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Vegetable Full Sun to Partial Shade Moderate water

Dandelion

Written by the GrowByCity Editorial Team · Updated April 2026
2 min read

Underrated superfood green. Hardy enough to withstand light frosts down to -15°C, dandelion performs best when daytime temperatures stay between 10°C and 22°C. Give it full sun to partial shade and moderate, even watering throughout the growing season, and expect to harvest in roughly 45-60 days. An excellent choice for beginner and experienced gardeners alike, thanks to its forgiving growing habits.

Harvest 45-60 days
Temp Range -15°C — 30°C
Frost Tolerant ❄

Quick Answer: How to Grow Dandelion

Dandelion takes 45-60 days to harvest. It grows best in 10–22°C with full sun to partial shade and moderate watering. Dandelion is frost tolerant and can handle temperatures down to -15°C. It can be grown in 350 cities worldwide.

Find the best time to plant Dandelion in your city →

Growing Requirements

☀️
Sun
Full Sun to Partial Shade
💧
Water
Moderate
❄️
Frost
Tolerant
📅
Harvest
45-60 days

Temperature Range

10-22°C
-10°C 45°C
Optimal: 10–22°C Tolerates: -15–30°C
Tropical suitable: No
Cities growing: 350 of 350

Growing Tips

💡

Expert Tips

Cultivated varieties are less bitter. Blanch by covering to sweeten leaves. Can be planted 2-3 weeks before the last expected frost, giving it a head start on the growing season. Water steadily but avoid soggy soil. A 5-cm layer of organic mulch helps balance moisture and suppress weeds.

Quick Facts

  • Grows in 350 of 350 cities
  • Available in 7 regions worldwide
  • Temperature range: -15°C to 30°C
  • Optimal growing: 10°C to 22°C
  • Harvest in 45-60 days

Did You Know?

  • 🌱 Dandelion is frost-tolerant, meaning it can survive light frosts and even thrive in cooler temperatures.

Step-by-Step Growing Guide

Cultivated dandelion (Taraxacum officinale, selected varieties) differs significantly from the lawn weed — improved varieties produce much larger, less bitter leaves and are grown deliberately as a salad and potherb crop in Europe. Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep in early spring or early fall in average, well-drained soil with a pH of 5.5–7.5; dandelions tolerate a wide range of conditions but produce the largest, most tender leaves in fertile, moist soil. Thin seedlings to 8–12 inches apart. Water regularly to promote lush leaf growth — dry conditions intensify bitterness. Fertilize with high-nitrogen fertilizer to maximize leaf size and tenderness. For the mildest flavor, blanch: cover the center of the plant with an inverted pot or burlap for 1–2 weeks before harvest to exclude light, which reduces bitterness significantly. Leaves become more bitter as temperatures rise — grow as a cool-season crop for best eating quality.

Common Pests & Problems

Cultivated dandelion is one of the most trouble-free vegetables — the wild plant's tenacity translates to exceptional garden resilience. Leaf miners create pale trails through leaves but are purely cosmetic — remove affected leaves. Powdery mildew can appear in dry conditions — treat with neem oil or potassium bicarbonate. Botrytis can collapse blanched plants if too much moisture is trapped under covers — ensure the blanching cover is not airtight. The primary challenge is bolting in warm weather, which increases bitterness and redirects energy from leaves to flowers — harvest regularly and cut back flowering stems promptly. The taproot makes established plants nearly impossible to transplant.

Harvest & Storage

Harvest dandelion leaves when young and tender for the mildest flavor — leaves 3–6 inches long from the center of the plant are the most delicate. Outer leaves can be harvested from the edges of established plants throughout the growing season. Blanched (light-excluded) leaves are milder, more yellow-white, and are the basis for traditional French and Italian dandelion salads. Fresh dandelion leaves store refrigerated for 5–7 days in a sealed bag. Flowers are harvested fully open for use in fritters, wine, or as garnishes; roots are harvested in fall from 2-year-old plants for roasting as a coffee substitute.

