Growing Marigolds: All you Need to Know
Marigolds are charming annual plants that are very easy in cultivation. They are rather undemanding as far as the soil type and handle heat and drought periods well. They bloom from spring until first frosts.
Choosing the right site
Sunny site with a fertile, permeable, slightly moist soil is ideal for marigold cultivation. However, they also thrive in partial shade and soils that are lesser in terms of nutrient and water content. They are often used on border and lawn edgings. They can also fill empty spots left by the bulb flowers that bloom early in the spring. Since they withstand drought periods very well, marigolds may also be grown in rock gardens.
Planting and propagation
Marigolds are usually grown from seedlings, produced under covers already in March, that are transplanted to the field around mid-May. You may also sow seeds directly to the ground after the last spring frosts have passed. Disadvantage of the second method lays in the fact that the blooms appear at a later stage than those grown from seedlings.
Marigolds are annual plants that are grown from seeds. You may win seeds for the following season by collecting mature inflorescence’s or let the seeds self-propagate. After the seeds have germinated, transfer seedlings to the permanent site. You can buy good marigold seeds here.
Care
Marigolds do not require any special care measures. They withstand heat well and are resistant to drought. They do not require intensive watering nor fertilizing. Be careful with the supplementation and do not overdo with nitrates, since the plants would start to produce more leaves and bloom less abundantly. The only care measure that you need to perform regularly is removal of the wilted inflorescence’s that ensures long and abundant blooming of the plants freed from the task of producing seeds. Marigolds handle transplanting, even in full bloom, very well. You may use this advantage of the marigolds provided you take them out together with a lump of soil and water abundantly after transferring them to the new site.
Diseases and pests
Marigolds are resistant to fungal diseases, can, however, become the favorite snack of slugs and snails during wet years. Extremely hot summers may make them vulnerable to spider mites. The characteristic marigold scent repels the majority of pests naturally in your organic garden. Due to that fact they might help you protect other plants from common pests. For example, if you plant marigolds in vicinity of the roses, you will decrease the number of aphids that attack the flowers. Marigolds may also help eliminate nematodes from the soil. Moles and other rodents avoid them, too.
Marigolds are such a beautiful and versatile plant. they look lovely planted along borders or within other flowers with their s bright and cheery colors that seem to be smiling at you. It can add beauty and color to any garden or landscape. So make sure you plant plenty of these lovely easy to grow colorful flowers throughout your garden. You can even plant them in pots, hanging plants, in window boxes to brighten up your home.
Do you plant marigolds and if so where and how do you plant them?
Do you have any suggestion or tips to share about Marigolds — please share them in the comment section??!!
Pingback: 6 Beautiful Plants That Keep Away Mosquitoes
one of my favorites, a interesting tip, if you give a bit of dried marigold flowers in your chicken winter feed your winter eggs will keep a deep rich color..
Thanks so much for your tip. I don’t have chickens right now but that is certainly a useful tip. Thanks for stopping by and commenting. Have a healthy, happy & blessed day!