Growing Dandelions from Seed (2024)

FAQs

How long does it take for dandelion to grow from seed? ›

Dandelions are low-maintenance plants that thrive in USDA hardiness zones 3–9. With a germination rate of about 10 to 14 days, dandelion seeds can be planted from early spring (about six weeks before the last frost) through late summer or early fall.

Plant seeds directly in the garden 1/4 inch deep in the soil in single rows, about 8 inches. Plant the dandelion seeds in early spring in well-drained, fertile soil. Never harvest dandelions from a location that is near a road or has been treated with pesticides or other chemicals.

Given that dandelion seeds require light for germination, you will not want to completely submerge your seeds into the soil – just lightly tamp, or press, the seeds into the soil surface. Another tip for good germination, and for a tastier crop, is to keep the planting area consistently moist throughout the season.

Dandelions can be sown outdoors four to six weeks before the last spring frost. Sow seed directly into the ground—once they've sprouted above the soil, thin them so they're 6 to 8 inches apart. Dandelions readily reseed themselves, but often in places where you'd rather they didn't grow.

Dandelion emerges late from seed. Twenty-five percent emergence is observed by 552 GDD (base 50 F).

The seed germinates when soil is moist and soil tem- perature is at least 50°F; however, germination is more rapid when the soil temperatures are closer to 77°F. Germination occurs throughout the growing season. The seedling stage can last 8 to 15 weeks, depending on temperature and growing conditions.

Your crop should be ready in 85 to 95 days. Check your local regulations before sowing your crop; in some places (e.g. Pueblo, Colorado) it is illegal to grow dandelions!

Dandelions are both fast growing and incredibly hardy. It can spread both by seeds and by new shoots from roots or root segments. The seeds are easily blown around by wind and will quickly spread into adjoining downwind areas.

Seeds germinate at soil temperatures of 50°F but around 77°F, germination can increase. The seedling stage can last 8-15 weeks depending on growing conditions and soil temperature. Although dandelion will slow its growth during cooler seasons, it has the ability to survive cold weather.

Water just enough so that the soil feels moist. Check the soil by poking your finger into it once every 2 to 3 days. If the soil feels moist, then they do not need water yet. If it feels dry, then give them some water.

What affects dandelion growth? ›

Dandelion is a perennial plant that grows best in moist areas in full sun. Once established however, it can survive some shade and dry conditions. Dandelion grows year-round in California except in the coldest intermountain areas, where it is dormant during the winter.

To harvest them, an anemo ability needs to hit the dandelion, first. After hitting it with an anemo ability, simply move towards it and collect the seeds. Each Dandelion only contains one seed and will respawn after 1-2 days after harvest.

Irrigation and Dandelions

Having a well-watered lawn has two benefits when it comes to dandelions: The moist soil makes it much easier to dig up the roots and pull them out. Use a sharp tool to aid in this, and pull gently, making sure you get the entire root. If you don't, it will quickly re-grow.

Dandelions bloom in both spring and fall – the spring is the heavier of the two blooms – when days are less than 12 hours long.

They are very pretty wildflowers that are so important to insects – bees, hoverflies and other pollinators. For early-emerging bees they provide a lifeline of nectar when flowers are so scarce in early spring. A lawn without Dandelions is a dead place for wildlife, with no benefit at all for local biodiversity.

Some seeds like Allium 'Purple Sensation' and Eryngium giganteum need a long period of cold-moist stratification with alternating temperatures. These are the most difficult seeds to germinate.

Only one, given a little time. Dandelions tend to flower most abundantly in spring, but can re-flower in the fall, too. Flowers open in the morning and tend to close up at night. After a couple of days in flower they close and the seeds develop inside the closed head.

Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale) generally indicate poor soil that is low in calcium, as well as compacted. The dandelions' taproots, however, are doing the job of breaking up the soil! Look into aerating your soil so it's not compacted.

While the tap root is how dandelions survive and thrive, it's also how growers can regain control. Like all other perennials, dandelions survive harsh winters by moving their nutrients down to their tap roots in the fall.

Given how easy it is to blow the seeds away, you'd think the dandelion seed head is quite delicate and certainly wouldn't survive a good dunk in a glass of water…. right? Surprisingly, no! The dandelion seed head will come out almost completely unscathed and…completely dry!

When should I start dandelions indoors? ›

You can start seeds indoors four to six weeks before the last frost date in your area. Fill a deep tray or some pots with at least six inches of moist potting soil and sow the seeds one and a half inches apart.

Dandelions are perennial, herbaceous plants that grow best in moist, sunny areas found in all parts of the northern temperate zone.

Dandelions are perennial weeds (they come back each year) with fleshy taproots. Typically the taproot is 6 to 18 inches long, but on older plants, it can extend even deeper into soil.

Does picking dandelion flowers increase the speed at which new flowers will develop on the same plant? It does seem that way sometimes, but the short answer is no. Picking flowers reduces the amount of seeds that are produced, which means fewer new dandelion plants will sprout.

Mowing dandelions does not contribute to the spread of them, but it also does not stop the spread. To stop the spread of dandelions, you must reduce seed spreading by collecting the dandelion seed heads into a bag and taken out of your yard.

Each flower head has 150-200 florets, and each floret produces 1 seed. That means that a single plant can produce up to 2000 seeds!

