Dandelion Cultivation Methods and Benefit Analysis

Dandelion, also known as huanghua diding and other names, has become very popular in recent years due to its health-preserving benefits, and market demand is also increasing. For this reason, many people want to grow dandelions. So how do you grow dandelions? How good are the cultivation benefits?

I. How do you grow dandelions?

1. Soil selection and land preparation

Dandelion is a herbaceous plant with strong adaptability, so it is not strict about soil. However, to ensure yield, try to choose fertile, loose and moist sandy soil. The planting site is best on a sunny slope. In addition, the land can be deep-ploughed, finely broken up and leveled, and sufficient base fertilizer should be applied to ensure the nutrients needed for dandelion plant growth. Water thoroughly once before sowing.

2. Sowing and seedling raising

Dandelion seeds have no dormancy period, so they can be sown all year round. Sow in soil at a temperature above 15 degrees, and the seeds will germinate in about 4-5 days. Seeds germinate faster at 15 degrees and slower at temperatures above 25 degrees, so the best sowing time is spring and early summer. Of course, greenhouse cultivation allows sowing in winter.

3. Field management

Dandelions can be transplanted once they grow new leaves. Do not water for 2-3 weeks after transplanting to avoid root rot. Dandelions are drought-tolerant and extremely resistant to pests and diseases, so there are very few pests and diseases during cultivation. This is an advantage compared with other plants. The most important part of dandelion field management is fertilizer and water management. About 65% of the whole plant is water, so its water requirements are very high. It needs frequent watering to keep the soil moist. Its fertilizer demand is not high; apply sufficient base fertilizer before planting and topdress once or twice during the growing season.

4. Precautions

The key point in dandelion cultivation is also fertilizer and water. During the growing period, water frequently to keep the soil moist. Especially after emergence, a large amount of water is needed. Water is the key point in dandelion growth. It is not recommended to apply industrial chemical fertilizers when growing dandelions. Although chemical fertilizers make them grow quickly and vigorously, they cause them to lose the wild flavor and style of dandelion and reduce their efficacy. It is best to apply farmyard manure or organic fertilizer.

II. How good are dandelion cultivation benefits?

Dandelion is a perennial herbaceous plant in the Asteraceae family. It is rich in iron, calcium, multiple vitamins and carbohydrates. In addition, it contains healthy nutritional components such as taraxol, taraxacin and organic acids. It is a plant used both as medicine and food, with effects such as clearing heat and detoxifying, promoting urination and mild laxation. It mainly treats acute tonsillitis, acute bronchitis, gastritis, hepatitis and various other inflammations. As living standards improve, people's awareness of health preservation is also constantly rising. Dandelion tea is now an emerging health product. Dandelion tea has the effect of lowering blood pressure and blood lipids, market demand is huge, and it is often exported abroad. Prices have soared from around ten-plus yuan to several tens of yuan, so growing dandelions is a very good project.

Dandelion leaves, roots and stems can all be used as medicine. Each mu can produce about 600 kg of dried product. Calculated at 6 yuan per kilogram, the benefit per mu is about 3600 yuan. In addition, dandelion is a perennial herbaceous plant. After growing continuously for two years, its roots can be dug out and dried. The price of roots is more than twice that of stems and leaves. The root yield per mu can reach about 300 kg, at a price of 13 yuan per kilogram, and the benefit per mu can reach 3900 yuan. In addition, because it can also be eaten as a vegetable, the benefit per mu is around 7000-8000. From this perspective, the cultivation benefits of dandelion are still quite good.

Summary: The above is an introduction to dandelion cultivation methods and cultivation benefits. Note that the above dandelion cultivation benefits are for reference only, and the actual benefits should prevail. In addition, growing dandelions carries certain risks. Planting should be adapted to local conditions and good cultivation techniques should be mastered. We hope this is helpful to friends in need!

How can dandelion cultivation achieve high yield? High-yield cultivation techniques for dandelion

[Common questions]How can dandelion cultivation achieve high yield?

[Expert answer]Dandelion is a perennial herbaceous plant in the Asteraceae family. It is rich in various healthy nutritional components such as taraxol, taraxacin, choline, organic acids and inulin, and has extremely high medicinal value. In recent years it has become quite popular in the market. In order to improve the economic benefits of dandelion cultivation, achieving high-yield dandelion cultivation is especially important. The high-yield dandelion cultivation techniques are introduced as follows:

Image: Dandelion cultivation

I. Collecting seeds

Dandelions generally can bloom and set seed as biennials. Wild plants bloom from May to June, growing both as individual plants and in colonies. The older the dandelion, the more flowers it produces, with a maximum of more than 20 flowers. After flowering, the seed maturation period is short; generally the seeds mature in 13—15 days. Whether the seeds are mature is mainly judged by the flower head shell changing from green to yellow, and the seeds in each flower head also changing from white to brown. This is the seed maturation stage, and they can then be harvested. After the seeds mature, they quickly disperse with the pappus in the wind, so they can be harvested early before the flower head splits. This is the key to success or failure in seed collection.

