These flowers are truly “folk”. They can be seen in almost every area. Tall and very small, red, yellow and orange “suns” unusually decorate the flower garden. And growing marigolds is not at all difficult.

So, marigolds - planting and care in open ground.

Today, flower growers can purchase dozens of varieties of marigolds.

According to the structure of the inflorescences, they are divided into simple, semi-double and double varieties.

But more often, marigolds are chosen for planting based on their size:

1. Giant - up to 130 cm.
2. High – up to 90 cm.
3. Medium – up to 50 cm.
4. Low-growing - up to 40 cm.
5. Dwarf - up to 15 cm.

Lovers choose one variety or another, depending on where they plan to grow flowers. For example, only short and dwarf ones are suitable for balconies. And giant marigolds, planted in the middle of the flowerbed, will become its pride and main decoration.

Marigolds are also divided into erect, deviated and thin-leaved.

Erect - annuals, can grow more than 1 m in height, flowers - monochromatic, from yellow to orange. The most famous variety is Kilimanjaro.

Rejected - got their name because of their escapes. Lush bushes with small flowers. The variety most beloved by summer residents is marigold “Antoshka”.

Thin-leaved - rarely higher than 40 cm, the flowers resemble daisies, and are decorated with thin carved leaves. Popular variety- "Dwarf".

How to grow marigolds?

Most often, summer residents buy bags of seeds of certain varieties. Self-collected seeds are less commonly used.

Sowing seeds in the ground

If you live in a fairly warm area where frost will not threaten the seedlings at the end of spring, you can plant marigolds from April 20 to May 15. Then in about two months you will admire their flowering.

When preparing for planting, it is advisable to germinate the seeds. Take a separate saucer for each variety, put a clean cloth there, pour seeds onto it and pour a little water at room temperature. Each saucer is placed in plastic bag and place it in a warm place - for example, on a windowsill near a radiator. After 3-4 days, the seeds can be planted.

It must be remembered that each seed will turn into a bush, so when planting you need to maintain the desired distance between future flowers.

Then the soil in the garden bed is leveled and watered. When the shoots appear, look to see if they are located too close to each other. Thin out the sprouts if necessary.

Planting seeds for seedlings

Because the warm season in Russia is relatively short, it is preferable to grow marigold seedlings. Typically, flower growers who do this buy ready-made soil in Priroda stores. But you can compose it yourself. To do this, they take soil, maybe forest land, peat and a little river sand. IN in this case To disinfect, the soil is calcined in a stove on a baking sheet or watered with a solution of potassium permanganate.

Soil is poured on top, grooves are made - if there are no special tools, you can use a stick or pencil. The seeds are planted at a distance of approximately 3 cm from each other.

The soil should be moist and watered carefully so as not to wash the seeds out of the ground. The container should be placed in a well-lit place, but not in drafts.

After a few days, when shoots appear, the box is periodically turned to the window, first on one side or the other. This is done so that the plants do not stretch in one direction towards the light and do not bend.

Seedlings dive when 3 leaves appear. It is recommended to plant in the garden in the last ten days of May.

Planting marigolds in open ground

This is the most crucial moment in growing flowers. Need to determine appropriate place, prepare a garden bed, grow or purchase strong, healthy seedlings.

Selection of planting material

If you are going to grow seedlings yourself, remember that you need to sow the seeds in different time. Tall marigolds are planted first - in March, but in April it is the turn of low-growing varieties.

When buying marigold seedlings in a store or market, carefully inspect them - are the plants healthy, do they look strong? It is better when each plant is planted in a separate container - this way there is less risk of injuring the roots during planting.

Soil preparation and site selection

Before planting, it is advisable to enrich the soil - dig up the bed, adding peat, humus, river sand, and mineral fertilizers.

The distance between seedlings will depend on the type of marigold. Tall ones need space: plants should be separated from each other by 40 cm; for dwarf marigolds this distance is halved.

It is advisable to put a little drainage at the bottom of the holes, and then plant the plants. After planting for a couple of weeks, marigolds need regular watering.

Caring for marigolds in open ground

Caring for these flowers is easy. It consists of watering, loosening, weeding and periodic feeding.

Watering and fertilizing

During the growth period, marigolds need regular watering; with the beginning of flowering, watering can be done less frequently.

It is advisable to use a watering can rather than a hose, and leave the water in a container beforehand to warm it up. Best time for watering - in the evening, when the sun is approaching sunset.

If the summer is rainy, drainage will help prevent root rot.

In the case when the bed is prepared according to all the rules, additional fertilizing you don't have to enter it. Do you want to pamper your plant and achieve lush flowering? Use any fertilizer other than manure. Fertilize 2-3 times before flowering begins, that is, during active growth plants. The best option– use complex fertilizers.

Loosening and trimming

Marigolds hate it when the soil becomes crusty. It is necessary to ensure air access to the roots. This can be achieved through regular loosening. This must be done carefully so as not to damage root system. It is also important to remove weeds.

To make the bushes look more beautiful, fading marigold flowers are periodically pruned. Then new buds will appear and the overall flowering will intensify.

How to collect seeds?

Most often this situation occurs. You purchased marigold seeds of a certain variety. In the summer the plants bloomed and you really liked them. I would like to decorate the flowerbed with these flowers next year.

Nothing could be simpler. Wait for the marigolds to bloom and collect the seeds. You can store them throughout the winter in paper bags.

