0:00:02 > 0:00:04Hello and welcome to the A-Z of TV gardening, where we sift through
0:00:04 > 0:00:08your favourite gardening programmes and dig up a bumper crop
0:00:08 > 0:00:12of tips and advice from the best experts in the business.
0:00:12 > 0:00:16Flowers, trees, fruit and veg, letter by letter,
0:00:16 > 0:00:19they're all coming up a treat on the A-Z Of TV Gardening.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39Taking care of a garden isn't easy.
0:00:39 > 0:00:41There's always something that needs doing,
0:00:41 > 0:00:43even if it's just getting rid of those hated weeds.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46Which takes us on to our next subject -
0:00:46 > 0:00:50a flower most gardeners consider an absolute nuisance.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53This D is for dandelions.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58The name dandelion comes from old French, dent de lion,
0:00:58 > 0:01:02tooth of the lion, because it was thought that the leaves of the flower
0:01:02 > 0:01:04looked just like lions' teeth.
0:01:07 > 0:01:08Love it or hate it,
0:01:08 > 0:01:11there's no denying the dandelion is a tenacious plant.
0:01:11 > 0:01:15Dominic Price gave me the lowdown on the secret of its success.
0:01:15 > 0:01:20So, Dominic, is there more than one type of dandelion?
0:01:20 > 0:01:23Yes, there's possibly up to 250 types.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26No-one can quite agree on the exact number.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28But they must all look quite similar.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31They do, there's small differences in the leaf structure,
0:01:31 > 0:01:33some of them are very jagged, some are quite round,
0:01:33 > 0:01:36some are large and some are very small.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39Some of them are extremely rare as well.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42Why are they so prolific? Look at them stretching out behind us.
0:01:42 > 0:01:44They take over whole fields, whole gardens.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48Yes, one plant can produce more than 2,000 seeds in a year.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51And if you imagine each of those seeds forming a plant
0:01:51 > 0:01:53in a single growing season,
0:01:53 > 0:01:56they have an ability to take over extremely quickly.
0:01:56 > 0:02:00As a child, I remember picking them up and you tell the time, don't you?
0:02:00 > 0:02:02- By blowing them and seeing how they blow away.- Yes.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04So that's basically spreading the flowers.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07Yes, incredible aerial dispersal system.
0:02:07 > 0:02:09The sort of thing engineers would dream of,
0:02:09 > 0:02:12lifting up that weight and carrying it for hundreds of miles.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15So if someone does have them in the garden and really dislike them
0:02:15 > 0:02:17and want to get rid of them, what's the best way?
0:02:17 > 0:02:19The best way is to catch them early, if possible.
0:02:19 > 0:02:21They form these huge tap roots.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23If you can get them while they're still quite small,
0:02:23 > 0:02:26they will come up easily and they can be dug up.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29It's best to do it when the soil is fairly damp
0:02:29 > 0:02:31and just try and do it in one go.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34If you break them, you'll probably end up with two dandelions
0:02:34 > 0:02:36when you had one before.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39And if you can't beat them, I guess you might as well eat them.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42I met up with Debs Cook from The Herb Society
0:02:42 > 0:02:45for a gourmet dandelion masterclass in soup.
0:02:45 > 0:02:50We've got some stock and you need a bit of seasoning
0:02:50 > 0:02:52and the dandelion leaves will be the last stage.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55Everything sounded very tasty until you mentioned dandelion leaves.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58- They'll be fine. Trust me. - I trust you.
0:02:58 > 0:03:02- Then just pop that back on and stir it up a bit.- Yes.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06Dandelion soup is packed with vitamins B, C and E.
0:03:06 > 0:03:0920 minutes of simmering, and we're ready for the taste test.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12Now, I've tried a few things over the years,
0:03:12 > 0:03:15I've had stinging nettles. Which weren't so nice.
0:03:15 > 0:03:20But this is the first time I've ever had dandelion soup.
0:03:20 > 0:03:24- Do you think I'll like it? - I think so, yes.- OK.
0:03:26 > 0:03:27All right, OK.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32Mmm!
0:03:34 > 0:03:38- That is surprisingly tasty. - See, I told you so.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41I don't think I'll look at dandelions in quite the same way again.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43- Good.- This is very nice.
0:03:43 > 0:03:44Yum!
0:03:47 > 0:03:49So, there you have it.
0:03:49 > 0:03:53The virtues of the really rather useful common dandelion.
0:03:53 > 0:03:57All that's left for me is to collect a few for my tea.