How to plant dandelions

Sowing year

Keep the soil moist until seedlings emerge. If the soil is dry before emergence, you can sparsely spread some wheat straw or thatch on the surface of the sowing bed; then water lightly, and use a fork to remove the covering grass after the seedlings have emerged; after emergence, the water content should be properly controlled to make the seedlings grow vigorously and prevent them from growing too tall or falling over; during the rapid growth period of leaves, keep the field moist to promote vigorous leaf growth; water thoroughly once before winter, and then cover with horse manure or wheat straw to facilitate overwintering.

Weeding

The first tillage and weeding can be carried out about 10 days after the dandelions emerge, and then tillage and weeding should be carried out every 10 days or so until the ridges are closed, so that there are no weeds in the field. Weeding can be done manually after ridge closing.

Thinning and finalizing

Combine inter-row cultivation and weeding with thinning and transplanting. Thinning should be carried out about 10 days after emergence, with a plant spacing of 3-5 cm. After 20-30 days, the seedlings can be fixed in place, with a plant spacing of 8-10 cm. For broadcast sowing, a plant spacing of 5 cm is sufficient.

Fertilizer and water management

Dandelions have strong disease resistance and do not require pest control. The focus of field management is fertilizer and water, and the soil requirements are not strict. When planting dandelions, if the soil surface is not covered, water it frequently to keep the soil moist to ensure that all seedlings grow. After the seedlings emerge, the soil must always be kept moist.

top dressing

Apply fertilizer 1-2 times during the growing season and water frequently to keep the soil moist to ensure the growth needs of the seedlings and after emergence. The leaves of young plants do not need to be picked in the year of sowing, and can be harvested in the second year. At this time, the plants have good quality and high yield. For those who sow in autumn after winter, spread 2,500 kg of organic fertilizer and 20 kg of superphosphate per mu on the bed surface. This will not only serve as fertilizer, but also protect the root system to safely overwinter. After the plants turn green again in the following spring, fertilizers can be applied in combination with watering. In late autumn and early winter, water should be applied once and thoroughly.

Harvest

Dandelions can be eaten by picking the outer large leaves in batches during the seedling stage, or by cutting off the leaves other than the heart leaves with a knife. Harvest every 15-20 days, or harvest the entire plant at one time for sale. Generally, each acre of land can produce 700-800 kilograms per harvest.