Marigolds are bright, unpretentious flowers that can be found in many summer cottages, parks, and city flower beds. These charming decorative flowers in rich orange, sunny tones will decorate any garden and create a cheerful, cheerful mood in it. Marigolds are very popular in Ukraine; they are called “chernobryvtsy” here.
Marigolds have been used for a long time to decorate rural courtyards and streets. They fit so organically into the rural flavor that they are considered to be a symbol of Ukraine, although the birthplace of flowers is America. Marigolds have earned popular love not only for their attractiveness, but also for their ease of care; even a beginner can grow these charming flowers.
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Types of marigolds
Sellers of specialized stores are often faced with requests from customers to sell them seeds of French, African or Mexican marigolds. Other floriculture lovers dream of purchasing planting material for herbaceous plants for open ground - erect marigolds, thin-leaved marigolds, and rejected marigolds. Despite the apparent diversity, we are talking about three main lines of breeding these plants.
Geographical names in the names of varieties are a tribute to the history of their spread from continent to continent. For example, the Tagetes began to be called French after they were brought from France to England by Protestants fleeing the Reformation. The Tunisian expedition of the Habsburgs contributed to the appearance of marigolds in Europe, which took root under the name African. The definition is Mexican, directly indicating the country of origin.
Botanists distinguish three main varieties of Tagetes.
Erect (African)
The height reaches 120 cm, the diameter of the flower is up to 15 cm, they have a wide range of colors from white to a rich yellow-orange palette.
Rejected (French)
Multi-flowered, lush bushes. They got their name from the numerous inclined shoots growing from the main stem. They grow up to 60 cm. Their bright flowers can be plain, variegated or even striped.
Thin-leaved (Mexican)
The most gentle representatives of this family. One seedling turns into a short (up to 40 cm), half-meter ball, decorated with hundreds of small flowers. The smell of Mexican tagetes is reminiscent of lemon. This sets them apart from their peers. The color of the flowers varies from bright red to light yellow.
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Description of the flower
Marigold flowers are annual and perennial. Depending on the plant variety, the size and color of the flower may vary. The height of the stem varies from 20 to 130 centimeters. The flower can be painted in all sorts of shades of yellow and orange : from lemon to the color of Moroccan tangerine.
The plant was brought from Central America, where it was very popular among Indian tribes. In Russia, marigolds got their name from their petals, which are very similar to velvet.
Sowing marigold seeds in open ground
Marigold seeds can be planted immediately in open ground. The best time for this is mid-May. This is when the soil will have time to warm up to the desired temperature.
Sowing in open ground is done as follows: to grow marigolds from seeds, shallow grooves are prepared in advance. The soil is moistened, then the seeds are sown and covered with soil.
Before emergence, watering should be moderate. If necessary, seedlings are thinned out, removing weak shoots. Healthy plants can be transplanted to another location.
Low-growing marigolds are planted according to the scheme - 20x20 centimeters, the distance between other varieties on the site is left 30-40 centimeters.
Can it be grown outside?
In our country, marigolds are grown mainly outdoors in open ground. Seedlings planted in May open their buds already in June and bloom continuously until the onset of persistent autumn cold. For sustainable growth, tagetes need a lot of sun, good watering before flowering and warm weather.
Features of growing in a flowerbed
Marigolds have endless possibilities to add interest to any flower bed, garden bed or mixed border.
In the store, when choosing a bag of seeds, you must remember that the number of hybrids of this flower increases every year. Plants vary in color, volume of blooming buds, growth and diameter of the bush. A careful study of the description on the packaging provides information about which flower bed plan it will look most organic on.
Rules for preparing marigolds before planting
Like any ornamental plant, marigold flowers require the necessary attention. In order for marigolds to bloom long and profusely, certain preparation rules should be taken into account.
Whatever method you choose – sowing seeds in open ground or through seedlings – you need to approach it responsibly.
The soil
Before planting, it is good to fertilize the soil with mineral fertilizers.
It is good to include compost in the soil composition.
Choosing the time and place of landing
Planting marigolds through seedlings will help speed up the flowering period. But for this period the sprouts must be prepared in advance.
Marigold seedlings should be planted in early spring. The best time is March-April. Marigold seedlings are grown in boxes and cassettes.
The soil for seedlings is chosen similar to open ground. You can add mineral fertilizers and wood ash.
Before sowing, it is recommended to germinate the seed material of the selected variety. This will speed up the growth of flowers.
To do this, keep the seeds in a damp cloth or piece of gauze in a warm room. They should hatch soon.
Seeds are planted at a short distance from each other. For sprouts to appear, warmth is necessary; the temperature should be between 22 - 25 degrees.
But after the emergence of seedlings, the temperature must be reduced to 18 - 20 degrees. Seedlings dive when 2 - 3 leaves appear on them. In this case, the seedlings are deepened by 1 centimeter.
During active growth, seedlings need regular watering, but water should not accumulate in the pan.
It is also very important to ventilate, otherwise there is a risk of blackleg disease. Once a week, seedlings are fed with fertilizer.
DIY decoration
When decorating a flowerbed with your own hands, you need to decide in advance which flowers will make up the composition. For beginning gardeners, the best option would be a flowerbed of marigolds and petunias . This is due to the fact that these plants do not require specific care, are tolerant of any type of soil and take root almost anywhere.
In order for a flowerbed to bring joy to its owner, you need to remember a few simple rules:
- Before planting, prepare the soil for the future flower bed . The soil must be moistened, loosened, and fertilizer added to the soil.
