How to grow marigolds

Video: ★ How to Grow Marigolds from Seed (A Complete Step by Step Guide)

Content

Steps
Part 1 of 4: Preparing to Grow Marigolds
Part 2 of 4: Growing marigolds from seeds
Part 3 of 4: Disembarking the Marigolds
Part 4 of 4: Caring for marigolds
Tips
Warnings
Additional articles

Marigolds are easy to grow, they are unpretentious, and the colorful variety will delight any grower, because marigolds are white, yellow, orange, red and multicolored. Marigolds will bloom from mid-summer until frost. Marigolds are also varied in size, miniature varieties are about the size of a foot, and giant specimens can reach up to 1.5 meters in height! You can choose the color and size that is perfect for your flower garden. And do not neglect the opportunity to plant marigolds in containers, small specimens feel great in them.

Steps

Part 1 of 4: Preparing to Grow Marigolds

1 Determine which vegetation zone you live in. Marigolds can be found in many gardens in Russia, but these plants can be both perennial and annual. But throughout Russia, marigolds freeze in winter and do not germinate the next year.
- Marigolds are difficult enough to grow from seeds. In warm vegetation zones, where there is no winter frost, marigolds do not die in winter and are completely restored next spring.
2 Find out when to plant marigolds. Despite the fact that marigolds are unpretentious plants, they will not survive cold weather. Plant marigolds after the last frost is over.
- If possible, plant marigolds on a cloudy day or in the morning, so the plants will not be exposed to the heat when transplanting, the transplant shock will be mitigated.
3 Decide if you will be planting marigolds from seeds or seedlings. It will take several weeks for the seeds to germinate, but the financial costs will be minimal. Seedlings or ready-made plants purchased from nurseries will allow you to see the result immediately, although this is a more expensive option.
- If you choose to use seeds, plant them 4-6 weeks before you plant marigolds outside.
- If you decide to use seedlings or ready-made plants, you can plant them outdoors as soon as the last frost is over.
4 Determine where you will grow marigolds. Marigolds do well in flower beds, pots, and other containers, but they need room to grow. Adult marigold plants in a flower bed should be planted 60-90 cm apart so that they have room and that each plant gets enough sunlight.
- Marigolds grow best in a sunny location, however, they can be grown in partial shade. Do not plant marigolds in a completely shady area, they will not grow well and bloom in the shade.
- Marigolds tolerate dry sandy soil well, but they do not grow in too wet soil. Make sure your flower bed or container has a good drainage system. You can add a layer of gravel to the bottom and cover it with soil before planting the marigolds to provide the necessary drainage.
5 Determine what size marigold you want to grow. There are four main groups of marigold species, and within each of them there are different color and size options.
- African marigolds are of two types: "with large flowers" and "tall." Marigolds with large flowers are usually short, 30-35 cm, but, according to the name, they have very large flowers, up to 9 cm in diameter.Tall African marigolds have small flowers, but the plants themselves can grow up to 90 cm in height. Both species usually bloom with orange or yellow flowers. African marigolds are still "American".
- French marigolds come in two varieties: "with large flowers" and "dwarf." French marigolds with large flowers are from 30 to 40 cm tall, with flowers up to 5 cm in diameter. Dwarf French marigolds barely reach 30 cm in height. They are yellow, gold and orange.
- Triploid marigolds are a hybrid of African and French marigolds, as a rule, they are not able to reproduce. Such marigolds are relatively tall, with large (up to 5 cm in diameter) flowers.
- Simple marigolds are slightly different from other varieties, their inflorescences are not terry and lush, but simplified, reminiscent of chamomile.

