More tomato seedlings had appeared over the last few days, so after last week’s under-watering and then damping off, it looks like I will end up with at least enough tomato plants this year. It also meant that I needed to get the latest seedlings into bigger pots.
In turn, potting up meant I got to take a trip down the garden to the shed. And in the bright sunshine I noticed the first dandelions of the year.
This was followed by the arrival of a bumblebee. It didn’t seem to notice the dandelions but rather kept close to the soil, as though it was sniffing it. Whatever it was up to, I was pleased to see it and hope that it will be okay tonight considering it is predicted to go down to -1 degrees C.
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You got to love these dandelions Helen, I love them as food but would not dream of using the flowers lest I interfere with the seeding of yet more dandelions 🙂 Have a nice weekend.
I’m going to let them seed but it is great for the bumblebees to have the flowers 😀
I’ve drunk dandelion coffee but never eaten the leaves. Do you eat the leaves?
Yes I do and love the bitterness of them in a salad.
I may just be brave enough to try them sometime!
Perhaps the bee will hide in the crevice next to the flower for warmth. I haven’t seen any bees yet even though so much is in bloom, but that said, we’ve had a lot of rain. Soon I hope.
Yes, I think bees avoid the rain. If ours are out of hibernation, then so must yours, I’d have thought, though.
I saw a bumblebee again yesterday flying to the roof of the house – it was enormous, so I wonder if it was the queen looking to make a nest.
I hope they’re around. I’ve been spending a lot of time out there, but so far I’m not spotting any. That doesn’t mean they aren’t around though, just not as prevalent as they are in the summer. I’ll let you know when I first spot one.
Yes, they are no doubt still waking up!
The bee would have been searching for nest sites.
And dandelion leaves work quite well in a salad… But you will have to wash them.
I’m intrigued by your comment regarding washing dandelion leaves. I always wash salad leaves (you never know what another creature could have been doing on them), so I was wondering if there was something special about dandelions?
They have a nutty taste… like rocket. Nothing special if you eat mixed greens but if you like spinach you may like them.
It’s rare I wash salad leaves unless I have harvested them myself, even then in the majority I just munch them.
Yes, I think spinach is okay – your description makes dandelion leaves seem quite appealing.
Give them a try. The only way to be sure!
😄
I love dandelions! They are so sunny and happy looking. I have just started a poetry blog here on WordPress in case you have time to look? Today’s post is about being in the moment and features a pic of me lying in a dandelion meadow! Happy Monday, Sam 🙂
Happy Monday, Sam. Thank you for your comment and good luck with your blog!
Thanks very much Helen!