How to plant dandelion seeds? A detailed guide to the latest planting method
Dandelion is a common wild weed found along rural fields and roadsides. The fresh plant can be eaten as a wild vegetable. After the plant matures, the seeds grow fluffy pappi and spread everywhere with the wind, after which the seeds take root and sprout again. Artificial cultivation requires collecting mature seeds, which are then processed and sown to grow new plants, so seed collection is also an important task when growing dandelions from seed. Follow along below to learn about the process of growing dandelions from seed.
1. Collecting seeds
The seeds are initially obtained by collecting from wild plants, and after that cultivated seeds can be obtained through artificial cultivation. So in fact, you can directly pick the seeds of wild dandelions in autumn to cultivate them. When the seeds are mature and have grown into a round crown-shaped fluffy ball, you must collect them quickly before they scatter. After collecting, soak them and wash off the pappi, then dry them in a cool, shaded place. Once dried, seal them up and wait until spring to sow.
2. Seedling preparation
Before raising seedlings, prepare seedling containers. If you are growing just a small amount in pots, you can directly use seedling pots for raising seedlings and sow a small amount, then grow them on directly after they emerge. But for large-scale planting, prepare seedling trays or seedling pots made from small plastic bags. The seedling soil must be mixed well; you can use sand, leaf mold, wood shavings and pine needles together. To grow them in a greenhouse, prepare a spray bottle and a shade net.
3. Seed treatment
The seeds are rather small, and the seed coat is not thick, so they germinate easily. But for a large amount of seed, you can germinate them appropriately so they sprout evenly. Before sowing, the seeds must be disinfected to prevent the seeds from carrying pathogens. When sowing in spring, the germination time is short, so just soak them directly in warm water until the seeds have absorbed enough water. Before sowing, spray the seeds with a carbendazim solution to disinfect them. Finally, they can be sown. For direct sowing, sow 2 to 3 seeds per hole, cover with soil, and water.
4. Sowing and care
After sowing, wait for sprouting. Generally, they sprout evenly in about a week. Before sprouting, pay attention to watering to keep them moist so they sprout evenly, and be sure to place them in a greenhouse with reduced light; do not expose them to direct strong light, as some scattered light is enough to meet their growth needs. After sprouting, reduce watering, otherwise the new sprouts may rot, and give them a little more light to promote chlorophyll growth. When they have grown into small seedlings, you can apply some diluted fertilizer water to promote their growth.
Growing dandelions from seed, from collecting the seeds to treatment, sowing and seedling care, mainly follows this process. If you are growing just a small amount of dandelions, you can sow them directly with no major impact. They will still grow well.