Weeds vs Greens

Spring has sprung, and for most people, lawns all over are already being mowed on a regular basis. Unless you're at my house. Then part of the lawn has been mown. My front flower bed ... "flower bed", has seen many better days. It needs a total overhaul, but I am starting to wonder if the Lord is not providing my deep seated need to garden, without my participating in the panting of the plants and seeds. We have not had a garden in a good ten years, and this bothers me. I've noticed these "plants" sprouting in this flower bed. A couple weeks ago they looked like this-

This weekend, they looked like this-

(Click to see a larger version)

I asked a couple of weeks ago on Facebook and the consensus was "it looks like dandelion, but when it doubt, don't". Well of course I'm in doubt, but if I have free salads growing in my front flower bed, I wanna know! So off to 'the google' I go. Apparently, these weeds are the awesome of most awesome salad greens, yet you can saute them as well. From RebeccaWood.com (no relation)-

Dandelions support digestion, reduce swelling and inflammation, and treat viruses, jaundice, edema, gout, eczema and acne. This sunflower relative boasts potent medicinal properties with laxative and diuretic properties (its French name, pissenlit, wet the bed, aptly names its effectiveness). More of their–and other foods’–medicinal properties, are listed in The New WHole Foods Encyclopedia.

I always figured you'd see the greens along with the flowers, but I don't see any. But there are the big stalks like this-

It appears the leaves vary a little in appearance, but when you check out what Bon Appetit has, to mine they look the same.

So what do you think? Do I have an endless source of salad greens going on in my flower bed?


If you eat dandelion greens, how large are they before they're not good, or does it matter?