Popular Varieties

'Amelioré' is a French selection with large, broad, deeply toothed leaves and milder flavor than the wild species — the standard for European market gardens. 'Clio' is an Italian variety bred for large, upright, abundantly productive leaves that are less bitter than wild types. 'Vert de Montmagny' produces very broad, smooth-margined leaves with a relatively mild flavor profile. 'Thick-Leaved Improved' (also called 'Broad-Leaved') is a common seed catalog selection with larger, more productive leaves than the wild type, bred specifically for table use rather than lawn weed status.

Where to Grow Dandelion

Dandelion can be grown in 350 cities across 7 regions worldwide

🌍 Europe (80 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Aarhus, DK easy
Amsterdam, NL easy
Ankara, TR easy
Antalya, TR easy
Athens, GR easy
Barcelona, ES easy
Bari, IT easy
Belgrade, RS easy
Bergen, NO easy
Berlin, DE easy
Bilbao, ES easy
Bologna, IT easy
Bordeaux, FR easy
Bratislava, SK easy
Brussels, BE easy
Bucharest, RO easy
Budapest, HU easy
Catania, IT easy
Cologne, DE easy
Copenhagen, DK easy
Corfu, GR easy
Cork, IE easy
Dublin, IE easy
Dubrovnik, HR easy
Edinburgh, GB easy
Florence, IT easy
Frankfurt, DE easy
Gdansk, PL easy
Genoa, IT easy
Glasgow, GB easy
Gothenburg, SE easy
Hamburg, DE easy
Helsinki, FI easy
Heraklion, GR easy
Istanbul, TR easy
Izmir, TR easy
Krakow, PL easy
Kyiv, UA easy
Limassol, CY easy
Lisbon, PT easy
Ljubljana, SI easy
London, GB easy
Lyon, FR easy
Madrid, ES easy
Malaga, ES easy
Marseille, FR easy
Milan, IT easy
Munich, DE easy
Naples, IT easy
Nice, FR easy
Nicosia, CY easy
Oslo, NO easy
Palermo, IT easy
Paris, FR easy
Porto, PT easy
Poznan, PL easy
Prague, CZ easy
Reykjavik, IS easy
Riga, LV easy
Rome, IT easy
Seville, ES easy
Sofia, BG easy
Split, HR easy
Stockholm, SE easy
Strasbourg, FR easy
Stuttgart, DE easy
Tallinn, EE easy
Thessaloniki, GR easy
Tirana, AL easy
Toulouse, FR easy
Turin, IT easy
Turku, FI easy
Valencia, ES easy
Valletta, MT easy
Verona, IT easy
Vienna, AT easy
Vilnius, LT easy
Warsaw, PL easy
Zagreb, HR easy
Zurich, CH easy

🌏 Asia (79 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Ahmedabad, IN easy
Almaty, KZ easy
Bali, ID easy
Bandung, ID easy
Bangalore, IN easy
Bangkok, TH easy
Beijing, CN easy
Busan, KR easy
Cebu, PH easy
Chandigarh, IN easy
Chengdu, CN easy
Chennai, IN easy
Chiang Mai, TH easy
Chittagong, BD easy
Chongqing, CN easy
Coimbatore, IN easy
Colombo, LK easy
Da Nang, VN easy
Dalian, CN easy
Davao, PH easy
Delhi, IN easy
Dhaka, BD easy
Dharan, NP easy
Fukuoka, JP easy
Galle, LK easy
Guangzhou, CN easy
Hangzhou, CN easy
Hanoi, VN easy
Harbin, CN easy
Ho Chi Minh City, VN easy
Hong Kong, HK easy
Hyderabad, IN easy
Incheon, KR easy
Indore, IN easy
Islamabad, PK easy
Jaipur, IN easy
Jakarta, ID easy
Jeju, KR easy
Johor Bahru, MY easy
Karachi, PK easy
Kathmandu, NP easy
Kochi, IN easy
Kolkata, IN easy
Kuala Lumpur, MY easy
Kunming, CN easy
Kyoto, JP easy
Lahore, PK easy
Lucknow, IN easy
Manila, PH easy
Mumbai, IN easy
Nagoya, JP easy
Nanjing, CN easy
Nha Trang, VN easy
Okinawa, JP easy
Osaka, JP easy
Pattaya, TH easy
Penang, MY easy
Phnom Penh, KH easy
Pune, IN easy
Sapporo, JP easy
Seoul, KR easy
Shanghai, CN easy
Shenzhen, CN easy
Siem Reap, KH easy
Singapore, SG easy
Surabaya, ID easy
Surat, IN easy
Taipei, TW easy
Tashkent, UZ easy
Tbilisi, GE easy
Tokyo, JP easy
Ulaanbaatar, MN easy
Varanasi, IN easy
Vientiane, LA easy
Visakhapatnam, IN easy
Wuhan, CN easy
Xi'an, CN easy
Xiamen, CN easy
Yangon, MM easy

