I just read in Adell's column that one shouldn't compost dandelion roots. Why not?

By David on Tuesday, June 24, 2003 - 10:59 pm:

I don't know...but if your compost is churning and burning it should not be a problem. Just make sure you have enough green material in your compost...Good Luck!!

By Peter Gail on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 - 07:21 am:

By Peter Gail, Ph.D.

It may be that the columnist worries about seed survival in the compost heap. That should not be a worry. Dandelions are one of the best of all composting plants because they are deep soil miners, putting roots down between 3 and 12 feet deep beneath the zone of depletion, and transporting trace minerals to the surface. When you compost the dandelions, you are releasing those trace and other minerals into the soil, thereby fertilizing it in ways that few other plants can, and at no cost to you. If more dandelions grow, eat them. See www.edibleweeds.com. Dandelions are one of the all time most nutritious and health promoting vegetables known to man, and shouldn't be wasted. I graze on them as I weed my garden, and leave the roots there to produce more greens.