Marigold seedlings: planting in open ground
Content:
Origin and short description
Marigold seedlings
Marigolds are native to America, in natural conditions they can be found from the south of the United States and throughout the South American continent. They were brought to Europe by the Spaniards and the Portuguese in the 16th century during the colonization of America.
These flowers very quickly won the love of flower growers and firmly "settled" in gardens around the world.
Marigold flowers are bright and eye-catching. At the same time, their cultivation does not require much effort, being unpretentious, they grow in almost any climatic conditions, except, of course, in the northern regions.
In Russia, the plant got its name from its velvety petals. In Ukraine it is called Chernobryvets, in Belarus and Poland - Aksamytki, which, by the way, is also a derivative of the Polish "aksamit" or velvet.
Depending on the variety, the bushes of the plant can be compact or spreading. The stems are quite strong, the leaves are pinnate-dissected. The green mass of the bush remains beautiful and rich in color throughout the season. And the flowering season for marigolds is quite long - from the first summer month to the beginning of frost.
Main types and varieties
At the moment, the varieties of marigolds are numbered in dozens, and the varieties are already in the hundreds. Plants are divided according to the shape and height of the bushes, the structure of the inflorescences, the location of the stem, etc. Let us consider the most common of them in more detail.
Inflorescence classification
The clove-like structure of the inflorescences makes the marigolds look like small carnations with many notches along the edges of the petal, which makes the flower seem terry.
In anemic inflorescences, the center is formed from rather large tubular petals. And each corolla (center) is framed with petals in several rows.
Terry inflorescences have a variety of flowers with tubular or ligulate petals.
Semi-double - those in which large inflorescences are formed by 2 - 4 rows of reed petals.
Simple inflorescences have a very small number of central tubular and marginal reed petals.
And finally, chrysanthemum inflorescences consist only of large tubular petals.
In addition to the variety of types of inflorescences, marigolds are also different in the height of the bushes.
Bush height classification
The tallest are giants, reaching a height of 1 meter. The simply tall species include marigolds, growing up to 50-60 cm. The height of the bushes of medium-sized species is 50 cm. Low-growing bushes, probably the most common, grow up to 20-40 cm. There are also very little ones, dwarf bushes up to 20 cm high. As they say, for every taste and occasion.
Reasons for planting marigolds in a seedling way
It is better to start sowing marigolds no earlier than the second half of May, when the return frosts finally recede, and the soil warms up well, since the plants cannot stand either cold or frost at all.
Alternatively, to reduce the waiting time for flowering, plant marigolds with seedlings.
In this case, having planted seedlings at the end of May, in the first half of June you will already see the first blossoming flowers. The marigolds sown at this time will bloom only after a couple of months and we may not wait for the peak of their flowering.
If you, nevertheless, planted marigolds with seeds, it is necessary to protect the plants from the extremes of night and day temperatures by covering the beds with foil. During the day, in warm weather, the shelter can be removed so that the crops are aired and the sun warms the soil.
Marigold seedlings: growing conditions
The process of growing marigold seedlings is extremely simple, you just need to follow some recommendations.
The seed should be no more than 2 years old. Before planting, the seeds should be sorted out, leaving whole and strong, and also make sure that there are no traces of fungal infection on them.
It is recommended to soak the seeds for 2-3 hours in warm water, and then put them on a damp cloth for subsequent germination. During this period, it is important to maintain moderate humidity so that the emerging sprouts do not dry out.
Such germination will allow the plant to develop faster and more actively in the future, as well as to bloom profusely and for a long time.
The container in which we will plant the germinated seeds must necessarily have drainage holes in order to avoid rotting seedlings. Before planting, the soil must be steamed from pests and treated with a biological fungicide. This should be done regardless of whether you purchased the soil in the store or compiled it yourself.
Seeds can be planted in separate plastic containers, which then you will not mind cutting to remove the plant without damaging the root system, or in a common box. If in the future, you plan to dive the plants, then the distance between the seeds should be left no more than 1 cm, if not, then 5-7 cm.
Gently distribute the seeds over the surface of the soil and sprinkle with a small amount of earth. We water the seedlings by sprinkling, evenly moistening the soil.
We cover the containers with seeds with foil or glass, creating greenhouse conditions, and leave them indoors at an air temperature of +23 -25 degrees.
When the first shoots appear on the surface of the soil, we remove the shelter, the temperature in the room, if possible, is reduced to +20 degrees.
You can dive seedlings when 2-3 true leaves appear.
Marigold seedlings: planting in open ground
In order for marigolds to bloom soon after planting seedlings in the ground, a number of conditions must be met.
The place where the marigolds will grow should be well lit. The soil is required to be moisture-consuming and breathable.
A few days before planting in the ground, you need to let the plants get used to the open air, for which daily take out the container with seedlings outside.
If the soil on the site is not fertile, you need to fertilize it before planting flowers.
When planting, the plants must be buried in the soil up to the cotyledonous leaves. If you plant marigolds in a row, the distance between them should be at least 30 cm.
In any case, wherever you plant flowers, you need to take into account that the plant, over time, will noticeably grow.
Marigolds do not require any special care. The soil around the bushes must be loosened, weeds removed and watered sparingly, avoiding any dryness and waterlogging of the soil.
In addition, for a long and abundant flowering, you need to remove wilted flowers.
Conclusion
Marigolds, in addition to decorative properties, exude substances that repel pests. This is another good reason for growing seedlings of these flowers. Indeed, while the seeds germinate, and the plant begins to actively gain green mass, a lot of time will pass and the properties of marigolds so useful for other cultures will not be so relevant.
Therefore, no matter how you look, there are many advantages of growing marigolds in a seedling way. Knowing the rules and following the recommendations, a beginner will also cope with this task.