But since most marigolds are hybrids, the flowers that bloom next summer may look slightly different from the mother plants.

Diseases and pests of marigolds

Marigolds are strong and healthy plants largely due to its smell.

The most common threats to flowers are:

1. Slugs. There are especially many of them if the summer is rainy. If the number of pests is small, they can be collected manually. If there is a massive attack, a drug such as “Thunderstorm” will help.
2. Spider mite. To combat it, you can purchase special drugs at the Priroda store. According to folk recipes– use onions, yarrow – prepare solutions and spray the flowers.
3. Gray rot. Occurs when watering rules are violated. It is better to immediately remove the affected plant from the garden bed - otherwise other flowers will get sick and die.

At proper care Marigolds, as a rule, do not get sick.

Using marigolds in landscape design

Bright, unpretentious marigolds will decorate any area and will delight owners with abundant flowering for a long time.

Marigolds are planted depending on their size. For example, tall ones can be placed in the center of a flower garden, and short ones will become an excellent frame for a flower bed or garden path.

Another option is to give marigolds a place right in the garden beds. Firstly, the vegetable beds will start to look much more beautiful. Secondly, the smell of these flowers repels many pests. Yes, without using chemicals, you will protect the future harvest.

Dwarf and low growing marigolds can be planted in containers on balconies.

Marigolds are good because they never disappoint the grower. Almost any soil, minimal care - and colorful, elegant flowers will still bloom, pleasing to the eye.

Marigolds are a plant familiar to everyone, blooming beautifully in flower beds, ridges, and balconies, decorating flower beds with a colorful variety. But few people know that marigolds and tagets are the names of a crop from the Asteraceae family, originally from America, where it grows wild.

The plant is unpretentious, has a large varietal diversity, looks great in compositions, group and single plantings, its care is simple - all this has made it popular among a huge variety flower crops. Growing marigolds is not difficult even for a novice gardener, but how to plant and when to plant open ground will provide more detailed information about the culture.

Species diversity of marigolds

The plant, in addition to being beautiful bright colors, has an unusual tart odor, the source of which is phytoncides. Many insect pests cannot tolerate it, so marigolds are planted next to garden crops to repel them, and in the cuisines of southern peoples, tagets are used as a spicy spice. Varieties of marigolds vary in size and shape of flowers, leaves, and height, so when choosing planting material you need to consider where the flower will be grown.

Kinds:

1. Thin-leaved (Mexican) - grows up to 25 cm, strongly branches, leaves are dissected, thin, flowers are small - 1.5 cm in diameter. The color of the flowers is mainly yellow and orange. Ideal for borders, ridges, landscape compositions.
2. Rejected (small-flowered, French) - forms a lush bush with flowers (double, simple, semi-double) of yellow-brown, yellow, brown-red color. The leaves are thin, dissected. The variation in height is quite large:

• up to 25cm – dwarf species;
• no higher than 40cm – short;
• up to 50cm – medium;
• 60cm – tall.

1. Large-flowered (erect, African) - grows up to 1 m, the leaves are large, dissected, tubular flowers are always yellow in color. The bushes vary in height:

• up to 45cm – short;
• up to 60cm – medium height;
• no higher than 90cm – tall;
• more than 90cm – gigantic.

Requirements for the site and soil

The site for growing marigolds should be chosen in a sunny, well-lit place. But it should be taken into account that each variety of crop relates to lighting differently, for example, white-flowered varieties (erect hybrids) need light shading in extreme heat, and varieties with thin stems and openwork leaves (thin-leaved) shade is contraindicated - they grow weak and frail .

The crop has no special preferences for soil composition, you just need to know that the root system does not like stagnant moisture and take this into account when planting - heavy soils can be lightened by adding sand.

Preparations for planting begin in the fall - they dig up the area with the addition of humus or compost (4-5 kg ​​per 1 m²), remove weeds and plant roots. To prevent possible stagnation of moisture, you can dig small grooves to drain melt water in the spring.

Growing marigolds in seedlings

It is difficult to confuse marigold seeds with others - they are long, like thin sticks, with a yellow or beige tuft. They germinate within 2-3 years, but the germination time of the species is different:

• hybrids and erect – 10-12 days;
• hybrids and rejected – 10-18 days;
• hybrids and thin-leaved – 12-18 days.

Seed preparation

Seed germination for any sowing method can be accelerated by treating with a 0.001% solution of heteroauxin or Epin (growth stimulants), keeping it in it for 6-12 hours. This treatment allows you to get seedlings 5-7 days earlier and helps rapid development lush bush and beautiful flowers.

If marigold seeds are planted in open ground, and the spring weather is damp with low temperatures, then it is better not to soak to avoid rotting of the seeds. In this case, they should be sown dry - they will sprout under the prevailing conditions that are favorable for them.

When and how to plant

When to plant seeds for seedlings largely determines the type of plant. Erect and thin-leaved marigolds bloom either in mid-July or early August, so for seedlings, for early flowering, their seeds are sown in early spring- until March 10, and they will begin to bloom in mid-May or the first ten days of June.

Rejected marigolds bloom earlier - mid-June, and sowing seeds in the last days of March will allow them to begin flowering in the third decade of May.

Also, the timing of sowing seeds should be correlated with the climate - young seedling bushes will not tolerate spring frosts after transplanting into the ground, and too mature bushes do not take root well.

