Artificial cultivation of dandelion
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Dandelion, commonly known as "mother-in-law's tongue," "yellow viola," "dicot," or "Pu-pomiao," is a perennial herb belonging to the Asteraceae family. It is widely used in traditional medicine for its ability to clear heat, detoxify, and relieve pain. Beyond its medicinal value, the tender seedlings and young leaves of dandelion are also edible and can be consumed raw, added to salads, stir-fried, boiled in soups, or pickled with salt. Due to the overharvesting of wild dandelion populations, artificial cultivation has become essential to meet demand and preserve this valuable plant.
Dandelion is highly adaptable and resilient. It thrives in sunny conditions and is resistant to cold, heat, dampness, and disease. This makes it suitable for cultivation in most regions of China, with very few pests and diseases affecting its growth.
Soil preparation is crucial for successful dandelion cultivation. Choose loose, fertile, moist, and well-drained sandy soil. The planting area should be tilled to a depth of 20-25 cm, with ridges about 10-20 cm high and 1.2-1.5 meters wide, or smaller ridges 45 cm wide. Apply 4000-4500 kg of organic fertilizer per acre, along with 15 kg of superphosphate, and mix it evenly into the soil.
For sowing, seeds can be treated by soaking them in water at 50°C for a few hours and then germinating at 25°C. Dandelion seeds have no dormancy period, so they can be planted from spring to autumn in open fields, or in greenhouses during winter. Sowing can be done either by drilling or broadcasting. When drilling, create shallow furrows spaced 25-30 cm apart on the ridge surface, sow the seeds, cover them with 1 cm of soil, and gently press down. The seeding rate is about 50 grams per mu. For broadcasting, spread 1000 grams of seeds per acre on flat ground, water them after sowing, and wait about 7-10 days for germination.
In greenhouses, sowing typically occurs between late November and early December, followed by transplanting. If using greenhouses or small arch-shaped sheds, agricultural film can be placed between February and March of the following year. New shoots can be harvested by late March, when market prices are higher, leading to increased profitability.
Field management is essential throughout the growing season. Regular weeding and loosening of the soil should be done every 10 days until the ridges are closed. Once the ridges are covered, manual weeding is necessary, and thinning of seedlings should be carried out. Maintain spacing of 3-5 cm between seedlings and 8-10 cm between plants. In greenhouse settings, plants should be spaced 6 cm apart.
Water and fertilizer management play a key role in dandelion growth. Keep the soil consistently moist and fertile. After each harvest, apply nitrogen fertilizer combined with watering. Avoid watering for 3-4 days post-harvest to prevent root rot. During the growing season, apply one or two additional fertilizations, each consisting of 10-14 kg of urea and 5-6 kg of potassium dihydrogen phosphate. Water regularly to maintain moisture. Before winter, apply frozen water and winter fertilizer, including 2500 kg of organic fertilizer and 20 kg of superphosphate per acre. In spring, after the plants regrow, apply 10-15 kg of urea mixed with 8 kg of superphosphate in water.
Harvesting typically begins in the first year, where outer leaves can be harvested in batches during the seedling stage or by cutting off non-heart leaves. From the second year onward, harvesting should occur every 15-20 days. When the leaves reach 10-15 cm in length, the entire plant can be harvested, bundled, and sold. A single plant can yield 2-4 harvests annually—1-2 times in spring and 1-2 times in autumn. If cultivated for medicinal use, the whole plant with roots can be dug up in late autumn for higher quality.