What am I doing wrong?

[Pink]

I don't understand how I can make my dandelions look so miserable. :shock: What happened to the hardiness of the dandelion, "able to grow in the most extreme environments"?

While they're a bright green color and have a few big flowers, they're sagging like a weeping willow! I pulled one out to see what condition their roots where in and they seemed to be very deep, thick and healthy. I don't water them, but the soil isn't dry at all. They're getting plenty of sun.

Should I give them to the rabbits and see if they'll re-grow healthier? Should I rip them out and start all over? Or just wait and see if they start to erect?

 

[Secuono]

Heat, not enough water, too much sun and too much water can all make any plant flop.
How do you know there is enough water? Do they get any shade?

 

[Pink]

Heat, not enough water, too much sun and too much water can all make any plant flop.
How do you know there is enough water? Do they get any shade?

We rarely feel the heat up here. The soil is moist. They get shade from 4 pm in the afternoon to 6 am the next morning.

The "wild" dandelions on the boulevard (same soil, receiving the same lighting and rain) are erect, but they aren't nearly tall as my own. Mine are in the 12" to 20" range. The ones on the boulveard are 8" maximum.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Yours might be getting stressed because they are too tall. Try cutting some of them back by a third or half and see if that helps. Sometimes plants grow tall quickly "reaching for the sun", and their stems are weak as a result.

 

[MaggieJ]

Did you transplant the dandelions? Plants with tap roots are more difficult to transplant than ones with fibrous roots. With dandelions, it won't likely kill them, but it might set them back a bit. If this is the case, I agree with cutting them back to reduce the load on the root structure. If it gets dry, water them. They will likely be fine in a few weeks.

 

[~Abstract~]

Did you toss some rabbit poo around them? The ones that grow around the perimeter of my pens are massive and dark green from the poo fertilizer. Like dandelions on steroids.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

Transplanting any plants get a shock. Try getting a plant without the flower. Allot of plants you cant transplant until it finish blooming or before it blooms. And water in the hole before hand even tho you think it is still wet, All weeds take allot of water.

 

[Pink]

1/3 were grown from seeds, from my previous garden of dandelions. The rest were transplanted.<br /><br />__________ Mon May 07, 2012 6:09 pm __________<br /><br />

Did you toss some rabbit poo around them? The ones that grow around the perimeter of my pens are massive and dark green from the poo fertilizer. Like dandelions on steroids.

Yes, I mixed the droppings in with the soil.

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

OVER FERTILIZING also causes taller, weak growth!! Cut the leaves WAY back and make the plant use up the nutrients they are getting

 

[trinityoaks]

Weeds generally don't need a lot of fertilizer, and it's easy for them to get too much.

 

[Pink]

I woke up to my [blessed] mother throwing out all of my plants.

:axe: :annihilate: :bash: :chair: :gun: :jedai: :argue: :evil: :rant: :furious: :jump2: :explode: :hang:

*DEEP BREATH* 1... 2... 3...

Think happy thoughts. Happy thoughts. Happy. Happy. Happy.

 

[Lilbunnyfoofoo]

Weak sauce! I didn't realize how lucky I am to have a good supply in the vacant lot next to me until reading about others trying to grow them. Hope you can salvage some.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

When you transplant, it is always a good idea to prune back the above ground growth to balance the damage done to the root structure. A lot of moisture is lost through the leaves and the roots may not be able to draw enough water to support all of the foliage. Seedlings transplant best because they have very little above ground growth, and you can usually dig them up with little or no damage to their roots, so pruning them is usually unnecessary. If you are moving a large plant, it is best done in stages. Cut back the above ground growth by about a third, spade around the root ball, and water well. Let the plant "rest" for a few days until it recovers from the shock, and then dig it up completely and move it.

Transplanting is also best done on overcast days or in the evening. You can also make a tent over the plants and drape it with a damp cloth to provide more humidity. MaggieJ had an excellent suggestion- place the end of the cloth in a container of water so it can wick up the water and stay damp, so you do not have to constantly re-wet it.

Vitamin B-12 helps with transplant shock- I think you use 1-2 TBSP per gallon of water. Sometimes I also add powdered rooting hormone to the B-12 solution. If you have access to willow you can make your own "rooting solution". Take pencil sized cuttings of twigs with leaves, chopping the stems into 2-3" pieces and mincing the leaves until you have 2 cups. Put in a nonreactive container and pour 1 gallon boiling water over them, cover, and allow to steep for 24 hours.

I hope some or all of these tips will help! Happy gardening!

 

[Pink]

I managed to save my radishes and carrots from the trash. The dandelions, lavender and strawberries are down the shoot -- there's no way I can get them now.

I'm hoping for some good weather, so that I can prep my gardening area at my new place. I'll be happy when I don't have my mother throwing out my plants!

 

[trinityoaks]

I woke up to my [blessed] mother throwing out all of my plants.

WHY????!?!?!?!? :furious: :furious: :furious: :furious: :explode:

 

[Pink]

I woke up to my [blessed] mother throwing out all of my plants.

WHY????!?!?!?!? :furious: :furious: :furious: :furious: :explode:

She told me not to put rabbit droppings in the soil, because it would stink. I did it anyways, covered it with plants, and hoped she wouldn't notice. Well, she noticed and when she got tired of picking them out one by one, she flipped over my pots and dunk everything out. She's not bi-polar... Just... A little annoying and not very understanding.

Glad I finally moved out.

... I bet she'll be the first wanting to arrange what to plant and what goes where, when I'm creating my garden area at the new house. :roll:

 

[Devon's Mom Lauren]

Pink do you have the French Dandelions? Those dandys are a lot taller than the species type. I just got seed from Richters to plant this year. The French dandelions sell for about $2.00 a measly little bunch in the Superstore... so they are not cheap! Do you know how long from seed it takes to get a bunch?


Oh Ps Your mom would hate it at our place... lol there is rabbit poo EVERYWHERE!!!! (in the soil and planter pots I mean haha)