Sowing rules:

• pour a layer of expanded clay or crushed stone into a container;
• mix purchased soil, peat, sand, humus in a ratio of 1:1:1:1 or turf soil, humus, sand (3:2:1) and fill the container for planting;
• spread the seeds into moistened grooves 1 cm deep every 4-5 cm, sprinkle with soil mixture;
• cover the containers with film (glass) and place in an unlit place at a temperature of 20°-22°C;
• after germination, the film must be removed and the boxes moved to a bright place with a lower temperature - 17°-18°C;
• If the weather permits, the seedlings are taken out to the balcony, loggia, or veranda for hardening.

Seedling care

Watering is carried out abundantly and infrequently, preventing moisture from stagnating.

Feeding begins 1-2 weeks after germination - green Crystalon is added with the nutrients necessary during this period. In the next feeding (5-6 days before transplanting into the ground), yellow Crystalon is used - it activates root growth and promotes rapid rooting.

Planting seedlings in open ground

The timing of transplanting seedlings into open ground depends on weather conditions. It is allowed to plant young bushes when constant positive day and night temperatures are established. When there is a threat of frost, plantings are covered in any convenient way.

The distance between bushes depends on the type of planting: single, group, in composition. For example, high grades can be planted at intervals of 40-50cm in borders or along the edge of the lawn, in compositions can be planted at the tops of a triangle with a side of 40-45cm.

Between bushes of medium height a distance of 30-35 cm is maintained, between low bushes (dwarf species) - 20-25 cm.

Growing seeds in open ground

Marigold seeds germinate well in the spring when sown in open ground directly at the place of cultivation. You need to wait for the soil to thaw and warm up, and sow in the 2-3rd decade of April or in the 1st decade of May. If the soil is not warmed up well, the seeds may lie in the ground for a long time and lose their germination.

The rules for planting seeds are the same as for planting seedlings. If seed material a lot, you can sow more densely, and then thin out the plants, using the removed bushes as seedlings.

Care of plantings in open ground

The culture is unpretentious and does not require special care, different from other flower crops: watering, weeding, loosening, fertilizing.

Watering requirements

Any variety of tagets looks attractive and beautiful with timely watering. In case of infrequent precipitation, watering is carried out every 7-10 days, trying not to pour water on the flowers and pouring 8-10 liters per 1 m².

Reference! The plant may lose its decorative appearance with infrequent watering and drying out of the soil, but has the ability to quickly recover with regular watering.

Fertilizing

If at autumn digging Fertilizers have been applied to the soil, 2-3 fertilizing is carried out per season.

The first time the planted plants are fed is at the very beginning of flowering. complex fertilizers without nitrogen or with a minimum amount of it, so as not to stimulate excessive growth of green mass. Fertilizing with Agricola and Kristalon gives good results.

Spraying with Humate in solution every 10-14 days helps to strengthen the plant, abundant and long flowering.

In case of iron deficiency, when the leaf becomes lighter but the veins remain green (chlorosis disease), use Ferovit or Agricola “For yellowing of leaves.”

Pest control measures

Marigolds are practically not susceptible to pest invasion due to the presence of phytoncides in their composition, but sometimes, due to a combination of unfavorable factors, they can suffer due to spider mite, aphids, slugs or infectious disease gray mold.

How to fight:

1. Aphids suck the juices out of the plant, and it gradually dies due to lack of nutrients. Insecticide preparations Konfidor, Bi-58, Aktara or tobacco infusion will help: tobacco (200g) is infused in hot water (5l) for 2 days, stirring occasionally. The infusion is boiled, allowed to cool, and after straining, 20 g of crushed soap is dissolved in it, adding 5 liters of water. Spray the entire bush. This remedy also helps against other insects (thrips, caterpillars, bedbugs).
2. Spider mites appear when there is a lack of moisture and irregular watering, so prevention is regular watering and humidification of the air from a spray bottle (indoors). Spraying with infusion of tobacco dust, treatment with Fitoverm or preparations containing sulfur helps.
3. Slugs damage plantings when the soil is very wet in wet, rainy weather. A tincture of tobacco (recipe above) and wormwood will help save the plants: dry crushed wormwood (200g) is infused in 5 liters of water for a day, the infusion is boiled for 30 minutes, filtered, the volume is brought to 10 liters and used for spraying.
4. Gray rot is observed during prolonged rains and cool weather. Preparations Fundazol, Arcerid, Bordeaux mixture(1%) cope with the infection by spraying and watering the soil around the tagetes bushes.

How to collect seeds

Marigolds bloom for a long time and to support them during this period, to activate the formation of new buds, faded inflorescences must be removed, leaving a small amount for the seeds to ripen. All varieties of marigolds, except hybrids, are perfectly grown from independently prepared seeds.

Reference! Hybrids do not retain varietal characteristics when grown from home seeds.

You can collect seed material in August, when the seed pods are dry. They are torn off on a dry sunny day and laid out to dry completely. Dried seeds are easily removed from the box. Each variety is placed in a separate paper envelope and signed.

Marigolds in pest control

Due to its chemical composition, marigolds help repel many pests from planting garden crops.

Wireworms, nematodes, and mole crickets avoid areas with marigold plantings—planting them along the perimeter of the beds will decorate and enliven the area and repel other insects.

