Cook County News Herald

The dreaded dandelion




I know many of us have worked very hard to get rid of this overbearing weed. When we first planted our lawn at our new home (30-plus years ago) we planted clover—it smelled so wonderful after we mowed.

Then the dreaded dandelion started to take over. I dug them up but they only seemed to love it, and came back twofold.

I didn’t want to use weed killer for several reasons. It would kill broadleaf plants. Isn’t that clover? So then I thought, when cars leak different kinds of fluid, nothing seems to grow there. So I mixed some gas and oil in a dish soap bottle and squirted the dreaded weeds. They hung down all wilted.

Aha! I got you now. A few night crawlers came to the surface but I figured sacrificing a few night crawlers was worth it. The next day I checked, and the dandelions were standing tall and proud.

My new approach was to let them grow—they beat me. After a while I told myself if it wasn’t for dandelions and something my husband calls pigweed, we wouldn’t have any green in our yard at all. Oh, we still have some clover and a little grass.

But this year I have a whole new outlook about the dandelion.

A few days ago I looked out over our yard and we had hundreds of monarch butterflies, a handful of swallowtails, a couple mourning cloaks, several bees and many other nameless insects flitting around the yard. Guess what they were all there for? Yes, the dreaded dandelion!

I went out to take a few pictures and was proud we had a nice feast for them. I guess all God’s creations are here for a reason.

But would someone please tell me what wood ticks are good for? I had several of them on me when I went into the house. Sorry God, I still don’t like wood ticks, at least for now.

Edie Taapa
Hovland



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