Preparedness for when

grandma247

Help D&DD I can't read red on black so I don't know what your avatar says I can see it is red but thats all.

Mad-Frog

Grandma247 (I hope you haven't got 247 grand children :eek: )

It says in white keep calm and carry on, in red the zombies are coming or something like that

skintscotslass

valk_scot wrote: »

I've used a Lidl weed wand for many years now on my allotment and I suspect where you're going wrong is that you're expecting the wand to incinerate the weeds, like a flame thrower? Because a weed wand isn't designed to do this. You use it by gently wafting the hot flame of the wand just above the surface of the plant and the heat causes disruption within the plant's cells by literally boiling the interior fluids. The plant won't go on fire, it will just look a bit limp and crinkly round the edges, like a wet cloth. And then it will die over the next few days, or rather the areas that came appropriately close to the heat source will die. The roots won't die however and neither will any of the other parts of the plant out of reach of the wand. so you have to use it correctly to get maximum coverage, by moving it slowly and methodically over the entire area to be treated and at the correct distance (usually two inches above)from the plant being treated.

You also have to repeat this treatment as often as necessary to get full dieback of the plants. How often depends on the type of plant involved but you're usually looking at twice per week.

Ah! You are spot on Val! Hmmm, my problem is I dont do slow and methodically in the garden lol. Thank you so much for that. I'll give the front a go later on

My weeds are mostly dandelions, a weed that is easy to pull up and something that grows like a chain. You pull it up and a foot away, there's more of it!!

Caterina

skintscotslass wrote: »

My weeds are mostly dandelions, a weed that is easy to pull up and something that grows like a chain. You pull it up and a foot away, there's more of it!!

Dandelions are a very good subsistence food, packed with goodness and very tasty, too. If your garden is not chemically treated (or has dogs that pee there) you can use dandelion leaves like this: the young pale green ones are good for salad, the older ones can be boiled (the water is an excellent diuretic and blood purifier apparently) then drained, chopped and either eaten with oil and lemon, or fried in olive oil with some garlic and chilli.

For the Italophiles among you, the latter is called "Cicoria ripassata"

I know that dandelion roots can be roasted and used to make an acceptable coffee substitute but I have never tried, so cannot comment. Likewise I know that the yellow flowers, fermented with yeast and sugar, can be used to make wine. I have never tried but knew people who did, and got in trouble because they made this wine while in prison! They forgot to let the gas out one day and the container exploded!

skintscotslass

Caterina wrote: »

Dandelions are a very good subsistence food, packed with goodness and very tasty, too. If your garden is not chemically treated (or has dogs that pee there) you can use dandelion leaves like this: the young pale green ones are good for salad, the older ones can be boiled (the water is an excellent diuretic and blood purifier apparently) then drained, chopped and either eaten with oil and lemon, or fried in olive oil with some garlic and chilli.

For the Italophiles among you, the latter is called "Cicoria ripassata"

I know that dandelion roots can be roasted and used to make an acceptable coffee substitute but I have never tried, so cannot comment. Likewise I know that the yellow flowers, fermented with yeast and sugar, can be used to make wine. I have never tried but knew people who did, and got in trouble because they made this wine while in prison! They forgot to let the gas out one day and the container exploded!

Unfortunately Caterina, I have a puppy and two other dogs who come to visit my garden. They have peeing competitions!!! lol

Having said that, I'm sure I could take the 'clock' and scatter it in my raised beds. Hmmm, that is something to think about. Cicoria ripassata sounds lovely!!!

Caterina

Ah then you cannot eat the weeds, worse luck. I buy a type of Italian cultivated Cicoria seed to grow (from Seeds of Italy in case anyone is interested) it makes giant dandelion leaves and it is almost perennial, got it in my front garden raised bed. Very ornamental too when overgrown, makes lovely blue flowers, not like the wild yellow ones, which IMO are also very nice!

In Rome in the market you often find older ladies selling wild herbs, both for cooking and also for salads (misticanza di campagna) but younger people no longer want to do this sort of thing so I fear this lovely tradition will disappear! Also with more pollution and less wild land this is being affected.

Am going to be in Rome in the next couple of weeks, now I have to put an "order" for my Auntie to make me wild Cicoria for lunch, it is a tradition on my visits, that's how much I miss it!

Valli

valk_scot wrote: »

If you have kids and they want to learn to sew a hand crank is ideal for them as it only goes as fast as they can turn the handle. And kids really love turning that handle, it's much more satisfying for them than a scarey foot controlled electric machine. When my DD (10) brings her friends home to play we usually set up what my OH calls The Sweatshop on the dining table and they sit in a line in front of my three Singer handcranks and turn out cushions and wee bags and stuff for their bedrooms.

You could run kids birthday parties/craft days/afternoons with those.:cool:

[Deleted User]

A friend from Lyons makes the most wonderful dandelion salad.

Marise's Lyonnaise Salad

Dandelion leaves
1 clove of garlic
1 thick slice of bread cubed crouton sized
4oz streaky bacon cut in strips
2 hard boiled eggs chopped up
some olive oil
redwine vinegar
a pinch of sugar
salt and black pepper

Rub the garlic round a salad bowl. Fry the bacon until it releases its fat and goes crispy. Take the bacon out and keep aside. Fry the bread cubes in the bacon fat until they start to go golden round the edges but not too crisp. Remove from the pan and keep aside. Add a little olive oil to the pan and scrape any sediment off then add some red wine vinegar to make a hot dressing. Add the pinch of sugar and season it to your liking. Put the dandelion leaves, torn not cut up in the bowl , add bacon, croutons, egg and pour over the dressing while it's still hot. Give it a good mix and enjoy. Cheers Lyn.

betony

Caterina wrote: »

Ah then you cannot eat the weeds, worse luck. I buy a type of Italian cultivated Cicoria seed to grow (from Seeds of Italy in case anyone is interested) it makes giant dandelion leaves and it is almost perennial, got it in my front garden raised bed. Very ornamental too when overgrown, makes lovely blue flowers, not like the wild yellow ones, which IMO are also very nice!

In Rome in the market you often find older ladies selling wild herbs, both for cooking and also for salads (misticanza di campagna) but younger people no longer want to do this sort of thing so I fear this lovely tradition will disappear! Also with more pollution and less wild land this is being affected.

Am going to be in Rome in the next couple of weeks, now I have to put an "order" for my Auntie to make me wild Cicoria for lunch, it is a tradition on my visits, that's how much I miss it!

Caterina, this is botanically a variety of chicory, not, strictly speaking, a dandelion at all. It can be used in all the ways you would use dandelions, though, and is also very nutritious. They are both what's known as 'mineral accumulators' as the deep roots bring up nutrients from deep in the soil. Very health-giving, well worth growing!

Sorry for correcting you, but I'm very interested in perennial edible plants

grandma247

Mad-Frog wrote: »

Grandma247 (I hope you haven't got 247 grand children :eek: )

Eek indeed! It is 24-7 I only have 11 grandchildren and am grandma 24 hours seven days a week