Is it weird to grow your own dandelions?

[aprilmayjunebugs]

Add another check on the list of things we do for our pets that most people won't understand, lol. But on occasion when I've ordered a fancy salad I will pick the leaves out for my hissers, and they seem to love them. So I thought I'd grow my own in peat moss so I know for certain what is in them. Anyone else go to such extremes and worry what your neighbors think about you?

 

[DomGom TheFather]

Yes.
That's weird as hell but don't worry about it.
The neighbors are probably weirder than you.

 

[aprilmayjunebugs]

Some of them, for sure

 

[DomGom TheFather]

On a side note, I'm not sure they're good for them and most plants will have a really hard time growing in pure peat after a short time but yeah. Fug the Joneses!

 

[viper69]

Add another check on the list of things we do for our pets that most people won't understand, lol. But on occasion when I've ordered a fancy salad I will pick the leaves out for my hissers, and they seem to love them. So I thought I'd grow my own in peat moss so I know for certain what is in them. Anyone else go to such extremes and worry what your neighbors think about you?

Worry what other people think? Never have, never will. They can go screw themselves for all I care.

 

[Frogdaddy]

I grow my own dandelions as well. Just not on purpose.

 

[aprilmayjunebugs]

I'll have to experiment with some other greens that might grow fast in peat. Micro greens seem to do good, but last time I did them outside I saw the slugs like them too, so the new batch is staying inside. I don't want to give them anything that might not be good for them and I also don't know what commercially grown stuff to trust. I'm really new at growing stuff but this year I'm trying my hand at some flowers and veggies, most of that is planted in soil with fertilizers in it so I don't think I want to be giving those to my feeders.

 

[The Snark]

I recall visiting a farm in France that grew dandelions. Very high demand for them in restaurants, especially upscale ones. Had a dish in a restaurant there where they served an appetizer of sauteed dandy's with garlic and all kinds of herbs and spices. I pigged out on it and passed on the rest of the meal. Also, the only alcoholic beverage I ever liked was dandelion elderflower wine. It's often an apertif served before meals with some chemicals in it that clears up and cleans up the sinuses and pallette to better enjoy the tastes and smells of the meal.

So if you get a razzing growing dandelions, just stick your nose in the air and mention in your snootiest voice, "I'm an epicurean."

 

[aprilmayjunebugs]

dandelion elderflower wine

Well that sounds amazing.

It dawned on me that the leaves in salads look different than the ones taking over yards, must be a different species. I don't care to research much into it, I won't be eating entire dishes of them unless there's nothing else to eat. I'll probably scratch the whole idea, maybe I'll isolate a small group of hissers not to be used as feeders to experiment a little. I'll stick to the usual staples for my feeders and learn more about organic fertilizers in the meantime because eventually I would like to grow the majority of their food.

 

[The Snark]

It dawned on me that the leaves in salads look different than the ones taking over yards, must be a different species.

There are three cultivar species, two of which are broad leaf and one that clumps yielding quite a lot more plants per square meter. Grown in loose well drained soil the broad leafed varieties can reach over 2 feet across.

 

[schmiggle]

You likely won't have a lot of luck growing dandelions long term in pure peat. I'd probably use a well draining mix with a lot of silica sand, and fertilize with a general-purpose chemical fertilizer. That will keep you in control of what's in the dandelions but should give you substantially better yield.

 

[The Snark]

I'd probably use a well draining mix with a lot of silica sand, and fertilize with a general-purpose chemical fertilizer.

Or get ultra serious about your growing methodology. We have some folks just up the road from us. A garden area about 50 feet by 30 feet. Raised beds, the soil groomed and cosseted like a newborn baby, completely clod free. They make an organic soup fertilizer. Enzymes, chicken and pig poop and whatever, fermented. Entirely organic. They produce around 8-12 crops of assorted veggies a year. I need to go take a photo essay of their operation. Ive been meaning to suggest adding dandelions to their list but haven't found a competent translator well versed in botanical science to go out there with me and explain things.

 

[schmiggle]

Or get ultra serious about your growing methodology. We have some folks just up the road from us. A garden area about 50 feet by 30 feet. Raised beds, the soil groomed and cosseted like a newborn baby, completely clod free. They make an organic soup fertilizer. Enzymes, chicken and pig poop and whatever, fermented. Entirely organic. They produce around 8-12 crops of assorted veggies a year. I need to go take a photo essay of their operation. Ive been meaning to suggest adding dandelions to their list but haven't found a competent translator well versed in botanical science to go out there with me and explain things.

Eh, they're dandelions, pretty easy going plant.

 

[The Snark]

Eh, they're dandelions, pretty easy going plant.

I heard the same words regarding Rhus Diversaloba. Depending on soil and climate it grows as a ground cover 12 to 24 inches tall with small sparse reddish leaves all the way up to vines with thick green foliage that climb to 100 feet up redwood trees in the Nor Cal fog belt.

 

[aprilmayjunebugs]

You likely won't have a lot of luck growing dandelions long term in pure peat. I'd probably use a well draining mix with a lot of silica sand, and fertilize with a general-purpose chemical fertilizer. That will keep you in control of what's in the dandelions but should give you substantially better yield.

Ok, that makes more sense, but are general purpose chemical fertilizers going to be safe for the roaches that will be fed to my tarantulas? The Ts are the main concern obviously. Like, are the things growing in all purpose potting soil going to be fine? I've got some miracle grow all purpose fertilizer mixed in with most of the pots but that stuff smells horrific and I'm sure there has got to be a better option. I don't know, maybe I'm just being overly cautious.

Or get ultra serious about your growing methodology. We have some folks just up the road from us. A garden area about 50 feet by 30 feet. Raised beds,

Yeah, except that my "garden" consists of a roughly 5' x 20' foot swath of barkdust (that I paid for) along the front walkway that I set my pots on, not allowed to plant things in the ground, and a much smaller strip in back "yard" so nothing special or elaborate. There are people living in third story apartments with a tiny balcony that probably grow more in a season than I have successfully grown in my life.

I have just recently become more ambitious about trying to make better use of my outdoor space with the help and mentorship of my dear friend and neighbor, and with this knowledgeable group here I have learned a bit but I'm plant dumb, lol. I took a horticulture class in high school, if I remember correctly I barely passed. But thought tarantulas were too complicated until a year ago as well.

 

[schmiggle]

Ok, that makes more sense, but are general purpose chemical fertilizers going to be safe for the roaches that will be fed to my tarantulas? The Ts are the main concern obviously. Like, are the things growing in all purpose potting soil going to be fine? I've got some miracle grow all purpose fertilizer mixed in with most of the pots but that stuff smells horrific and I'm sure there has got to be a better option. I don't know, maybe I'm just being overly cautious.

Ammonia and urea smell terrible and are very common nitrogen fertilizers. However, they should be readily and rapidly absorbed by a plant. Just make sure there are no pesticides or herbicides mixed in there.

Farmers used to fertilize exclusively with things like bone meal and manure. I think you'll be ok

 

[aprilmayjunebugs]

Ammonia and urea smell terrible and are very common nitrogen fertilizers. However, they should be readily and rapidly absorbed by a plant. Just make sure there are no pesticides or herbicides mixed in there.

Farmers used to fertilize exclusively with things like bone meal and manure. I think you'll be ok

Perfect, I don't believe there's any pesticides or herbicides in the soil or fertilizer and I don't allow the landscapers to spray the weeds, so this is great news and means I don't have to eat all these vegetables myself! Thanks again