Berry-Picker for Harvesting Dandelions

[jsheffield]

I ordered this berry-picker from Amazon, thinking it might help in harvesting dandelions... it's amazing!

As a "proof of concept" experiment, I took a quick stroll through the dogs' fenced enclosure, simply running the device through the grass wherever I saw a dandelion... I had a pint of flowers in about a minute, more easily and with orders of magnitude less stems and grass than I ordinarily get.

I gave Chili most of these and went back out to grab enough from our lawn to give the other torts a treat.

#ChelonianAgronomistNerdery

Jamie

 

[Tom]

That is great, but I want the leaves and stems primarily. The flowers are just a secondary bonus for me.

 

[wellington]

Mine won't eat the flowers as much as they want the leaves. But they won't eat store bought dandelion leaves.

 

[jsheffield]

Interesting... Mine like the leaves fine, but go berserk for the flowers.

J

 

[SinLA]

Mine won't eat the flowers as much as they want the leaves. But they won't eat store bought dandelion leaves.

UGH SAME. How do they know its from the store??!?!

 

[wellington]

UGH SAME. How do they know its from the store??!?!

Right! The ones from the store are so much bigger than I can grow too. Maybe that's it? They are too mature and maybe more bitter?

 

[Maggie3fan]

Interesting... Mine like the leaves fine, but go berserk for the flowers.

J

He loves the flowers best, see the smile??? lol

 

[Tom]

UGH SAME. How do they know its from the store??!?!

Right! The ones from the store are so much bigger than I can grow too. Maybe that's it? They are too mature and maybe more bitter?

The store bought ones are a totally different species of plant. Also known as chicory or Italian dandelion. Like any other new food, they like them just fine if you take the time to introduce them slowly.

Taraxacum officinale vs. Cichorum intybus.

 

[SinLA]

The store bought ones are a totally different species of plant. Also known as coriander or Italian dandelion. Like any other new food, they like them just fine if you take the time to introduce them slowly.

Taraxacum officinale vs. Cichorum intybus.

Huh, had no idea they were different. I thought just larger b/c "professionally" grown. Thanks for the info!

 

[Chubbs the tegu]

The store bought ones are a totally different species of plant. Also known as chicory or Italian dandelion. Like any other new food, they like them just fine if you take the time to introduce them slowly.

Taraxacum officinale vs. Cichorum intybus.

Depends on your location. The dandy greens here in the northeast stores are definitely the same as the ones growing in the backyard. Same as you guys out west have the beautiful santa barbara mix that they dont sell here 🙄

 

[wellington]

Huh, had no idea they were different. I thought just larger b/c "professionally" grown. Thanks for the info!

Same here. But I have tried getting them to eat them for years. They just won't no matter what I did.

 

[Tom]

Depends on your location. The dandy greens here in the northeast stores are definitely the same as the ones growing in the backyard. Same as you guys out west have the beautiful santa barbara mix that they dont sell here 🙄

That is interesting. The ones I saw in Georgia were Italian Dandelions. I grow them here, so I recognize them immediately.