After the flower heads are picked, place them indoors to after-ripen for 1 day. Wait until the flower heads have all opened, then dry them in the shade for 1-2 days. When the seeds are half-dry, rub off the downy pieces at the tips of the seeds by hand, then dry the seeds in the sun. The thousand-seed weight of large-leaf dandelion is 2 grams, and that of small-leaf varieties is 1—1.2 grams.

II. Land preparation and bed making

1. Site selection:Dandelion has strong adaptability, tolerating both drought and alkali, and prefers loose, fertile sandy loam with good drainage.

2. Fertilization:Apply organic fertilizer per hectare, preferably horse manure, 30000-45000 kilograms, mixed with 225-300 kilograms of superphosphate, spread evenly on the ground, then deep-plough 20 cm.

3. Making beds and ridges:After the ground is leveled and raked fine, make sowing beds 100 cm wide, 15 cm high and 10 m long, or make small ridges 30 cm high, with a base width of 30 cm and a shoulder width of 20 cm.

III. Sowing and root burying

1. Bed sowing:Open small furrows 1 cm deep and 5 cm wide crosswise, sow the seeds evenly into the furrows, cover with fine soil, and press with a wooden roller. Row spacing 15 cm.

2. Ridge sowing:Open small furrows 1 cm deep and 5 cm wide along the ridges. After sowing, cover with fine soil and press with a wooden roller.

3. Root burying and planting:In order to bring dandelions to market earlier and increase income, digging roots in the wild and burying them for planting in a greenhouse can achieve twice the result with half the effort. In late autumn (mid to late October), when dandelions are hit by frost for the first time and the leaf color changes from green to red, promptly collect dandelion roots from the wild, preferably whole roots. Make beds in the greenhouse with the specifications described above. Plant the roots at a row spacing of 15 cm and a plant spacing of 5 cm, burying them to the original root surface position, so that the root tops are at the ground surface, seemingly exposed yet not exposed, and press firmly by hand. Keep the greenhouse temperature at around 20°C, and dandelions will grow normally. If you want dandelions to come to market during peak market demand, control the greenhouse temperature to restrict plant growth, and satisfactory results can be achieved.

4. Promoting germination and seedlings:In order to promote earlier emergence after sowing, warm water seed treatment can be used to promote germination. That is, place the seeds in warm water at 50-55°C, stir until the water cools, then soak for another 8 hours, remove, wrap the seeds in wet cloth, and place them in a spot at around 25°C. Cover with wet cloth on top, pour warm water at 50°C once each morning and evening, and after 3—4 days, once the seeds begin to sprout, they can be sown. The sowing rate per hectare is 11.25 kilograms.

Image: Dandelion cultivation

IV. Field management

1. Loosening soil and weeding:Half a month after dandelion emergence, carry out 1 round of soil loosening and weeding. For bed sowing, use a small pointed hoe to shallow-cultivate between the seedlings; for ridge sowing, use a pickaxe to shallow-cultivate in the ridge furrows. After that, carry out soil loosening and intertillage once every 10 days. After the rows close, continue manual weeding.

2. Thinning and fixing seedlings:Dandelion plants have large leaves above ground, so management must fully consider that the plants need a certain amount of space to grow. Do not greedily keep too many seedlings and let density affect growth. Generally, seedlings can be fixed 10 days after emergence, with plant and row spacing of 5—10 cm.

3. Watering and fertilizing:During the dandelion growing period, water frequently to keep the soil moist. After dandelion emergence, a large amount of water is needed, so maintaining the soil in a moist state is the key to dandelion growth.

V. Harvesting

Dandelions sown in the same year cannot be harvested that year. After winter begins, spread organic fertilizer on the beds (ridges) at 2000 kilograms per 667 square meters, preferably decomposed horse manure. In this way, it both fertilizes and protects the roots for safe overwintering. Applying chemical fertilizers is not advocated. Although applying chemical fertilizers makes young plants and leaves dark and causes sudden growth, it causes them to lose the essence of a green plant and also lose the wild flavor and style of dandelion. Generally, 9000—10500 kilograms can be produced per hectare.

[Editor's concluding remarks]In order to meet growing market demand and improve economic benefits, achieving high-yield dandelion cultivation is very important. The above has introduced high-yield dandelion cultivation techniques for everyone, and we hope it can be helpful to you!

When to plant dandelions: dandelion cultivation techniques and precautions

Although the main form in which dandelions exist is still as a wild grass in the countryside, with the wide spread and application of dandelion benefits and effects, growing dandelions has also become a way for rural entrepreneurs to become wealthy. So exactly how should dandelions be grown to achieve better quality and higher yield?

