How to Harvest & Prepare Dandelion Root

Make dandelion root coffee.

The dandelion is an invasive herb considered a weed. It has large green leaves with jagged edges, a hollow stem, and yellow puffy flowers, the plant's seed head. When the flowers dry up, the wind propagates them to other parts. But dandelion root (and leaves) also has nutritional value in the form of protein, vitamins A, B, C and E, iron, calcium, zinc and other minerals. To prepare it, dig the plant to harvest and use the root in teas and infusions.

Things You'll Need

• Weed puller
• Dandelion plant
• Water
• Knife
• Cookie sheet
• Oven
• Grinder
• Airtight container
• Salt

Instructions

1. Take the entire dandelion plant out of the ground using a weed puller. Harvest plants away from polluting sources, such as highways and lawns that have been sprayed with herbicides. Separate the roots from the rest of the plant and wash them thoroughly. Discard the flowers but use the foliage in salads and other recipes that call for greens.

2. Boil one cup of water and pour it over 1 tsp. of dandelion roots. Let them steep until the water cools. Drink this infusion plain or with honey to relieve menstrual problems, airborne allergies, digestives issues, skin conditions as well as other ailments, according to Isabell Shipard, an Australian herbalist and the author of "How Can I Use HERBS in My Daily Life."

3. Make caffeine-free dandelion root "coffee." Dig dandelion roots that are nine to 12 months old. Wash and cut them in small pieces. Let them air-dry. Put the root pieces on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Turn the oven on low, about 300 degrees Fahrenheit, and roast the roots until they turn dark brown as the color of coffee. Remove them from the oven and let roots cool. Store them in an airtight container. Grind the roots as needed and brew the grounds as you would coffee, adding a pinch of salt to them to bring out the flavor. Drink it plain or with milk and sugar.

References

• University of Maine Cooperative Extension: Facts on Edible Wild Greens in Maine
• Herbs Are Special: Dandelion