Fight weevils, caterpillars on fruit crops Marigolds help in the infusion: fill ½ of a bucket with the crushed plant, add hot water(5 l) and leave for 2 days, stirring occasionally, then you need to strain the infusion and dilute 40 g of soap in it. The treatment is carried out 2-4 times.

Motley carpet or single landings– in any form, marigolds create a positive mood, decorating flower beds, lawns, and local areas with bright sunny flowers and do not create problems when planting, growing and caring for them.

Marigolds, Tagetes, Chernobrivtsy - all these are the names of the same plant, a favorite of many summer residents. Unpretentious bright lights “burn” in picturesque flower beds, delighting with their sunny beauty. Flowers decorate garden paths, “velvet” flower beds and create coziness on city balconies. In order for them to bloom on time every year, you need to know how and when to different regions plant marigold seedlings.

Why are marigolds so popular among gardeners?

Marigolds are varied in color and texture, do not require complex care, look good in flower beds and in various flower arrangements. Marigolds have long taken root in dachas and parks, but they are valued not only for their bright beauty. This is also useful plants. They are widely used to protect vegetable and garden crops from pests, used in folk medicine and cooking.

Gardeners' favorites not only delight with beauty, but also bring benefits

What are they good for?

• Flowers have a specific strong smell, insecticidal properties and produce phytoncides. Therefore, they serve to control insect pests. A decoction of tagets is used to disinfect flower bulbs and spray the seedlings.
• They last a long time cut in bouquets.
• Marigolds are used in folk medicine to relieve stress, normalize blood sugar, and improve vision.
• In cooking, dried flowers are used as a spice and added to sauces and marinades. This is another well-known oriental seasoning - Imeritan saffron.

These plants are widely used in landscape design, they look colorful in monoflowers (tapeworms) and add color to lawns and lawns. A flower bed composed of different varieties of Tagetes is extremely impressive. They replace each other in waves - from the shortest on the periphery to the tallest in its center. And the shape of their bushes is different: a ball, an inverted pyramid or openwork, delicate leafy lace. A color palette changes from lemon or golden to white or yellow-brown.

Marigolds are combined with other flowers in bright compositions

They bloom all summer and almost all autumn, and go well with zinnias, gilly leaves, phlox, petunias, asters, dahlias and other flowering annuals. Sunny, bright flowers in warm shades are well combined with cool purple-lilac or blue flowers. And in small areas, marigolds beautifully color potato or other vegetable beds, repelling pests from them.

Bright flower bed from annual plants decorates the city park

Planting dates in 2018

Growing tagetes is practiced using seedlings and non-seedlings, or by sowing seeds directly into a flower bed. But due to the fact that these plants are heat-loving and tolerate drought better than frost, sowing seedlings results in flowering almost a month earlier. And the flower beds turn out uniform, because... When sowing directly, not all seeds may germinate.

The use of seedlings for growing marigolds in a favorable climate allows you to enjoy their flowering already in April. To achieve this result, it is important to correctly calculate the timing of sowing seeds in home greenhouses. Calculation recommendations are based on various criteria.

The timing of sowing seeds for seedlings is different for the regions of Russia

Experienced gardeners believe that the earliest time for sowing seeds is February, but it can last until mid-April. Timing is affected various factors: cultivation technology, variety and region.

There are the following technological methods for sowing seeds:

• For seedlings - from the end of winter, but illumination in the evening is required.
• Under film - since May.
• In open ground - a couple of weeks later, but in southern areas already from April.

The sowing time is affected by weather conditions, which differ significantly in different regions. When calculating the timing, it is taken into account that by the time the bushes are planted in open ground, the weather should be consistently warm. And the soil should warm up to 15 degrees. It is also taken into account that by this time the seedlings should be 45–60 days old. Taking these factors into account, it follows that planting marigold seedlings differs in different regions.

• In the Urals, Siberia or Leningrad region (with possible night frosts even in mid-May), it is better to plant marigolds in June. And, therefore, you need to sow seeds for seedlings no earlier than mid-April.
• In the Moscow region and middle lane Sowing seeds can begin a couple of weeks earlier in order to transplant the seedlings at the end of May. If you cover it with spabond, then the deadlines can be shifted by a couple of weeks.
• IN southern regions With a mild winter and a friendly early spring, sowing can begin another 2-3 weeks earlier.

Flower growers also need to pay attention to the fact that different varieties are distinguished not only appearance(height of the bush, its shape and color). They have different timing from seed germination to the beginning of flowering. It is known that tall varieties grow more slowly than thin-leaved and low-growing ones. Adjusting for grade, sowing dates look like this:

• Upright varieties, which need to reach 2 months of maturity to flower, are sown from late March to early April.
• Low-growing varieties - a couple of weeks later.
• The sowing time for seeds of thin-leaved specimens ranges from the end of April to the first half of May. They only need a month before planting in flower beds.

In any of the options, transplanting into the ground takes place in May, then flowering can be observed as early as June.

Sowing marigolds according to the lunar calendar

There are calculations of favorable and infertile days for seedling cultivation Tagetes according to the lunar calendar for 2018. Based on them, the following days are considered successful (by month):

• In January - 12, 16, 22, 30, but additional lighting is needed.
• In February - 20–23, 25–27. Seedlings obtained from seeds are planted under film in a flower garden within a month.
• In March - 7–10, 19–22, 24th. In this case, transplanting to flower beds begins in mid-April.
• In April - 7–9, 17, 19, 22, 25. The seedlings are ripe for transplanting by May.
• In May - 1st, 2nd, 8th, 17th, 23rd.

