The main rules of landing and care for marigolds

Agrotechnology marigolds is so simple that even a novice gardener can cope with it. Flowers are unpretentious, so you almost always get the expected result. You can plant flowers by sowing seeds directly into the ground, and you can pre-grow seedlings. What is the difference between these two ways and what are the advantages of each, we will tell further.

Growing marigolds through seedlings

One of the most reliable ways to decorate your garden with lush bushes of marigolds is growing seedlings. Then you can land them on the site in the planned amount.

The best time for sowing seeds for seedlings

Marigolds are not particularly demanding to environmental conditions, so the time for planting is chosen mainly for the time when you need to get flowering bushes. They can be sown on seedlings even in early spring.

Seedling method helps to get earlier flowering. Having planted the seeds in the seedling boxes or individual pots, in a month and a half you will receive planting material, and a month after planting in open ground - flowering plants.

Composition of soil mixture

The plant is not very demanding on the soil, but it is still worthwhile for the seedlings to provide suitable soil so that it grows strong and viable. To do this, prepare a mixture of equal parts of turf, peat and humus, additionally it is mixed with half of the sand. It must necessarily be disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate or a fungicide. After that, you can make any organic fertilizer with the exception of fresh manure. Then about three centimeters of drainage are poured into the seedling box: expanded clay, sand, crushed stone.

How to prepare and properly plant the seeds

Seeds can be planted unprepared, but some gardeners still prefer to germinate them in advance. To do this, they are soaked in water at room temperature for 10 minutes, and then spread in a flat saucer, cover with a damp cloth, wrapped with plastic wrap. The saucer is cleaned in a warm place.

Often, experienced growers practice planting marigolds with germinated seeds. To do this, they need to lay out on a plate and cover with a damp cloth, then wrap a plastic bag and put in a warm place. As a rule, they have three days to germinate.

To plant seeds in two ways. The most common - sowing in pre-harvested grooves. Make them at a distance of 1.5 - 2 cm from each other and pour out the seeds. If they have not been previously germinated, it is convenient to take a folded sheet of paper in half, place the seeds on it and pour it through the fold. If planting is done with germinated seeds, it is better to use pots with a diameter of not more than 4 cm. They are placed one by one - two grains. It can be planted in boxes, keeping the distance between the planting material 2 x 2 cm. Seeds are sprinkled with soil and sprayed the landing site from the spray gun.

Conditions for germinating seeds

In order for the seeds to germinate, a box with planting material planted in it must be placed in a lit place.The ambient temperature should be 22 - 25 ° C. Then the first shoots will appear in five days. When they appear, the air temperature can be reduced to 18 - 20 ° C.

Care for marigold seedlings

So, after the appearance of the first shoots, the boxes with the seedlings are removed to a cooler, but no less lit place. Then the question arises: is it necessary to swoop marigolds? Many growers recommend that this procedure be carried out after a couple of true leaves appear on the sprouts. Then it should be seated at a distance of 7x7 cm. This will provide better lighting, and therefore the sprouts will not stretch too much.

Caring for seedlings does not present any difficulties. It should be regularly watered with separated water, maintained at about 20 ° C and periodically ventilated. While the sprouts are small and fragile, it is advisable to water from a spray bottle so that the water does not erode the soil near the roots. Two weeks after a dive, you can land marigolds in a country house in open ground.

Planting marigold seedlings in open ground

Marigolds easily tolerate transplants, but this process still requires adherence to certain rules.

When seedlings are planted

To plant flowers on a permanent place is desirable at the end of May, when the threat of frost on the ground is passed. Still, this plant, which came from the warm edges, therefore, is experiencing frosts badly. Ensure that each seedling planted has at least three leaves and a strong root system.

Choosing a landing site

Choosing where to plant marigold seedlings, stop in a well-lit place. They will be able to grow in partial shade and in the shade, but there the marigolds will not be so lush and bright.

Similarly with the soil. It can be any, but on neutral loams with a good level of fertility, they will be thick and will give abundant flowering. In the first half of summer, the soil should be watered well, and if it is infertile, then in the summer it should be fertilized two or three times.

How to plant marigold seedlings on the site

Taking up the cultivation of marigolds, it is important to know not only how to grow seedlings, but also how to properly plant them in open ground. Planting scheme marigold depends on what varieties are planted in the garden. So, undersized varieties are planted at a distance of 20 cm from each other, medium-grown ones - 30 cm, and tall ones according to the scheme 40 x 40 cm.

Planted in the hole for one plant. As a rule, after a dive, seedlings quickly grow stronger and form a powerful root system. Therefore, when planting in open ground, the plant takes root quickly. It is only important to water the seedlings and continue to water it until it is strong. In general, marigolds survive the drought, but the bushes grow low, sparse, puny, releasing small inflorescences.

Growing marigolds from seeds in open ground

Sowing marigolds in open ground should be carried out only with fresh seeds. Germination, they retain up to two years, but fresh germination. Good seed thickness is given by pre-germinated seeds. To do this, they are soaked in water at room temperature for a couple of days. But sowing is allowed and dry.

When to sow seeds in the ground

When grown from seeds in open ground, marigolds are sown in May, when there is confidence that there will be no more frost on the ground. In the northern regions, after sowing, it is recommended to cover the place for two weeks with non-woven material in order to protect the crops from frost. The first shoots should appear in a couple of weeks.

Preparation and planting of marigold seeds in the ground

Flower growers who know all about marigolds recommend sowing germinated seeds. How to do this, we spoke above when we talked about the preparation of seeds for sowing for seedlings. If it is decided to sow them dry in the open ground, grooves are made about 5 cm deep in the selected area. The trench is moistened with water and seeds are poured into it at a distance of 5 cm from each other. Then the furrow is sprinkled with soil or peat and watered again.