🌎 North America (78 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Albuquerque, US easy
Anchorage, US easy
Atlanta, US easy
Austin, US easy
Baltimore, US easy
Baton Rouge, US easy
Boise, US easy
Boston, US easy
Bridgetown, BB easy
Buffalo, US easy
Calgary, CA easy
Cancun, MX easy
Charleston, US easy
Charlotte, US easy
Chattanooga, US easy
Chicago, US easy
Denver, US easy
Des Moines, US easy
Detroit, US easy
Edmonton, CA easy
El Paso, US easy
Fargo, US easy
Fresno, US easy
Guadalajara, MX easy
Halifax, CA easy
Hartford, US easy
Havana, CU easy
Honolulu, US easy
Houston, US easy
Jacksonville, US easy
Kansas City, US easy
Kingston, JM easy
Knoxville, US easy
Las Vegas, US easy
Little Rock, US easy
Los Angeles, US easy
Louisville, US easy
Lubbock, US easy
Madison, US easy
Memphis, US easy
Mexico City, MX easy
Miami, US easy
Milwaukee, US easy
Minneapolis, US easy
Monterrey, MX easy
Montreal, CA easy
Nashville, US easy
New Orleans, US easy
New York, US easy
Oaxaca, MX easy
Oklahoma City, US easy
Omaha, US easy
Ottawa, CA easy
Panama City, PA easy
Phoenix, US easy
Pittsburgh, US easy
Portland, US easy
Puebla, MX easy
Quebec City, CA easy
Raleigh, US easy
Richmond, US easy
Sacramento, US easy
Salt Lake City, US easy
San Diego, US easy
San Francisco, US easy
San Jose, CR easy
Santo Domingo, DO easy
Saskatoon, CA easy
Savannah, US easy
Seattle, US easy
Spokane, US easy
St. Louis, US easy
Tampa, US easy
Toronto, CA easy
Tucson, US easy
Vancouver, CA easy
Victoria, CA easy
Winnipeg, CA easy

🌍 Africa (39 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Abidjan, CI easy
Accra, GH easy
Addis Ababa, ET easy
Algiers, DZ easy
Antananarivo, MG easy
Arusha, TZ easy
Bamako, ML easy
Bloemfontein, ZA easy
Cairo, EG easy
Cape Town, ZA easy
Casablanca, MA easy
Dakar, SN easy
Dar es Salaam, TZ easy
Douala, CM easy
Durban, ZA easy
Entebbe, UG easy
Fez, MA easy
Freetown, SL easy
Harare, ZW easy
Johannesburg, ZA easy
Kampala, UG easy
Kigali, RW easy
Kinshasa, CD easy
Lagos, NG easy
Libreville, GA easy
Lilongwe, MW easy
Lome, TG easy
Luanda, AO easy
Lusaka, ZM easy
Maputo, MZ easy
Marrakech, MA easy
Mombasa, KE easy
Nairobi, KE easy
Ouagadougou, BF easy
Port Louis, MU easy
Pretoria, ZA easy
Tunis, TN easy
Windhoek, NA easy
Zanzibar, TZ easy

