# Growing dandelions



## dawgonit (Aug 15, 2010)

Can anyone give me tips on how to grow dandelions?
My DT's love them but my green fingers are useless. It is really sad when I can't even grow weeds!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My local park keeper is really cool. He saves a big area and does not weed spray on it because he knows I pick up the dandelions for my guys but I would still like to be able to grow my own.


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## dmmj (Aug 15, 2010)

I grow mine in pots, plant seed, water, harvest. dandelions should be very easy to grow.


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## dawgonit (Aug 15, 2010)

Thanks for replying! You are right they should be easy to grow after all they are a weed...lol, the trouble is when I dig them up I never seem to be able to get enough of the tap root and they die.
Do you need to dry the seed for a while before you plant it?


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## dmmj (Aug 15, 2010)

I have one or two heads of dandelion seeds if you want some I will mail them to you just PM me with your address and I can mail them out on wed or thursday. I don't dry them just put one seed in a pot and they grow.


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## terryo (Aug 15, 2010)

Next time you go to the place where you let your tort graze, pick all the fuzzy balls (after the flowers die..they come on the stalk) They are all seeds. I just shake them in Pio's enclosure and they fly all over. Springtime you will get loads.


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## elegans (Aug 15, 2010)

They will germinate better if you dry them and put them in the crisper or butter drawer for a month or so and then plant. Kept in the fridge seeds can be kept for years and germinated as needed. Douglas


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## dawgonit (Aug 15, 2010)

Thank you all for your advice. I shall try a little of everything and see what works. I had never thought of the crisper I do that with my bulbs before they go in the ground.
I just still can't get over the fact that I can't grow weeds!


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## Yvonne G (Aug 15, 2010)

dawgonit said:


> I just still can't get over the fact that I can't grow weeds!



That's because you're not trying to grow them in your sculpted, manicured lawn. They grow great where you don't want them!


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## Yourlocalpoet (Aug 15, 2010)

dawgonit said:


> I just still can't get over the fact that I can't grow weeds!



Ha, I have the opposite problem with the clock flower! I wish I had a lawn, everything in my garden is a weed, can't get rid of the buggers! 
The easiest way to grow them is getting them when the flower is dead, as Terryo said, the fluffy white bit is basically seed head.


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## elegans (Aug 15, 2010)

Pick it before the seed head has opened, when you see white fuzz on the top and let it open and dry in an envelope. Yu can then rub the "Parachutes" away without loosing the seed. I have friends send me seed every year, they will not even seed for me down here in South Florida. LMAO. I always laugh when asking friends or family for dandelion seeds as I spent so much time as a kid making them go away. To a non tortoise lover, I must have lost my mind????


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## dawgonit (Aug 15, 2010)

You guys are too funny!
The saddest part of my whole dilemma is that I even grew and watered a grass area for my tortoises thinking that the darn dandelions would grow!!!!!!!!!!


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## Tom (Aug 15, 2010)

You are not alone. I can't get them to grow either. In fact, I can't get much of anything to grow, but I'm getting better (or maybe luckier).

Even my cactus wilt and die out here, if I don't water them all the time.


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## owlshead19 (Aug 15, 2010)

I don't get any dandelions in Clearwater either - up in Maine where I grew up my mom would dig dandelion greens up in the spring and cook them for our supper - they were one of my dad's favorites... I checked and seed companies actually sell dandelion seeds - I wonder if they have any special hot weather cultivars?


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## tortoisenerd (Aug 15, 2010)

I failed twice at growing tort weeds. I pick dandelions from the protected area near my house, but more often, buy them and other greens at the organic grocer. Expensive but easy.


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## Yvonne G (Aug 15, 2010)

Tom said:


> You are not alone. I can't get them to grow either. In fact, I can't get much of anything to grow, but I'm getting better (or maybe luckier).
> 
> Even my cactus wilt and die out here, if I don't water them all the time.



Just slightly OT: Your soil looks like it needs quite a bit of additives incorporated into it so that it would hold the water longer...scroll down to the "amendments" paragraph.

http://www.bachmans.com/Garden-Care...pageIndex=_pageIndexToken_workingWithClaySoil


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## Tom (Aug 15, 2010)

```
[quote='emysemys']
[quote='Tom']
You are not alone. I can't get them to grow either. In fact, I can't get much of anything to grow, but I'm getting better (or maybe luckier).

Even my cactus wilt and die out here, if I don't water them all the time.
[/quote]

Just slightly OT:  Your soil looks like it needs quite a bit of additives incorporated into it so that it would hold the water longer...scroll down to the "amendments" paragraph.

http://www.bachmans.com/Garden-Care/divHomePage.html?cnb=GardenCare&categoryCode=02&pageIndex=_pageIndexToken_workingWithClaySoil
[/quote]

What soil? You mean that hot, dry, sandy dirt?:P

I'd need truckloads of amendments.
```


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