Have you noticed more dandelions than usual in Greater Cincinnati this year? A discussion on Reddit inspired WVXU to find out if there really are more than we typically see this time of year, and why that might be.
"We have no less than 1 million dandelions in our yard," claimed one Reddit user. Others described a "dandelion forest" or a "dandelion explosion."
Joe Boggs with the Ohio State University Extension says he’s not aware of anyone that officially keeps track of dandelion prevalence, but he’s noticed an increase himself.
"This year, I've seen some pretty large dandelion plants, even in my own landscaping, that I know we're not there last summer," Boggs said.
One Reddit user theorized a large number of windy and rainy days contributed to spreading the seeds; others wondered if people are cutting back on herbicide use in their yards, either to save money or for environmental reasons.
A few had more whimsical theories: "It's an army of toddlers on their daily walks," and "I'm convinced some anti-lawn dandelion terrorist is going around town dumping seeds from their car window with an unhinged maniacal laugh."
Boggs says last year's drought may be to blame.
"Last summer was pretty brutal, and it was particularly brutal for our cool season grasses," Boggs told WVXU. "Now, dandelions are kind of the epitome of opportunistic plants. They're well adapted for a wide range of conditions."
In other words, dry conditions weaken lawn grass, leaving enough room for hardy plants like dandelions to grow.
Boggs says one year of drought may not have been enough to explain the dandelion increase this year, but he says looking further back shows a similar pattern.
"If you look at our weather records, we have not had extremely moist late summers and falls for some time now. We had sort of a mini drought two years ago," Boggs said. "It usually takes a year or so for dandelions to really get rolling after they grow that giant tap root, and then they can really start becoming big plants."
What to do with dandelions
Dandelions seem to inspire intense hatred in many, but others love the little yellow flowers.
"Everyone does have an opinion about about weeds, which are only plants that are growing where we don't want them to grow," Boggs said.
Several Cincinnati Redditors encouraged others to leave dandelions for the bees. Boggs says dandelions can be a food source for pollinators, but they're not native to North America and are not as good as most other flowers.
"The fact of the matter is, you can do much better by planting other plants that are far more beneficial for pollinators," he said.
If you’re determined to keep them out of your yard, Boggs suggests changing the way you mow instead of reaching for herbicide.
"When it comes to turf grass, the higher the cut, the deeper the roots," he said — and that means less opportunity for dandelions or other weeds to grow. Boggs says a lot of people think mowing the grass as short as possible means mowing less often, but that's not actually the case.
"We mow when the lawn becomes uneven, right? Well, whether you cut it high or cut it low, it becomes uneven about the same time," he said.
"If you can't beat 'em, eat 'em"
Boggs says one of the best ways to control dandelions is to eat them.
"All parts of the plant are edible," he says.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, dandelion greens are a great source of vitamins and minerals like calcium, potassium, and vitamins A, C, and K.
One important caution: if there's even a chance that someone has sprayed herbicide on or near a dandelion plant, you should not eat it.
Otherwise, Boggs says there are a number of ways to eat dandelion greens — something he did often while growing up in West Virginia.
"They can be eaten raw, but they're a bit coarse and bitter," he says. "Dandelion wine can also be made out of the flowers. It takes a lot of effort; my dad made it when I was growing up and and it was actually a very good wine."
The Michigan State University Extension offers five ways to eat dandelions, including in salad, baking, and as tea.
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