Eschew Prolixity
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 21,295
Location: Colorado
Dogs Name: Ori AKA Harold DogDog (Hairy Dog), RIP Caesar, Katana, Kip, Capri
Titles: DogDog Mouthe Extraordinaire; Kip Mr. Behavior; Capri Mis-Behavior
Dogs Age: DogDog 2 yrs?; RIP Kip 11 yrs; Capri 7 yrs; Katana 9 yrs; Caesar 13 yrs
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I mow the dandelion flowers down and I've also seen deer stroll through my yard selectively sucking up the flowers. But I still have dandelions. Especially this time of year--the plant is flatter, the flower stems not as long, and nothing else in the yard is worth bothering to mow yet. I read somewhere that pulling them doesn't do a whole lot of good because the root breaks off below the surface of the ground and more plants can re-grow from the root.
They're the real life version of the mythical Hydra**
If they weren't so common though, I think people would love dandelions. Pretty yellow flowers...just dead-head them before they set seeds and you could have a garden that blooms all summer. They'll take harsh conditions, and there's no need to re-plant the following year.
Dandelion research--Dandelion roots can be as long as 15 feet in ideal conditions. When you cut any of the root off, fragments as small as 1-inch long left in the ground easily grow into a new dandelion plant. You may remove the plant temporarily, but it returns quickly within a few days or weeks, depending on environmental conditions.
** "The Hydra had poisonous breath and blood so virulent that even its scent was deadly. It possessed many heads, the exact number of which varies according to the source. Later versions of the Hydra story add a regeneration feature to the monster: for every head chopped off, the Hydra would regrow two heads." Wikipedia
Hauled branches off to the local rock/tree and yard slash dump this morning (I think they make mulch out of the plant matter and sell it) On Saturdays, they do a care and share thing. Bring a few cans of food and you can dump your yard stuff free. (They don't take garbage, painted wood, etc.)
Anyway, since this weekend is the first after our branch-breaking heavy snow, I figured there'd be a line, and timed it so I would get there a touch before they opened at eight. But there was already a line of at least twenty pickups with trailers and full beds in both directions from the street entrance in front of me, lots more cars actually inside the yard waiting in line and unloading, and more stretching way out into the distance behind me. There were also some poor ordinary cars who were just out for a drive and didn't know the two-lane road (with no-passing stripes) would be backed up. I saw them U-turning behind me. At least the place was set up and staffed for quick turnarounds...but I still had to wait about 45 minutes to get in and unload.
Last edited by melbrod; 05-25-2019 at 11:39 AM.