🌎 South America (39 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Arequipa, PE easy
Asuncion, PY easy
Barranquilla, CO easy
Belem, BR easy
Bogota, CO easy
Brasilia, BR easy
Buenos Aires, AR easy
Cali, CO easy
Campinas, BR easy
Caracas, VE easy
Cartagena, CO easy
Concepcion, CL easy
Cordoba, AR easy
Curitiba, BR easy
Cusco, PE easy
Fortaleza, BR easy
Georgetown, GY easy
Goiania, BR easy
Guayaquil, EC easy
La Paz, BO easy
Lima, PE easy
Manaus, BR easy
Medellin, CO easy
Mendoza, AR easy
Montevideo, UY easy
Paramaribo, SR easy
Port of Spain, TT easy
Porto Alegre, BR easy
Quito, EC easy
Recife, BR easy
Rio de Janeiro, BR easy
Rosario, AR easy
Salvador, BR easy
Santa Cruz, BO easy
Santiago, CL easy
Sao Paulo, BR easy
Sucre, BO easy
Trujillo, PE easy
Valparaiso, CL easy

🌊 Oceania (19 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Adelaide, AU easy
Alice Springs, AU easy
Auckland, NZ easy
Brisbane, AU easy
Cairns, AU easy
Canberra, AU easy
Christchurch, NZ easy
Darwin, AU easy
Dunedin, NZ easy
Gold Coast, AU easy
Hamilton, NZ easy
Hobart, AU easy
Melbourne, AU easy
Noumea, NC easy
Perth, AU easy
Suva, FJ easy
Sydney, AU easy
Townsville, AU easy
Wellington, NZ easy

🕌 Middle East (16 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Abu Dhabi, AE easy
Amman, JO easy
Baghdad, IQ easy
Beirut, LB easy
Doha, QA easy
Dubai, AE easy
Erbil, IQ easy
Jeddah, SA easy
Kuwait City, KW easy
Manama, BH easy
Muscat, OM easy
Riyadh, SA easy
Sana'a, YE easy
Tabriz, IR easy
Tehran, IR easy
Tel Aviv, IL easy

When should I plant dandelion in my city?

The best time to plant dandelion depends on your local climate zone. It thrives in temperatures between 10°C and 22°C. Since dandelion is frost tolerant, you can plant it before the last frost date. Check your city's planting calendar on GrowByCity for exact dates.

Can I grow dandelion in winter?

Yes, dandelion is frost tolerant and can handle temperatures down to -15°C. In many climates, it can be grown through winter with some protection.

Get Dandelion Seeds & Plants

Ready to start growing? Find Dandelion seeds and starter plants online.

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Similar Growing Requirements

Frequently Asked Questions about Dandelion

When should I plant dandelion?

The best time to plant dandelion depends on your local climate. Dandelion grows best in temperatures between 10°C and 22°C (can tolerate -15°C to 30°C). Dandelion is frost tolerant, so it can be planted earlier in spring or later in fall. Check your city's planting calendar on GrowByCity for exact planting months.

Can dandelion grow in tropical climates?

Dandelion is not well-suited for tropical climates. It prefers cooler conditions with temperatures between 10°C and 22°C. In tropical areas, it may bolt, fail to fruit, or suffer from heat stress. Consider growing it in cooler seasons or at higher elevations.

How long does dandelion take to grow?

Dandelion typically takes 45-60 days from planting to harvest. It requires full sun to partial shade and moderate watering. Cultivated varieties are less bitter. Blanch by covering to sweeten leaves. Can be planted 2-3 weeks before the last expected frost, giving it a head start on the growing season. Water steadily but avoid soggy soil. A 5-cm layer of organic mulch helps balance moisture and suppress weeds.

Find the Best Time to Plant Dandelion

See the planting calendar for Dandelion in these popular cities:

Last updated: March 2026 · Climate data from NOAA, FAO, USDA

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