- Think about your planting plan in advance . Decide on the design of the flower bed. It will be easier for you to plant flowers along the drawn line.
- Decide on a color scheme . Remember that when planting flowers in a chaotic manner, the flowerbed may turn out to be too colorful.
- Consider the number of floors of plants . Flowers that reach a fairly large height should be placed in the center of the flower bed. Low-growing, so-called border flowers, will look harmonious along the edge of the flower bed.
- Start planting flowers from the center of the flowerbed . This way you will not damage the plants that were planted around the perimeter.
- Consider the distance between seedlings .
Flowers should not be placed too close to each other. Their root system is quite extensive. As they grow, they will intertwine and interfere with the growth of neighboring plants. As a result, the flowers will be small and inconspicuous. IMPORTANT. The optimal distance for planting petunias and marigolds is a distance of 20 centimeters between the bushes.
In the photo you can see what a flowerbed of only marigolds and petunias looks like:
How to water marigolds
You need to water abundantly after planting the seedlings in a permanent place. Before marigolds begin to bloom, reduce watering.
Excessive moisture causes it to stagnate inside the soil. The root system stops receiving oxygen and the plant withers.
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In addition, excess water causes various plant ailments to appear.
Adviсe
- Marigolds are light-loving plants. Of course, they can grow in partial shade. But, if you want to achieve optimal results, it is better to choose an area open to the sun for growing.
- Fertilizing should be done before planting in the ground and during the period of intensive growth. Frequent use of fertilizing leads to a long flowering of the bush.
- New ones may appear in place of faded flowers. But this will only happen if the marigolds are pruned.
- If the soil moisture is very high, plants may rot. Snails and slugs are also very dangerous for marigolds. If they appear, they must be removed. You also need to stop watering for a while to let the soil dry out. Read more about diseases and pests of marigolds in this article.
If you follow these simple rules for planting and caring for marigolds, your flowerbed will please the eye for a long time. Fill your garden with a sunny mood, which will subsequently be transferred to you.
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Foliar and root feeding of marigolds
You can make beautiful flower beds from marigolds only if you apply fertilizing. The flowers are unpretentious, but fertilizers affect the appearance.
When fertilizing is applied, they become more lush, the leaves are green, and the flowers are bright.
Fertilize flowers 3 times per season:
The first application of fertilizers is when the seedlings grow to 10 cm in height.
The second time is fed at the stage of bud formation.
The last time you need to apply fertilizer is before flowering. It is better to apply complex fertilizers. Grass clippings and compost are also suitable.
Formation of marigold bushes
Gardeners, especially beginners, do not always realize that the Tagetes flower will bloom better and thicker if dried and wilted inflorescences are removed from it in time.
The formation of bushes is required mainly for tall varieties. This is how they acquire a lush shape and begin to bloom profusely.
Removing old flowers also leads to the rapid appearance of new ones. Pruning and shaping of the bush is carried out in the summer.
Diseases and pests of marigolds
GRAY ROT
The greatest danger to marigolds is the fungus that causes gray rot. This becomes especially relevant if the summer is rainy or the soil is very waterlogged. The main symptom of the disease is dark brown spots that appear first on the underside of the leaves.
If plants are located close to each other, transmission of infection from one plant to another is possible. Therefore, when gray rot is detected, it is necessary to completely dig up all the affected plants and destroy them.
SPIDER MITE
During hot and dry seasons, when there is little watering, marigolds face another problem: spider mite attacks. It is very difficult to detect due to its small size, as well as its rather hidden lifestyle. The presence of this arthropod can be detected by small pieces of webbing on the underside of the leaves.
The fight against spider mites is carried out by spraying with insecticides, or you can use folk remedies. An infusion of a mixture of onion, yarrow and red hot pepper helps well against ticks.
SLUGS
Despite the presence of phytoncides in the cells of marigolds, which repel most insects and other animals, they can be susceptible to attack by slugs and snails. This becomes especially true either during rainy periods or closer to autumn, when the climate becomes cooler and wetter.
There are many ways to get rid of annoying shellfish. You can simply collect them manually, but this method is ineffective since you will have to spend a lot of time collecting them regularly. It may make sense to look for a slug nest, which, as a rule, is located in some damp place (under a snag, an old stump, just under some thrown large object, etc.). After destroying the nest, the number of uninvited guests on the site will noticeably decrease.
You can place traps near flower beds with plants, consisting, for example, of tin or glass jars filled with sugar syrup or beer (slugs like the smell of it). Once trapped, the pest cannot escape and dies.
Or you can use the opposite method: do not attract mollusks into traps, but drive them away from the area. Cans of bleach placed around the perimeter of the flower beds can be used as such “repellents.” Slugs and snails do not like this smell and move away from its source.
What kind of flowers are these?
Cempasuchitl is the amazing word these flowers are called in their homeland, Mexico. From the hot and humid regions of this country, the plant first came with the conquistadors to Spain, and then spread throughout the world. In every country, Tagetes had admirers who used this flower not only to decorate gardens. He found a place as a spice in cooking, a medicinal raw material in folk medicine, and a protector of vegetable and horticultural crops. Read in detail about the medicinal properties and contraindications for the use of marigolds here, and from this article you will learn about the use of these flowers in folk medicine and cooking.
Botanists classify this herbaceous ornamental plant as a member of the Asteraceae family. In the native subtropical and tropical climate, perennial forms of this flower are found. In our latitudes, heat-loving marigolds live only one summer season. But even in this short time, their varied colors, simple and double flowers, manage to please fans.