By sowing seeds on the indicated days, you can grow bushes that will bloom earlier and more generously than those grown from seeds sown in the beds immediately.

The following are considered unfavorable for sowing Tagetes:

• In February: 1, 9, 14–16, 19, 24, 28.
• In March: 2, 12–15, 17, 23, 31.
• In April: 10, 15, 15, 24. 30th.
• In May: 7th, 14th, 15th, 29th.

These days are empty and include new moons, full moons and solar eclipses.

When to sow marigold seeds: table of dates by region

Varieties of varieties	Regions
	Kuban	Moscow region	Leningrad region, Ural, Siberia
Sowing in a greenhouse: erect	Early: late January-early February (for flowering in April). Normal: early March	Late March-early April	Second half of April
short	Mid March	Mid April	End of April
thin-leaved	End of March	End of April	Mid May
Sowing in open ground under film	End of March beginning of April	Beginning of May	Second half of May
Sowing in open ground without shelter	End of April	The end of May	Mid June
For reference: transplanting seedlings from a greenhouse	End of April	The end of May	Mid June

Simultaneously with marigolds (at the same time), you can sow seedlings: gillyflowers, eschscholzia, phlox, zinnias, asters, petunias, delphiniums, sweet pea, daisies.

Disembarkation methods

Except traditional way, which will be discussed below, there are more simple methods growing Tagetes seedlings. Let's look at three of them:

• Into the snail. The roll of backing for the laminate is cut into strips 10 cm wide. They are rolled into a spiral and placed in a five-liter plastic water bottle, cut in half lengthwise. For reliability, the “snail” is fastened with a rubber band. Neutral moist soil is poured between its layers. Seeds are stuck into it, nose down, and markers are placed to indicate the variety and sowing date. Then the container is covered with film or a medical shoe cover and wait for germination.
• A small layer of earth is poured into the same container, then covered generously with seeds. They will look like a layer of mulch. The seed material is watered generously from a spray bottle, covered with the second part of the container, and sealed with tape. When the seeds have 2 true leaves, they are transplanted into separate cups. To make it easier to separate them, the seedlings are moistened with a spray bottle.
• In a diaper. Lay out several layers of paper on the food bag, which is well moistened. Stepping back from the edge by 0.5–0.7 cm, the seeds are laid out on it with the black nose down. The diaper is rolled up like a rolled-up cigarette, placed in a glass of water, and covered with film. Shoots appear within a few days.

Step-by-step instructions for planting marigold seedlings

Prepared seeds are planted in cups or boxes. It is necessary that the boxes have drainage holes to allow excess water to escape. Their bottoms are first covered with paper, and drainage made of expanded clay or crushed stone is poured onto it with a 3 cm layer. Subsequent actions are carried out according to the following scheme:

1. Soil preparation. Light and nutritional composition from 2 parts of garden soil, 1 part of peat, humus and a little less coarse sand. To make the earth “breathe” better, add a little coconut fiber to it. It is disinfected by watering it with a hot solution of rich-colored manganese. There are also special means for this (Fitosporin). Then the earthen mixture is calcined for 1 hour in the oven or 10 minutes in the microwave. Ready-made substrate purchased in a store does not need this. In order for beneficial bacteria to develop in it, the substrate is poured into boxes and left at room temperature for 3 days.

   The earth mixture must be calcined in the oven

2. Seeds purchased from a store or collected from garden plot, put in cotton bags, moisten generously with warm water and leave in a warm place for 3 days so that they germinate faster.

   Seeds must be soaked before planting

3. In prepared earth mixture draw grooves at a distance of 4 cm from each other. Seeds are placed in them to a depth of approximately 1 cm, leaving an interval of 2 cm.

   Make grooves for seeds in a container with soil.

4. They are covered on top with a mixture of equal parts sand and earth, and a little wood ash is added there, in order to prevent blackleg disease.

   Marigold seeds sprinkled with soil

5. The contents of the boxes are covered with glass or film on top and left at a temperature of 22–25 ⁰C.

   The sown marigold seeds should be covered with something transparent.

6. Greenhouses are ventilated every day to prevent condensation from accumulating. Watering is carried out with settled warm water, but it is better to spray it from a spray bottle. The earth should not dry out.

   When germinating seeds, you should follow the watering regime

7. When sprouts appear, the room temperature is reduced to 18 ⁰C.

   Rules for caring for seedlings include the following points:

   • The temperature in the room should not exceed 18 ⁰C.
   • Watering is carried out with warm, settled water in the morning as the soil dries.
   • Daylight hours should be 15 hours. If the plants do not have enough sunlight, then use fluorescent lamps.
   • Every 2 weeks, the plants are fed with complex fertilizers, stopping feeding 2 weeks before transplanting the seedlings into open ground. You can use liquid product “Ideal” (2 caps per liter of water). It is useful to alternate the following compositions: hydrogen peroxide (2 tablespoons per 1 liter of water) or ammonia (1 tablespoon per half bucket).
   • When 2 true leaves are formed, the bushes are planted in soil with a similar composition. The transplant is done according to the 7 by 7 by 7 scheme. In this case, the main root is shortened by half so that lateral processes are formed.
   • 10 days before planting in the flowerbed, the seedlings are hardened off by exposing them to the air. The time of these “walks” is gradually increased to a day.

