Growing Hydroponic Dandelion
| Hydroponic Dandelion | ||||
| Difficulty | Light | EC Range | pH Range: | Time to Harvest |
| Easy | 16hours | 1-1.8 | 5.8- 6.5 | 3 months |
|
Nutrient and Health Info - Surprisingly nutrious for you. Dandelion greens are extremely high in vitamin K, and also contain healthy amounts of have vitamins A, K, E and B2. They are high in beta carotene.
|
||||
|
Tips & Tricks - All the parts of a dandelion are usable. The roots make a great coffee like beverage. Their leaves are fabulous when added to salads or soups. The flowers are not just beautiful, they make a sweet treat when fired or even turned into syrups and jellies. Harvest leaves while young.
|
||||
Dandelion is another wonderful flower that you can grow in your indoor hydroponic garden.
Around the world, dandelion is grown for use of the flower, leaves and even roots. Dandelion roots, for instance, are known for making a caffeine-free drink similar to coffee or tea. It’s known as Dandelion Root Coffee. Dandelion flowers can be fried, or even made into syrups and jellies due to their sweetness. But most folks use Dandelions for their leaves. The greens are best when they are young and tender. The leaves will get bitter and tough as they age and as the plant produces flowers. Young dandelion greens can be added to salads, sauteed like spinach, used in soups or even made into pesto. Older greens can be baked and seasoned just like kale chips.
The flowers themselves have a honey-like fragrance, but will also turn bitter as they age. Making dandelion flower infused vinegar is popular, as is frying the flowers as a snack or side dish.
Dandelion is known to be rich in nutrients, like calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium. They’re also a great source of Vitamins A, C, and K. And dandelions contain high levels of the antioxidant beta carotene. So, eat up and enjoy this exciting new food you can grow at home.
Germination:
Dandelions are known for germinating well in the moist conditions of a hydroponic system. But, they will germinate slightly more quickly in warmer temperatures, which is why using our Seedling Starter Kit may speed up the process.
Light:
Flowers love light, and dandelions are no exception. They will grow best when receiving 16 hours of artificial light.
EC Range:
Dandelion grows best with an EC between 1 and 1.8, but will tolerate higher EC’s and may grow more flowers at higher EC’s as well. The dandelion greens may not taste as good at these higher EC’s however.
pH Range:
As with almost all plants, keep your pH between 5.8-6.5 for optimal growth.
Nutrients:
Don’t overthink it. Yes, dandelion is a flower and will enjoy our Flower Power Nutrients mixed in with Green Machine Nutrients, but you will produce plenty of greens while using only the Green Machine Nutrients.
Pruning and Harvesting:
Harvest your dandelion leaves while they are young and tender for the best tasting greens. Or, if you’d prefer to let them grow flowers and get larger, you can wait. Older leaves are more bitter but can be cooked just as you would a kale chip. The surprisingly sweet flowers can be fried for a tasty treat, or made into several sweet treats if you collect enough of them.
Time to Harvest:
Dandelions can be slow to flower, taking up to 3 months. But, you can harvest your dandelion leaves while they are young and tender for salads and more.
Conclusion:
Dandelions are used all over the world for their excellent taste, health and medicinal properties. They’re definitely worth growing in your hydroponic garden, as young leaves will continue to be an excellent addition to salads and sautés. They’re fun and interesting to grow and make a terrific conversation piece as well.
Check Out Our Dandelion Recipes!
Let's Grow Together!