Part 2 of 4: Growing marigolds from seeds

1 Buy seeds. The price of a bag of seeds can vary from 18 to 100 rubles, depending on the variety of marigolds. The seeds can be bought at garden shops, nurseries, supermarkets, and also ordered from the online store.
- French marigold seeds germinate faster than African seeds. Hybrid varieties are usually not grown from seed.
- If you have few seeds left, you can store them until next season. Place them in an airtight container, such as a jar with a lid, and store in a cool, dry place.
2 Use a dedicated seedling container, divided into sections. Partitioning is convenient because you can easily divide the seedlings when they are rooted. These containers are sold in almost all garden and flower shops.
- You can use a cardboard egg net by filling the cells with soil and planting seeds.
3 Fill containers with fertile flower primer. It is preferable to use enriched soil rather than just soil from the garden. The nutritious soil will accelerate the germination of seeds, as well as provide additional nutrition for the seedlings.
4 Plant the seeds in the soil. Follow the instructions on the seed package, planting conditions may vary depending on the variety. Do not plant more than two seeds in one cell. If you plant many seeds in one place, they will have to fight for sun and oxygen, which will slow down their growth.
5 Moisten the soil daily with a spray bottle. If you water your newly sown seeds in the usual way, you run the risk of simply washing them off. Use a spray bottle filled with clean water to moisten the soil until it becomes damp.
6 Thin the seedlings when the plants are 5 cm tall. Take a spoon or other small device. Be careful not to damage the roots. Remove any dead or dried plants.
7 Transplant the marigolds when they are 15 cm tall. Plant marigolds in a flower bed or other container when the plants grow up to 15 cm and are strong. Plant your seedlings carefully to avoid damaging the root system.

Part 3 of 4: Disembarking the Marigolds

1 Loosen the soil by digging it at least 15 cm deep. Use a special tool, such as a hoe, or even just break up the dirt with your hands. Loose soil will allow oxygen to flow to the plant roots.
- Remove any sticks, stones, debris from the ground. Foreign objects will slow down root growth.
2 Dig a small hole for the plant. The root system of marigolds should fit freely into the hole, the leaves should remain above the ground.
3 Place the plant in the hole. Bury the roots of the marigolds with earth and compact the soil around the plant. Water the plant with a watering can at the base until the ground around it is damp, but not too damp and flooded.
4 Mulch the soil to prevent weeds from growing. Spread 2.5-5 cm of mulch, pine bark, or other organic material in the flower bed between the plants.This will also help the soil retain moisture, so you don't have to water the marigolds often.
5 Fertilize the soil. Most home fertilizers contain three essential ingredients for plant growth: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
- The three numbers on the fertilizer package indicate the concentration of each component. Marigolds need fertilization in the following proportion: 20-10-20 (20% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus, and 20% potassium).
- Do not fertilize the soil too vigorously, as this can harm the marigolds. Fertilize the plants once every two weeks, this will be enough.

Part 4 of 4: Caring for marigolds

1 Water the marigolds from the bottom, not the top. Watering the marigolds from above can damage the leaves and flowers, it can even lead to rot. Try to water the marigolds at the base of the plant.
- Try not to water the marigolds with a garden hose. The water pressure from the hose will wash away the topsoil.
2 Remove faded inflorescences. Removing faded inflorescences from a flowering plant is one of the stages of growing flowers. This is not a necessary step, but removing the faded buds will prolong the flowering of the marigolds.
- To make marigolds grow compact, pinch them, removing unwanted processes.
3 Use insecticidal soap to prevent pest exposure. Despite the fact that marigolds are quite resistant, they can be exposed to pests. A mild soap solution sold in garden stores will prevent this problem by warding off pests, but without toxic effects.
- Some varieties of marigolds are edible. If using edible marigolds in any recipe, wash the plants thoroughly to remove any residual insecticidal soap. Do not eat marigolds sprayed with pest control chemicals.
4 Place pegs on the marigolds. Most marigolds are short and close to the ground, but if you have chosen a tall variety such as African marigolds, you may need to peg them. Take pegs 60 cm high and tie the marigolds to the peg using a soft, stretch fabric. (Old nylon tights will do the job just fine!)

Tips

Marigolds have a very strong floral scent. Some people find it pleasant, others find it too strong. If strong odors annoy you, ask your seed store or nursery for varieties with a weaker odor.
Marigolds attract butterflies. Plant them next to windows for great views.
Many marigolds are self-seeding, which means that ripe seeds are sown on their own, growing into new plants. Some types of marigolds are sterile and cannot sow their seeds.
To collect marigold seeds, simply pinch off the faded flowers from the plant. Uncover the bottom hull just below the petals to reveal small, rod-shaped seeds. Spread them out on a paper towel or newspaper indoors to dry, then seal the seeds in a glass jar or envelope and keep them in a cool, dry place until next season.

Warnings

Some gardeners argue that marigolds scare away animals from the garden, even such as rabbits, deer, snakes, but there is no direct evidence of this. Don't expect marigolds to protect you from pests.