Their seeds are some of the best flyers in nature, catching the wind and spreading as far as 100 kilometres. Part of how they do this is by tuning their flight depending on the weather. However until now, nobody knew how they sense and respond to their environment so effectively.

Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale) reproduce by producing seeds, but the seeds are produced by apomixis, i.e. without the sexual process. Dandelion does produce flowers and these appear normal and develop ovules.

King of the weeds, dandelions thrive just about everywhere. These ubiquitous perennials love acidic soil. Their presence also may indicate an excess of potassium and/or a calcium deficiency. Finally, they thrive in compacted soil.

Sowing Indoors/Outdoors: Dandelion will do well either inside or outside. Either way, the plant will need adequate room to grow. Either way each plant will need about 1 1/2 inches between each plant and will need about 6" deep of soil to grow adequately whether inside or outside.

Can you overwater dandelions? ›

Do not overwater your Dandelions because they don't like soggy soil. If you're not sure how often you should water your Dandelions, you can stick your finger about 2-3 inches (5-7 cm) deep into the soil to check if it is dry. If you find that the soil is dry, it is time to water your sunny flowers again.

Mow when the plants are in flower (and before they have gone to seed). This will interrupt the lifecycle but won't kill the plant. The plant develops deep taproots that are challenging to extract manually, although a “dandelion grabber” tool can potentially remove the whole root.

Though classed as a weed, the dandelion, a member of the daisy family, isn't noxious—defined as causing a threat ecologically, economically or to public health. Instead, the plant's biggest fault is that it spreads easily through the seeds carried on the wind by its trademark gray fluff.

In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), dandelion has been used to treat stomach problems, appendicitis, and breast problems, such as inflammation or lack of milk flow. In Europe, dandelion was used in remedies for fever, boils, eye problems, diabetes, and diarrhea.

Grass should be mowed regularly and to an appropriate length. Although dandelions that have been mowed down will grow back, destroying developing flowers before they are able to mature into seed distributors prevents the opportunity for new germination.

It is possibly safe when taken in larger amounts. Dandelion might cause allergic reactions, stomach discomfort, diarrhea, or heartburn in some people.

Dandelions are miracle workers for the soil. Dandelions possess taproots that reach deep into soil to bring nutrients up from deeper layers to better enrich topsoil. These strong taproots can also permeate dry, cracked soil that is much looser to the touch than healthy soil should be.

The root systems of weeds can tell us a great deal about soil conditions. For example, weeds that have deep taproots, such as dandelions and burdock, generally indicate soils that are compacted, preventing plants with lesser roots from taking hold.

At a very basic level, you don't need to do much to grow dandelions. Chances are there is a whole yard full of them near where you live, perhaps even right outside your door, but it's likely that the dandelion plants growing in your lawn are Common Dandelion (Taraxacum Officinale subsp.

How do dandelions grow so fast? ›

Perennial roots have lots of energy in them from previous years of growth. Miller explained that energy helps the shoots grow very quickly. This makes perennial weeds particularly hard to control. Dandelions are one kind of perennial.

Individual plants may survive for 10 to 13 years in undisturbed sites. Dandelion seeds can form a relatively persistent seedbank. Seed in soil has a half-life of 3 months. If buried, a few seeds may still remain viable at the end of 5 years.

They start as seeds on the ground. The seeds germinate and begin to grow. Seedlings emerge from the seeds and grow into mature plants. The mature plants will develop flowers on them that produce more seeds.

The genus is native to Eurasia and North America, but the two most commonplace species worldwide, T. officinale (the common dandelion) and T. erythrospermum (the red-seeded dandelion), were introduced from Europe into North America, where they now propagate as wildflowers. Both species are edible in their entirety.

“The flowers are an important food source for pollinators — especially bees,” he noted. Dandelions provide both pollen and nectar. By late May, more flowering plants are available as food sources for bees and other insects, so dandelions become less important for their diet.

REMEMBER?? If you rub a dandelion under your chin and your skin turns yellow, you like butter -- at least according to an old wives tale found in cultures worldwide. Blow away the dandelion seeds and you can tell the future by counting how many seeds are left, according to other superstitions.

From a strictly botanical viewpoint, dandelions certainly can compete with or even choke out other plants people try to grow. For examples farmers may not want the dandelions in their oats or alfalfa field because they could deprive those more valuable crops of nutrients, water, and even sunlight.

Your crop should be ready in 85 to 95 days. Check your local regulations before sowing your crop; in some places (e.g. Pueblo, Colorado) it is illegal to grow dandelions!

Dandelions are both fast growing and incredibly hardy. It can spread both by seeds and by new shoots from roots or root segments. The seeds are easily blown around by wind and will quickly spread into adjoining downwind areas. Maintaining a healthy, dense vigorous yard is the best way to discourage dandelion growth.

Dandelions bloom in the spring and fall, with yellow flowers turning into white seed heads that release their airborne seeds in the slightest breeze.

Do dandelions need a lot of sun? ›

Dandelions prefer full sun locations but typically the best greens come from plants grown in part shade. If you do grow them in full sun, you can shade the leaves with a dark cloth or cover the plants with a box a couple of days before harvesting.

Dandelions are perennial weeds (they come back each year) with fleshy taproots. Typically the taproot is 6 to 18 inches long, but on older plants, it can extend even deeper into soil.