When to plant dandelions

Dandelions are sown after July. Dandelions are cold-resistant and heat-tolerant, so the sowing period is not very strict. They can be sown after spring and summer vegetables are harvested and the land is cleared. Dandelion yield is related to the sowing period. According to experiments, the one-year yield of the three sowing periods of Minor Heat, Major Heat and Beginning of Autumn was 0.71 kilograms, 0.60 grams and 0.36 kilograms per square meter respectively. Therefore, sow as early as possible. If sowing after July, appropriately increase the sowing rate to raise yield.

Dandelion cultivation techniques and precautions

1. Site selection and land preparation

Dandelion is highly adaptable and can grow in ordinary land. Choose a fertile, moist, sunny sandy loam plot. Water thoroughly before sowing and apply sufficient base fertilizer. After applying organic fertilizer, phosphate fertilizer and potassium fertilizer, deep-plough the land, break it up finely and level it, make beds, then water.

2. Sowing

Mature dandelion seeds have no dormancy period. When the temperature is above 15 degrees, the seeds can be sown in moist soil. They germinate after about 90 hours. Seeds germinate relatively quickly when the soil temperature is around 15 degrees, and germinate slowly above 25-30 degrees, so sowing can be done from early spring to midsummer.

3. Fixing seedlings

For management after planting, generally do not water before new leaves grow; if the soil is dry, water with a spray bottle. After new leaves grow, water according to soil moisture conditions, with the bed surface best alternating between drying and moisture. At the same time, begin loosening the soil and forming ridges. If missing plants are found, replant promptly. Do not water within 2-3 weeks after planting to prevent root rot.

4. Field management

Dandelion has strong resistance to disease, drought and insects, so pest and disease control is generally not needed. The focus of field management is mainly fertilizer and water. Although dandelion is not strict about soil conditions, it still prefers fertile, moist, loose soil with high organic matter content. During the growing season, topdress 1-2 times.

5. Harvesting

In summer and autumn, cut the whole plant before flowering, dry it in the sun and use it as medicine. After two years of growth, in late autumn, dig out the roots and stems, dry them in the sun and use them as medicine. For use as a vegetable, harvest and process at the appropriate time. If in a greenhouse, keep the temperature above 10°C and dandelion plants can grow normally. When the plants have grown to a suitable size, they can be harvested for market.

6. Precautions for dandelion cultivation

Dandelion is a relatively low-maintenance plant. It only needs watering and appropriate fertilization at the seedling stage. Do not fertilize during the flowering period.

The cultivation value of dandelion

1. Nutritional value: Raw dandelion is rich in vitamin A, vitamin C and potassium, and also contains iron, calcium, vitamin B2, vitamin B1, magnesium, vitamin B6, folic acid and copper. The specific element content is mainly water. Every 60 grams of raw dandelion leaves contains 86% water, 1.6 grams of protein, 5.3 grams of carbohydrates, and about 108.8 kilojoules of calories. It can be eaten raw, stir-fried or made into soup, and is a plant used both as medicine and food.

2. Medicinal value: Dandelion tastes bitter and sweet, is cold in nature, non-toxic, and enters the liver and stomach meridians. It has the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, promoting urination and dispersing nodules. It is effective in treating acute mastitis, lymphadenitis, scrofula, boils and sores, acute conjunctivitis, cold and fever, acute tonsillitis, acute bronchitis, gastritis, hepatitis, cholecystitis, urinary tract infection and other conditions.

3. Ornamental value: Dandelion has the effect of greening and beautifying the environment. Whether planted as ground cover or grown as a bonsai, it has good ornamental value.

4. Beauty value: Dandelion has been fairly widely used in beauty care. Whether for dry skin, oily skin, aging skin, or freckles, pigmentation spots, dermatitis, acne as well as pimples, sycosis, white hair, hair loss and so on, it can help you eliminate “flaws in beauty”, get rid of troubles, and make you “flawless as white jade” and radiant.

Dandelion yield

Dandelion can be cut 6-7 times a year, producing 7200-8000 kilograms of fresh greens per mu, and can continue for 4-5 years.

If sold as medicinal material, the dried product yield per mu is 580-650 kilograms, and the price is 5-6 yuan/kg.

After dandelion has grown continuously for two years, in late autumn, dig out the roots and dry them in the sun. The yield per mu is 200-250 kilograms, and the price is 12-15 yuan/kg.

Judging from current information, dandelion yield is still fairly considerable, and cultivation benefits are also quite good. It is believed that in the future, after dandelion's value is further explored, together with breakthroughs in cultivation techniques, it will bring growers higher benefits and better development prospects.