Care of seedlings

Growth rate depends on environmental conditions. In warm regions, flowers will sprout faster than in cold ones. But in any case, when 2-3 true leaves are formed on the sprouts, the sprouts must be thinned or there is an opportunity to swoop out the sprouts. Between plants should be a distance of about 20 cm, and if we are talking about tall plants, then all 40 cm. Seedlings should be watered regularly, not allowing the soil to dry out. While the sprouts are weak, they require regular weeding.

How to care for marigolds in the process of growing

Now it is necessary to dwell on how to care for marigolds growing in a bed in the garden.

How to conduct watering

Caring for marigolds involves regular watering. However, it is important that the moisture in the soil does not stagnate, otherwise the plants begin to rot due to the lack of air access to the roots. Before flowering, watering is recommended to reduce a little - excess moisture leads to rotting of the inflorescences. If after all this happened, damaged baskets should be immediately cut off and destroyed outside the site.

Weeding and loosening between the rows

A flowerbed with marigolds should be regularly loosened, since the roots of these flowers love the air. During loosening, be sure to perform weeding, especially when the sprouts are young and immature.Over time, they themselves will drown out some weeds, but loosening the soil should be carried out constantly.

How to conduct dressing

As already mentioned, marigolds are not demanding to the soil and do not require special dressings. However, additional nutrients have a positive effect on their growth and appearance. If the flowers are planted on sandy or scanty soil, the application of top dressings is more relevant. The first dressing can be done when the flowers reach 10 cm in height, the second - when forming buds, and the third right before flowering. To do this, use complex fertilizers. You can add dried or mowed siderata, rotted weed compost and other organic matter except fresh manure.

Pruning inflorescences

Few people know, but in order for the marigolds to bloom better and more thickly, they should remove the flowering inflorescences. It is also possible to periodically trim bushes, especially tall varieties. This will help form lush bushes.

Combination of marigolds with other plants

Marigolds are actively used in planting carpet flower beds. In this case, they look great in company with ageratum, coleus, cineraria, begonia and similar plants. Chernobrivtsy rescue a young garden, on which there are still many plots not planted with plants.They are planted in the place of faded bulbous or places where other plants have wintered.

Excellent these flowers look in flower beds and flower beds, where there are not enough bright and catchy flowers. It may be the planting sites for conifers with a gray or blue color, purple or bright blue asters. Been in flower beds and various varieties of marigolds. So, for example, in the middle of a flower bed with a venide, mallow, amaranth, castor oil, cannes, large-flowered Chernobrivtsi are planted. If the flower bed is formed from medium-sized plants (cineraria, fragrant tobacco, salvia), varieties of medium height are used, respectively. Low-growing marigolds are planted along the edge of the flower beds along with a gatania, begonia, balsamine for framing a flower garden.

Collection and storage of marigold seeds

Ordinary varieties of marigolds are usually annual plants, respectively, in the fall the bushes are removed from the beds. But if you want to get the same flowers next year, you need to collect seeds from them.

Marigolds have inflorescences of two types: female and bisexual. The first petals are located on the periphery, the so-called velvet flowers. In the second they are located around the center of the flower. It is bisexual that produce more seeds because they are self-pollinated. But the terry and velvet is transmitted only through the female inflorescences. Therefore, for decorative flowers, it is desirable to collect seeds from female flowers.

From the moment of flower blooming and until the formation of full-fledged seeds, it takes at least 40 days. You can shoot them when the inflorescences turn yellow and dry completely, and the stems turn brown. Carefully cutting the inflorescence, pour the seeds into a cardboard box or paper bag so that they do not deteriorate during storage.

If summer is wet or wet days are delayed, it is not recommended to leave the seeds for ripening in such conditions, otherwise they will dampen and rot. To avoid this, in the coming sundial, the inflorescences are cut together with the stems, tied up in bunches and hung to dry in a dry and ventilated place. Bundles are placed heads down, and spread out paper under them. As the seeds dry, they will crumble onto a sheet of paper, from which they are then easy to collect. They will be no different from those that were collected in the usual way.

How to store marigold seeds? They are put in a paper bag and kept in a dry dark place. On average, seeds remain viable for up to two years, but can sometimes germinate even after four years.

Resistance of marigolds to diseases and pests

Marigolds are known for their resistance to fungal diseases. Specific substances phytoncides, which give them a special aroma, protect the flower from harmful fungi. Moreover, the plant is able to protect other plants from them, therefore marigolds are often planted for prophylaxis near crops that are prone to similar diseases, Sometimes in wet summer gray rot can appear on the leaves and stems of the plant. Then the injured bushes must be removed and destroyed outside the site. In conditions of high humidity marigold bushes can attack slugs and snails. You can fight them with bleach. Small containers filled with means are placed between the beds. A pungent smell repels pests.

Arid weather is favorable for spider mites. Therefore, make sure that the soil is always wet. If the insect still attacked your marigolds, spray them with an infusion of hot red pepper, yarrow or onion once a day, in the morning or in the evening. The rest of the flowers are resistant to diseases and pests. Growing marigolds in your garden is easy and always beneficial. In 99% of cases, your efforts and costs will be fully justified, as these are unpretentious and very spectacular flowers. Bright blooms and an unusual form of flowers, they will enliven every corner of the garden. Depending on the variety, you can choose tall, medium tall or undersized plants. They are less prone to disease, and in addition serve as an excellent prevention of disease for other plants.