I was raised on a farm and I remember how in the first months of spring I was wandering around the gardens and I picking up lots of dandelions. They were my gift either for my mother or my grandmother. My mother was smiling and thanking me. My grandmother was saying from a distance: “Don’t give me the pig’s farts!” I rarely understood her behavior. But one thing is sure: I always loved this plant with its simple and beautiful flower and flying white puffball. Later in life, I learned more about it and appreciated it a lot!
I will tell you some things about this magic plant and why you can see it now almost everywhere in Europe:
- Dandelion grows either on soil which is too hard, compact or too acidic. Its roots will loosen it.
- Dandelion plants prefers soils low in calcium, thrive on soils rich in potassium and nitrogen and doesn’t grow in a full of phosphorus soils.
- It’s a great companion plant for gardening because it’s long taproot brings up nutrients to the shallow-rooting plants in the garden adding nitrogen and other minerals to the soil.
- Roots, leaves, stems and flowers are edible. The leaves can be added to any salads. Flowers can be added to a green juice. The root can succesfully replace coffee or can be dried, stored and made into tea, just like the leaves or flowers.
- One cup of raw dandelion greens contains 535% of your daily requiered intake of vitamin K and 112% of vitamin A.
- It is a plant rich also in antioxidants, being used in alternative medicine to several ailments like constipation, stomach and liver issues, arthritis pain, high cholesterol and even cancer.
- Dandelion’s flowers are the first food for insects after hibernation and have pollen AND nectar, not merely one OR the other!
- “Dandelion” it’s been immortalized in music by The Rolling Stones:
Let’s see and appreciate more the magic that the soil and all its plants are capable of! Let’s take care more of both of them.
#ConsciousPlanet – #JourneyForSoil – #SaveSoil – #EarthBody – #Sadhguru
