The small sun-inflorescences of dandelions could please the eye of a farmer, but this plant is one of the most common weeds. There are many effective ways to combat it, but few people know that dandelion can be very useful on the site.
Nutrient feeding
Dandelion is rich in potassium, nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus, manganese and a number of other mineral substances valuable for any cultivated plant. You can use roots, stems and leaves, flowers - everything except ripened seeds.
To prepare the fertilizer, the plants are crushed and filled with water in a ratio of 1:7 and left in a sunny place under a lid. After 2 weeks, you can check the readiness of the infusion - it should smell tasteless, rotten, and there should be no foam on the surface. Next, the liquid is filtered, diluted with clean water in a 1:1 ratio and watered under the root.
In addition to nutrition, this remedy reduces the likelihood of pathogenic fungi multiplying in the soil, since they are neutralized by chicory acid contained in dandelion juice. And the cake remaining after preparing the product can be placed in a compost heap.
Pest Control
An inconspicuous dandelion can be no less effective an insecticide than store-bought products when apple worms, spider mites and aphids appear on the site. And at the same time, the garden remains ecologically clean.
To prepare a solution for irrigation, you need to infuse 0.5 g of crushed dandelion leaves in 10 liters of hot water for 10-12 hours. Then strain the liquid and use it to treat the affected crops. Irrigation is carried out in several approaches - 3-6 times with an interval of 3-4 days.
Unlike liquid dandelion fertilizer, which acquires its beneficial properties over time, this remedy loses its effectiveness after a day, so you need to prepare a fresh portion for each treatment.
Other beneficial qualities of dandelions
Remedies from this plant do not help against onion flies, but since their flight usually coincides with the beginning of dandelion flowering, their yellow "heads" can be used as an indicator indicating that it is time to carry out preventive treatment against this pest. Greenhouse owners should sow flowers closer to tomatoes, and apple orchard owners should sow them right in the tree trunk circle. The desirability of such an unusual neighborhood is explained by the fact that dandelions actively emit ethylene gas, which promotes accelerated ripening of tomatoes and apples.
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In addition to the above benefits, dandelions can also be eaten, and not only young leaves, but also flowers. For example, you can make sweet syrup from them, the so-called dandelion honey.
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Other Health Benefits of Dandelions