   Video: how to plant flower seedlings

   When growing these bright, heat-loving annuals that bloom for at least 4 months a year, it is better to use seedling method. It allows you to speed up the flowering of plants and improve its quality. But at the same time, it is important to correctly calculate the sowing time, taking into account climatic conditions, the specific growth of each variety and other factors. Then the marigolds will bloom together soon after planting in the garden.

The decorative and unpretentious nature of marigolds is popular with many flower connoisseurs. The Latin name for the culture, Tagetes, is of American origin. Plants are popularly called marigolds and lights. Flowers look amazingly impressive in various compositions, in any flower beds, mixborders, balconies, near paths and near fences.

Flowers are grown in two ways: by seeds open ground and seedlings. Planting is carried out from the beginning of May, sometimes from the end of April, from prerequisite well-warmed soil. In areas with cold climates, planting is carried out at the beginning summer period. In this case, flowering, unlike other regions, is delayed by 1 - 1.5 months. In some regions, seed material is planted in the autumn for further independent growth.

The seedling method makes it possible to obtain seedlings in early spring - early summer season. Right choice when calculating the time of sowing seedlings, it promotes a speedy germination process, and further early and lush flowering.

The planting time is selected individually for each area and consists of the following:

• The age of the seedlings should be taken into account for further planting in an open place;
• Planting is carried out after the threat of night frosts, approximately May-June;
• When planting prematurely, it is necessary to cover the seedlings with transparent material;
• For a specific region, a species is selected based on time parameters, flowering period and personal characteristics. The available 50 plant species are divided into: low-growing, tall, large-flowered or small-flowered, with differences in shades;
• 1 - 2 months after germination, the flowering of the crop makes it possible to calculate the exact planting period in countdown;
• Seedlings are transplanted into seedling devices from March to May;
• High varieties are planted 2 weeks earlier than low ones;
• In early spring, sowing is carried out in March-April;
• Flowering of marigolds in the spring months - April-May is obtained by planting seeds in the month of February, with special lighting of the flowers.

Flowers are planted in open soil at an age of 1.5 to 2 months.

When to plant marigold seedlings in the Moscow region, Urals, Siberia

In the regions of the Moscow region, the Urals and Siberia, plant sowing is carried out taking into account the cold spring weather. The periodic nature of frosts has a detrimental effect on flowers, so seedlings are planted in late May. Covering material in the form of film or spunbond helps to shift the planting period by half a month, with planting in the first ten days of May.

• First of all, erect marigolds are sown in March.
• After 14 days, low species and small-leaved crops are sown. Primroses in such cases should be expected in early June.
• May sowing assumes the beginning of flowering by the middle of the summer period.
• A prerequisite for planting marigolds is to warm the soil to 15°C.

How to plant marigolds according to the lunar calendar

Effective days for planting flowers, based on the lunar calendar, are:

• February: 1, 4, 5, 10, 12, 14, 27, 28. Sowing on these days allows you to subsequently transplant the seedlings into a greenhouse or film shelter in March-April.
• March: 3, 4, 10, 12, 20, 25, 30, 31. These days provide for obtaining seedlings for the ground in April-May.
• April: 4, 5, 9, 18, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 28. Transplantation is carried out in May-June.

Planting days guarantee an abundance of flowering at an early stage of planting, compared to the process of sowing in open soil.

Exist unfavorable days for sowing: February – 11, 24, 26; March – 1, 11, 28; April – 1, 2, 3, 16, 24, 25. Orientation in planting days lunar calendar promotes the cultivation of high-quality seedlings.

The qualitative characteristics of future flowers directly depend on the planting technology, in compliance with the basic requirements and good planting material. Cultivation is carried out in the following containers: box, peat pot and tablet, container, cup, cassette. Seedlings in a common container are later planted, but in separate containers, transplantation is not required.

Before pouring the soil mixture into the container, line the bottom with paper with 2 cm of drainage: with perlite, crushed stone, coarse sand or expanded clay. Located in a common container different types signed with labels with the name. You should also make a hole to drain excess water.

The splendor of buds at home depends on the incoming fresh air. In summer, it is recommended to periodically remove marigolds to the balcony. Prolonged exposure to the sun is well tolerated by flowers.

Soil preparation

The light and loose characteristics of the soil, as well as the presence of nutrients for high-quality seedlings, have the following composition:

• 2 servings - fertile soil;
• 1 serving – peat;
• 1 serving – humus;
• 1 serving – river sand.

Adding coconut fiber to the mixture promotes better breathability. Ready mixture for marigolds can be purchased in specialized stores. The mixture is disinfected with a hot solution of potassium permanganate, diluted to a light red color. Fungicidal preparations are also suitable as disinfectants: Vitaros, Fitosporin, Maxim. Tilling the soil is carried out by calcining it in the microwave for 10-15 minutes, or in the oven for 1-1.5 hours. The substrate from the store is not subjected to the calcination procedure. Before planting, the treated soil settles for three days at a maintenance temperature of 20-22 °C.

Seed preparation

Marigold seeds are collected independently or bought in a specialized store. Seed material is collected 1.5 months after complete flowering, when the buds and pedicels turn yellow. In this state of the plants, the ripe seed material can be easily removed from the calyxes. The rest of the preparation consists of uniformly drying the seeds. After this, they are transferred to a paper or woven bag and stored until disembarkation. Seed germination is stored for 2-3 years.

