very pleased to see my recent summer bulbs are shooting! I think this will be the best summer show yet in my back garden.Just one query about my lawn,i have alot of dandelion flowers does anyone know if they are harmful to children?And if so can i treat them at this time of year?I could dig them out but it will mean alot of grass seed patches!
last photo is of the challock kings wood near us that we nipped over to for a walk today!going back over the weekend it was so stunning

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Never heard of anybody being harmed by a dandelion but somebody will say if they are Linda,there seem to be a lot this year, I find it easier to use an old kitchen knife to remove them with as you can work right around the root, also does not dig the grass out wee bit tedious and can be hard on ones knees ..lovely photo,s

24 Apr, 2009

 

thanks my youngest eats anything he can find at the moment!

24 Apr, 2009

 

Lovely spring photos of your garden, and the woods too - I'd love to go for a walk there.

25 Apr, 2009

 

Hi Linda ~
Very good photos. Well done..

I dig out dandelions from my lawns with flat ended screwdrivers. You can use different size screwdrivers depending on the size of the weed. Push the screwdriver in deeply to work out the roots and try to then pull up the whole weed in one go to prevent it regrowing. Replace any small holes you make with sharp sand or soil and the grass will soon grow over.

You could make it a fun game with your children by asking them to put something like big coloured bricks by each weed needing digging out... "Hunt the dandelions".

The name dandelion originates from the French words for lion's teeth, so your children would be hunting for teeth from the lions. Oooooooh. :o)

25 Apr, 2009

 

Young dandelion leaves can be used in salads, so I don't think they'd hurt your little one! :o)

25 Apr, 2009

 

Isnt it lovely when spring comes, your garden will just get better. Dandelions are high in vitamins and trace elements good for you and have been used by herbalists for a long time, so eating them wont harm a child but as usual its best to discourage children from eating any plant until they are old enough to be sure what they are eating. My daughter once ate a slug, yuck!

25 Apr, 2009

 

I use an old kitchen knife to dig just around the root and try and pull it all out. A bit like doing a puzzle, time consuming but the grass does grow back very quickly.

25 Apr, 2009

 

It is definitely the year of the dandelion! Ive never seen so many... a never-ending task to try to remove them all.

25 Apr, 2009

 

thankyou all so much for your kind words and wisdom!i can stop rushing out each morning and picking all the yellow flowers out of my lawn before my youngest spots them ! i will try the screwdriver to remove them,should i add grass seed to the sand?

25 Apr, 2009

 

Funny TT thats what i use for dandelions, esspecially a long srewdriver as they get right down to the long roots.

25 Apr, 2009

 

Yes, Clarice...
A thousand uses for screwdrivers. Lol.

Hi Linda ~
Maybe sprinkle a few grass seeds in the holes and then put sand/soil mix on top and water in.

25 Apr, 2009

 

ok many thanks!i am planning a 1st birthday party in the garden at the end of may so i would like a lovely lawn!

25 Apr, 2009

 

Lovely pics.
Dandelions leaves can be eaten. I never heard of the flowers being a problem. So I wouldn't worry about them. However it's best to pull the flowers off because if they go to seed & spread it will mean hundreds more. One yr. of seeds = 7 yrs. of weeds!!!. Also best to remove d root as it's d only ways to get rid of them, because if u cut d top off it will grow again. It's best 2 remove them when d ground is wet. I use a gadget much like a longggg screw driver but it's a gardening tool. Another method u might like 2 try if there are tooo many. Cut d top off & pour a bit of white vinegar on d open tops. It might seep down and kill d root. Perhaps do a bit of both & see witch works da best. When u get rid of them it's best to keep on d job of at least pulling d flowers off. Best of luck.

10 May, 2010

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