A Detailed Guide to Dandelion Planting Techniques and Harvest Timing

Dandelion, also known as bed-wetting grass and pugongding, is a common wild plant found on hillsides, in fields, and along riverbanks. It is much loved for its effects in clearing heat and reducing internal fire and improving indigestion, and it is now being cultivated artificially in many regions, so how do you grow dandelion? When is the best time to harvest it?

I. Introduction to dandelion:

1. What does dandelion look like?

(1) Dandelion flower: It is yellow, roughly like a small chrysanthemum, and grows at the very top of the flower stem. Generally, one stem bears one flower, and the petals are ligulate. The achene is obovate-lanceolate, with transverse tubercles and longitudinal ribs, and is yellowish-brown in color. It is very attractive and also the easiest part to identify.

(2) Dandelion seed: It looks like a small white fluffy ball. With a puff of the mouth or a gust of wind, it drifts away to another place, then slowly falls to the ground and takes root.

(3) Dandelion stem: The stem is green and slender, without hairs, but with fine, soft, cobweb-like hairs. When pinched by hand, a milky white sap flows out. However, this sap is toxic, and people with allergic constitutions are very prone to allergic reactions from it, so it is best to come into contact with it as little as possible.

(4) Dandelion leaves: They are obovate-lanceolate, oblanceolate, or oblong-lanceolate, 4-20 cm long and 1-5 cm wide, with pinnate or wavy-toothed edges and no thorns, and the main vein is often reddish-purple.

(5) Dandelion root: The root is 4-10 cm long, conical, somewhat curved, brownish on the outside, relatively thick, and without lateral branches.

2. What types of dandelion are there?

Heterobract dandelion, Asian dandelion, saline-alkali dandelion, Northeast dandelion, red-stem dandelion

3. Where does dandelion come from?

Dandelion has many places of origin and is distributed both domestically and abroad. Abroad, it is mainly distributed in Mongolia, Korea, Russia, and other places; domestically, it is mainly distributed in Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Hebei, Henan, Shaanxi, Shandong, Fujian, Jiangsu, Hunan, Guizhou, Sichuan, Yunnan, and other places.

4. What is the flower language of dandelion?

The flower language of dandelion is love that cannot stay. However, because there are many varieties and different varieties of dandelion represent different meanings, everyone should be careful not to mix them up.

(1) Purple dandelion flower language: legendary purple

(2) Flying arrow dandelion flower language: aiming at a marble

(3) Autumn dandelion flower language: temptation

II. What are the planting techniques for dandelion?

1. Site selection and land preparation:

Dandelion has strong adaptability and does not have high soil requirements. Generally, it can grow as long as the soil is fertile and moist, so when choosing a site, it is best to choose a sunny sandy loam plot. After choosing the site, water and fertilize appropriately to ensure the soil has sufficient water and nutrients. When fertilizing, apply organic fertilizer, phosphate fertilizer, and potassium fertilizer as much as possible, and plow the soil deeply, then level it for later planting.

2. Sowing:

(1) Seed treatment: Place the seeds in a cool, ventilated place to dry for 2 days, then soak them in water for about 4 hours before sowing.

(2) Sowing time: February to May and August to October each year

(3) Sowing method: Evenly scatter the treated seeds in the soil, then cover with a thin layer of soil and spray a small amount of water so they can grow. Generally, they need to be moved to an environment of about 15 degrees for growth, because when the temperature is 15 degrees, the seeds can germinate after about 4 days; if it is above 25 degrees, growth will be slow.

3. Thinning and final spacing:

Ten days after the seeds emerge, thin them out. Generally, keeping a plant spacing of 3-5 cm is best. When they have grown for about 30 days, set the final spacing. Generally, keeping a plant spacing of 8-10 cm is best.

4. Field management:

(1) Field management before sowing

Before emergence, it is only necessary to keep the soil moist. If the soil is very dry, you can, depending on the situation, scatter some thatch or wheat straw around the seedlings to keep the soil moist. When seedlings grow, remove the thatch, then water appropriately according to soil moisture to promote leaf growth. In winter, water thoroughly once, then cover with thatch or wheat straw to protect the plants through the winter safely.

(2) Cultivation and weeding

When dandelion seeds have emerged for about 10 days, carry out cultivation and weeding once every 10 days until the rows close, to prevent weeds from growing back, absorbing nutrients, and causing the seedlings to die from insufficient nutrients.

(3) Fertilizer and water management

Dandelion does not have high requirements for fertilizer and water. Generally, it is enough to keep the soil moist and the fertilizer suitable. Usually, topdressing 1-2 times during the growing period is enough; in winter, apply 2500 kg of organic fertilizer and 20 kg of calcium fertilizer per mu to protect the root system through the winter safely.

III. When is the best time to harvest dandelion?

Dandelion is generally harvested from August to September, but because it has many uses and can be used not only as a vegetable but also as a medicinal material, the harvest time is also different. The specific harvest times are as follows:

1. Harvest time for medicinal use: Digging in late autumn is best. This is because at this time the dandelion is fully mature and has the most abundant nutrients, and the roots dug out are better in both quality and medicinal effect.

2. Harvest time for use as a vegetable: Digging when it first sprouts in spring is best. This is because at this time the dandelion leaves are tender, full of water, and relatively rich in nutrients, and they do not taste very bitter.

Overall, dandelion is very easy to grow, but if you want to harvest successfully from August to September, you need to do well in key planting points such as water and fertilizer and sowing methods, so that you can easily achieve high yield.