Before planting, the seeds are kept in a lighted place for 3 days, in a damp polyethylene or cotton bag. For rapid germination, swollen seeds are treated with preparations: Zircon or Epin. If you use seeds of the same type for several years, there is a possibility of losing the properties of the original variety with external differences.

Sowing

• In the planting container with soil, grooves of 1 cm are made, with a distance of up to 3 cm from each other.
• Seeds are distributed at intervals of 2 cm.
• Each groove is sprinkled with a mixture consisting of equal proportions: sand, soil and sifted wood ash.
• The container is covered with one of the following materials: transparent film, glass, plastic lid.
• Placed in a warm place and kept at a temperature of 22-25 °C.
• On days 4-7 before the first shoots, the created greenhouse should be ventilated once during the day.

Sowing in individual pots carried out by planting 2 seeds in a separate container. When landing in peat tablet Using tweezers, one seed is placed. Seedlings are planted in a greenhouse towards the end of April, when the soil is warmed to 15 °C. Seeds are placed in the soil at intermediate intervals of 8 cm. Periodic ventilation helps protect seedlings from blackleg. The optimal growing temperature of 25 °C allows for rapid seed germination.

Seedling care

When the first shoots form, the cover is removed from the containers with seedlings. Then they are moved indoors and kept at a temperature of 15-18 °C. Watering is carried out as the soil becomes dry. Planting seeds in the early period of time - January-March is additionally illuminated for up to 3 hours a day using fluorescent lamp. Decorative varieties marigolds need to increase daylight hours until 15:00. Feeding the seedlings with one of the mineral fertilizers is carried out 14 days after planting.

When 2 main leaves appear, the plants are planted in the soil, the composition of which is the same as when sowing seeds. Ash and mineral fertilizer are added to the soil mixture. The flowers are distributed among themselves at a distance of 7 cm. During replanting, the central root is half pinched off from the seedlings in order to further strengthen the flower. Each seedling is deepened into the soil to seven-lobed leaves with roots evenly distributed, and watered warm water. Seedlings after picking have rapid establishment and grow well. The settled soil is sprinkled with a fertile mixture.

Marigolds grown in tablets are planted in a separate container in the form of a pot or cup. Individual containers with seedlings are not transplanted. If there is a weak sprout, it should be carefully removed from the container. After 2 weeks, one type of complex mineral fertilizer for flowers is applied to the soil during watering. The presence of an overgrown root system indicates readiness for planting in open area. Plants are transplanted to a new location with clods of earth on the roots. When stretching seedlings to growth and pale color additional lighting is provided to the plants, or a sunny place is selected.

1 week before planting, for hardening and adaptation to future conditions, the seedlings are taken outside.

Rules for planting marigold seedlings in open ground

When planting seedlings on permanent place no soil fertility criterion is required. The main indicators of finished soil are: looseness, water and breathability. The planting area should be illuminated and protected from drafts and wind. The unpretentiousness of marigolds also lies in their good tolerance to partial shade areas. However, this type of cultivation produces less lush buds. Excessive humidity leads to diseases and threatens the death of the crop.

Planting in open soil is carried out following certain rules:

• The planting area is dug up with the application of mineral fertilizer in the amount of 30 grams per square meter. meter, as well as mixtures of peat and sand;
• Preparing the distance between the holes depends on the varietal characteristics: for high – 35 cm, medium – 20 cm, low – 15 cm;
• Seedlings in a peat pot are planted along with the pot;
• Seedling material from a cassette or cup is transferred into the holes along with the soil;
• When planting in holes, the upper part of the flowers is located 1-2 cm above the soil surface;
• After filling the hole, the soil is evenly compacted to ensure a stable position of the plants;
• It is recommended to take into account the proximity of plants different varieties. Changes in the characteristics of the variety are possible due to cross-pollination of flowers when collecting seeds for the next year;
• Watering is carried out according to sheet plates or under the roots.

Marigolds tolerate replanting well with buds and flowers.

Further care of the plants includes: removing weeds, loosening the rows, regular watering and a one-time application of phosphorus-potassium fertilizer. Mulching with pine, sawdust or straw helps maintain soil moisture. Mulching not only helps reduce regular watering, but also helps keep weeds at bay. The crop is resistant to many pests. However, it can sometimes be attacked by spider mites and aphids. A soap solution or treatment with a pesticide preparation effectively helps in the fight against plant pests.

Elongated shoots are shortened, giving the bushes a beautiful spherical shape. To maintain the external attractiveness of plants, dry and wilted buds are removed in a timely manner. This does not in any way affect the growth of marigolds; they are gaining new buds with renewed vigor.

“Snail”: an effective method of planting Marigolds video

Thanks to the right technology planting and caring for flowers throughout the summer, in the future you can admire abundant and lush flowering.

Since the flower is sensitive to frost, early boarding It is not recommended to put it into the ground. Transplantation of ready-made planting material is carried out as a standard in May-June after frosts on the soil have passed.

Is it possible to replant during the flowering period?

