The Dandelion King from NYT opinion

[Bill who putters]

I may be a Dandelion court jester.

[Jean B.]

Yes! Go people! (Yeah, it's an unpopular viewpoint, but the alternative is far worse, IMNSHO).

BTW, are you the man whom I used to discuss J. maples with? if so, how have you evolved as far as they go?

[Bill who putters]

Yes I am the same guy. Changed handle from Bill to Bill who putters. Still into growing Japanese Maples with one noticeable change . We now try to give 15 to 20 away each year as big is getting hard to dig. Frees up more space for new interesting Japanese Maples. Just discovered a full moon Japanese maple light green tinge of yellow about

30 inches high. Seems a few years may be needed for personality to show. Now the issue is where to plant it and should it give it more sun then our small vegetable bed gets?

Anyway made a list the other day of plants we try to grow. Forgot to mention laurels .

Here it is.

Astibles  Asters Died out Andrometers (SP) Anemones White and Purple Azaleas and Rhododendrons Black Bamboo Golden Bamboo Bamboo Scubs Bleeding hearts Red and White Coneflowers many colors Day Lilies  Epimediums Inpatients Double and single a annual Ferns  Japanese Flowering Almond Bush Japanese Hollies Japanese Maples Geraniums Hellebores Hibiscus Deciduous Holliy Hosta about 10 varieties  Stewartia Tree Franklinia Tree Dogwood Trees Kousa Dogwood Trees Flowering Cherry Weeping Crabapple Tree Sugar Maple Tree Solomon Seals Red & White Oaks American Hollies Sweet Woodruff small 2² high ground cover edible flowers  May Wine Pachysandra  Phlox Many colors Moss Some grass lawn and not smokeable Magnolia Trees Peonies Tree Peonies Japanese Pine Tree Umbrella Pine White Pine Monastery Pine Tree Various Milkweeds Kerria Japonica Double Yellow   Single Yellow and a Single White Virginia Bluebells Hops Ajuga both weeds Caladiums bulbs  treated as annuals Daffodils many types Crocus Mints Rosemary Thyme Hardy Coleus Ornamental Grasses Hardy Roses Trumpet Vines Iris Japanese Iris

[Jean B.]

Andromeda. I kind-of like those.

Here in the Boston area, mine died this past winter.

I have some and will transplant them.

I was admiring those today.

Yeah!

I saw some TINY ones today.

Hmmm. Deciduous?

Those have been recommended in this area.

I have two here.

I have one. Any idea why its babies have never flowered? It doesn't seem to make sense to bring any of the babies to the new house.

I have two tortured ones at the new house. I am thinking I will put fruiting cherry trees near them, and then possibly remove the others when the new ones are bigger.

I think there are two crab apples at the new house, and I have a dwarf here in a pot.

I have some sort of maple, apparently not a norway maple, in front of the house. I haven't explored the wooded and hilly areas yet.

Love 'em. I wodner whether any of mine have survived in my naturalized area.

Have some here--and there.

Am planning to get some of those.

Ooops, I have bad memories of that.

I love moss!

Grass, ugh. Unfortunately, I probably am expected to have some lawn and am thinking of the slow-growing stuff. Better if other low green things take over...

Nice. I think the realtor ruined the one at the new house--cutting every single branch. It looks very sad. She did that to many of the plants in the front yard.

I have one here. No babies, alas.

I may get a small one. I like them a lot.

I have them here and there--plus one I grew from a baby in a pot.

I want those.

I am debating about taking some ajuga with me.

Some here, some there.

Those are nice in the spring.

Need to remember to take my black grass.

I have one that needs to be planted. Hmm. I could have taken it over today. There is a kind-of defunct vine, and I am thinking this could grow right up it.

Those I want.

Wow! I asked about the J. maples because I am now somewhat conflicted about the them. I still love them, but I feel I should be planting native things that benefit critters. How does one handle such a thought?

At the same time, as I look toward moving, I am sad to leave some of my favorite (large) J. maples. Of course, those favorites (e.g., the moonfire, which keeps its dark red color all summer) have not had any babies. Others I may very well replant at the new abode--the sango kaku, which is very near the front walk and will probably be ruined when I move, and the two little J. maples near it (which I hope still have their tags on them); the shishigashira, which has never thrived here--probably rootbound; possibly the crimson queen. I also have four J. maples that have been in pots for at least three years, plus a full moon maple, which has been sitting in a pile of mulch for at least that long.

I am thinking those will go in the front yard, and the critter-friendly things will go in the back. The north side will be the moss and fern area. Maybe some of my lilies of the valley, which have spread nicely this year, will also go there.

[Cheryl Isaak]

HURRAH - we use the "cut it short" method - don't see the weeds/flowers. And you get "biodiversity".

[Fred Williams]

The link

from your URL describes the pesticide ban in Canada - but that only applies to local government managers of green spaces - so while our roadside grass is covered in dandelions we homeowners try to stop it spreading into our gardens. Surely someone can find a dandelion killer that doesn't harm the environment? Personally I have a tool to dig deep and remove them from my lawns - you just have to make sure that you start early in the season, else your grass will be replaced by dandelions!

Fred

[Billy]

You could put them in your salad, and save a little on your food bill.

[Dan L.]

For those that want a chemical free lawn and an almost dandelion free lawn can do these things. In the spring, mow the yard short with a bagger. Mow the the yard before the dandelions go to seed. Hot compost the grass. When the grass itself goes to seed let it grow tall then cut, no bagging. In the fall reapply the compost to the yard. Just a thought or two.

Dandelions are typically the first flowers to pollinate and provides food for the hungry bees. So I prefer a few dandelions in the yard. Also have you ever seen a yard loaded with dandelions and no grass? A sea of yellow colors that just looks beautiful for a short while.

[Bill who putters]

I live about 8 miles from Vineland NJ the Dandelion capitol of the world. By this they cultivate acres of the dreaded weed. Guess with the large Italian folks nearby and wild greens like Broccoli Rabe about and wild mushrooms it is a marriage made heaven. Fiddle ferns just showing but I'm ignorant on distinguishing them.

Sort of nice to forage about for some of natures gifts and are not they all gifts?