Yumiko Mori

Internet version [Naruhodo no Mori] Vol.51

by Yumiko Mori

Title
Vol. 51     May, 15th, 2000

Digging Dandelion Roots

Home science experiments for mothers of elementary school children



On a warm spring day we had an itch to go out.
Tae and Mom have decided to go out to a nearby park to dig dandelion. In Japan it is popular to dig bamboo shoots in spring, but dandelion digging is rarely heard.

Mom: "Look!  A lot of dandelions are growing here."
Tae: "What are you going to do with dug dandelions?"
Mom: "We can show your friends what dandelion roots look like. I don't think none of your friends has seen them before."
Tae: "Mom, I rather wanted to sleep on bed a little longer."
Mom: "Don't complain.  Let's go to dig dandelions!"

Tae and Mom start digging a dandelion plant at the corner in the park.
Dandelion

Mom: "This area is very sandy.  It's easier to dig."
Tae: "Mom, you dig from that side.  I am going to dig from this side."
Mom: "As we dig deeper, the soil is getting harder. Also the soil color becomes different. This soil is more reddish."
Tae: "That's true!  Mom, how deep are we going to dig?"
Mom: "Try to dig out the longest root as possible."
Tae: "The longest root?"
Mom: "Oh, no! Accidentally I have chopped off the root."
Tae: "Oh, No!  We have been digging this much. That's too bad! I am going to dig myself over there."

Tae has decided to dig her own dandelion.

Mom: "Tae, are you digging OK?"
Tae: "Look!  My root is almost 30 cm long."
Mom: "That's very good!"
Tae: "How about yours?"
Mom: "Well, I've got a little backache. I wish I can lie down somewhere."
Tae: "I told you so! It's best to have an extra sleep at home on a day like this."


Materials

Dandelions Dandelions
A shovel
A wood stick
A ruler, a packing tape, and a plastic bag
Materials


How to dig

   Required time: 1 hour

  1. Find a dandelion you can dig.

  2. Dig a hole around the dandelion. The hole can be about 20 cm in radius.
    Dig carefully with a wood stick, when you dig near the roots.

  3. If you accidentally cut the roots, put a piece of tape around the roots to preserve the root shape.
    Measure the length of the whole roots.

  4. Put dug soil back to the hole.


10 Discovery by Digging Dandelions


* You can cook Dandelion coffee from their roots, if you are interested in.

* There are many more interesting facts about Dandelions.



Concentration and Patience

   I have never used this much concentration and patience until this experiment. You may think root digging is easy. It was much harder than I had anticipated. If you worry your children don't have patience, why don't you try doing "Dandelion digging" with your children on a sunny spring day?


AuthorYumiko Mori (Zushi, Kanagawa, Japan)
IllustrationMitsue Ogata
TranslatorAkira Ishihara
HTML formatMuneo Kume


Copyright © 2000 Rika no Heya & Yumiko Mori