Is it possible to replant during the flowering period? Flowering plants can be replanted during the period when the buds are formed, the main thing is to follow simple rules: do not thicken the planting, there should be a distance between plants for ventilation. Marigolds are herbaceous flowering plants , in shape they resemble small bushes with a strong and rather thick stem and equally strong branches. Seedlings should have a well-formed root system and 3-4 green, healthy leaves.

Preparation

Marigolds will grow well and delight you with color in nutritious, loamy, neutral acid soils. If marigolds are grown on poor soils, then regular feeding is necessary, which should be carried out during the growing season - 2-3 times during the summer (about how to feed marigolds for abundant flowering, read).

For these flowers, it is important that the soil is airy and loose, and also allows water to pass through well. They do not like dark and damp places. The soil for planting should be dug up and mineral fertilizer applied., it will also not be superfluous if you add expanded clay or other small stones into the hole prepared for planting to ensure good drainage.

Learn more about the features of caring for marigolds and design rules beautiful flower bed, you can find out.

Pots

ATTENTION: When growing on a balcony, the pot is provided with good drainage of about 3 cm: pebbles, expanded clay or small stones. They take the land for garden plants and mix it with peat or wood shavings.

All this is necessary for the earthen lump to breathe. When planting, remember that marigolds, or another name for them - Chernobrivtsy, are a bush, so it makes no sense to plant many bushes in one pot; do not allow the plantings to become too dense: the risk of rot increases greatly.

Read about the features of growing marigolds in pots or boxes at home.

Start time for gardening

Marigolds are propagated in two ways:

• sowing seeds in open ground;
• planting prepared seedlings.

Spring-summer season

Occurs in June, when the temperature of the top layer of soil (about 5 cm) reaches 15-20 °C. The planting depth is from 1.5 cm to 3 cm. If sowing is late and is carried out in soil unsaturated with moisture, then it should be increased to 7 cm.

If you are interested in earlier flowering, then the sowing of marigold seeds for seedlings occurs in April, while the planting of already grown plants in a permanent place is carried out in May (read about how to grow marigold seedlings yourself and when and how they are sown). If there is a possibility of frost, simply cover the newly planted seedlings with covering material. As practice shows, plants after such greenhouses are stronger.

Some marigold varieties have more early dates beginning of flowering. For example, rejected marigolds, or “French” marigolds (T. patula), they gained their popularity for their compact appearance, which is suitable for decorating balconies and a shorter period before flowering, on average about 60 days from the moment the seeds are sowed.

ADVICE: Planting should be done after all night frosts have passed. Marigolds do not like frost, especially young plants.

Photo

Look at the photo to see how beautiful marigolds look when planted in a flower bed.

Is it possible to sow in August?

Transplantation for decorative purposes is possible in pots or boxes; for open ground, it is important to take into account the climatic features of the area (early soil frosts). It is not advisable to sow seeds in open ground in August..

Before winter

Now let's talk about sowing marigolds before winter. There are subtleties here. Growing in regions with milder climates gives good results according to germination. But since the flower is heat-loving and does not tolerate frost, and also does not like excess moisture, the experiment on planting before winter in conditions northern latitudes may become rather unsuccessful. But our florist is not looking for easy ways; let’s try to formulate the basic rules for preparing for sowing marigold seeds before winter.

To begin with, let us clearly define for ourselves that The place for planting marigolds must be prepared in the fall, preferably in September or, in the case of a long autumn, in early October, cut furrows and grooves in the garden bed. Make sure that it is not in a low place; a place with a slight slope is ideal.

The soil should not be dense; if this is the case, then it is necessary to add peat, tree bark, humus or sand in equal proportions and good loosening (digging). Further, seeds should be planted only in well-frozen soil. Because a sudden thaw, which will bring with it excess moisture into the soil, will destroy your seeds; they will simply rot.

It’s a good idea to prepare the soil for the top filling in advance and leave it in a warm room. After planting the seeds and filling them with soil, it would be useful to cover them with a layer of leaves or thin wood chips of about 10 centimeters, and to prevent the wind from scattering them around the site, cover them with any net for bushes.

IMPORTANT: Please also note that when planting before winter, you need to take 1.5-2 times more seeds than in the spring-summer period. By observing this small set of requirements, you can get a blooming meadow of marigolds from hardened seeds earlier than your neighbors.

Marigolds need constant watering for several weeks after planting. But do not overdo it, since the plant is susceptible to a number of diseases caused by excessive waterlogging: gray rot, black leg and bacterial diseases.

1. loosening(air access to the roots and exclusion of weed pressure);
2. watering(moderate, although marigold easily survives drought, the plant may look wilted, but after watering the leaves gain strength);
3. feeding(mineral fertilizers).

Marigolds can and even need to be trimmed, as this will allow them to form a beautiful flowering bush, to do this you just need to pinch a couple of lower branches. After the marigolds have begun to bloom, do not leave the wilted inflorescences, but break them off, this will promote more luxuriant flowering and the formation of new inflorescences.

If you decide, then leave a few dried plants, and after complete drying, collect seeds from them. Marigolds have good seed retention until spring.

Do not forget that all marigolds are hybrids; flowers from the seeds will grow differently than the parent plants. Having bought the seeds once, you don’t have to think about buying new ones (unless you want to try a new variety), the germination rate of marigold is high, it will be enough for you to collect the seeds from your already grown plants.

If there is a flower so widespread throughout the world, it is the sunny one. Purchase seeds and, subject to simple rules planting, you will see this piece of sun in your garden.