When and how to plant marigolds for seedlings?

Marigolds are unpretentious bright flowers that for decades have remained the main decoration of many vegetable gardens, orchards and groves. Popularly they are called lights, chernobryvtsy, among gardeners they are known as "tagetes". This article will consider the question of when and how best to plant marigolds for seedlings, and also give the most successful dates for planting these unique flowers in open ground.

Currently, more than 10 different types of marigolds are known, however, in our gardens, only three are most often found: narrow-leaved (tenuifolia), erect (erecta), rejected (patula). Each of them has its own landing characteristics, since it was bred at certain latitudes and temperatures. The most common way of growing marigolds is through seedlings with sowing seeds in early spring. This method is the most popular, since neither the seeds nor the seedlings of this plant tolerate low temperatures and may not take root on firm and cool spring soil. Do not plant marigolds at the same time as planting more frost-resistant grasses and flowers.

Marigolds are exactly those flowers that need care only for the period of growing seedlings. After planting tagetes in the ground, the requirements for caring for the plant will practically disappear. All that is required of you is timely watering and weeding of the plant. Tagetes will cope with the rest on its own. When planting, consider the variety and variety of marigolds. Low-growing varieties (up to 20 cm in height) usually grow into small bushes, and therefore the distance between the planted seedlings can be no more than 7-10 centimeters. Tall varieties often grow into voluminous bushes with lush buds, and here the distance between plants should be at least 10 cm.

The main advantage of planting marigolds is that they perfectly tolerate transplanting at any age, even during the period of active flowering of buds. However, frequent transplanting of seedlings from place to place should be avoided. So you risk damaging the root system that has not yet taken root. Before planting seedlings in open ground, monitor the favorable temperature, but avoid direct sunlight on the petals of young flowers. Adult marigolds are photophilous, so a sunny and open place for planting seedlings should be chosen. The soil for the plant should be springy and loose, this will facilitate germination for young roots.

When planting any ornamental plants, including marigolds, it is worth adhering to the approximate timing of sowing seeds and planting seedlings in the ground. If we talk about the southern regions, then planting seedlings in open ground should be carried out closer to mid-April, after the first sun warms up the earth. In the northern regions, it is worth shifting the planting time to early summer, since the soil does not warm up enough and most of the plants may freeze.

Keep in mind that with a change in planting time, the flowering time of the buds will also change. If you sow marigolds at home in winter, you can get full-fledged flowers by mid-spring. It is best in such cases to sow in mid-February. If the plant begins to bloom and become covered with young buds, and until warm days, not less than a week, do not worry. Marigolds steadfastly tolerate the transplant even during the flowering period. It is also widely practiced to sow marigold seeds in late autumn, when the period of heavy rains has already passed. In this case, the first shoots of the plant make their way in the open field in early spring.

There are three options for the marigold planting site:

• open ground;
• greenhouse;
• sowing seedlings at home.

Sowing for seedlings should start in mid-February (in this case, it is imperative to create a comfortable microclimate for seeds, and artificial lighting will not interfere). It is better to postpone planting marigolds under a film or in a greenhouse until early or mid-May. If we are talking about planting seedlings in open ground, then you should focus on the end of May. Given the variety of marigold varieties, the timing may vary slightly.

Ideally, marigold seedlings need about 2 months to grow strong before planting in open ground, however, if you sowed the plant too late or the growing temperature was not favorable enough, the timing may be postponed. In any case, before you decide to plant a plant under the open sky, you should make sure that unexpected frosts will not follow in the near future. This is especially true of sharp drops in temperatures in regions such as the Urals, Siberia, and the Far East.

In regions with a similar climate, the time for planting seedlings in open ground should be postponed to June, therefore, sowing the seeds themselves should be carried out only in the second half of April. In the Moscow region, these dates are a little earlier and go to early-mid-April, while planting a plant in open ground should be carried out in late May - early June. In any case, keep in mind that the soil temperature should not be lower than 15 degrees, this also applies to planting plants in a greenhouse.

At the moment, there are more than 50 different varieties of this amazing plant, each of which differs not only in external features (height, number of buds, shades of flowers, structure of leaves and bush), but also in the period of flowering and growth. When determining the time for sowing seeds or planting seedlings, consider the varietal characteristics of the plant. Remember that tall varieties of this plant bloom 2-3 weeks later than low ones. The very first to sow erect marigold varieties - from the last days of March to mid-April. Then there are low-growing plant varieties - early to mid-April. Thin-leaved marigolds are best planted in late April and until mid-May.

Beautiful and healthy marigold bushes are not so much the influence of environmental conditions as the result of primary care for seeds and sprouts. It is during the germination period that the plant is most stressed, so you should take care of creating ideal conditions for its growth. Marigolds are not particularly whimsical to the place of germination, this is one of those plant varieties that is capable of developing a root system even in a relatively small space. For planting, standard wooden or polymer boxes 20 by 30 cm are most often chosen, you can also use ordinary plastic cups, shoe boxes made of compacted cardboard.

If you decide to plant flowers in one large container, then you should choose breathable containers with holes (at the bottom or on the sides) so that excess water can flow out freely. This will eliminate the risk of root rot. It is possible to use peat pots, which, after seed germination, are placed with the plant directly into the ground - this ensures the safety of the marigold root system. Try to buy peat containers from trusted manufacturers, as today many firms use cheap cardboard to create such pots.

The ideal option for planting seedlings is a light soil with a high nutrient content and good access to oxygen and water. You can make this mixture yourself. Depending on the volume of the container, the following proportions should be adhered to:

• garden soil - 2 servings;
• peat mixture - 1 portion;
• 1 serving of ordinary humus;
• 1 portion of coarse sand, depending on the type of marigold, its amount can be reduced;
• You can add some coconut fiber to the top layers of the soil to make the soil looser and more breathable.

However, this is still not enough to create a healthy soil. In order for the soil to be not only breathable and healthy, but also safe for seeds, it should be disinfected in advance from parasites, fungi and diseases. To do this, simply pour a little hot water over the soil with the addition of a manganese solution. Do not pour boiling water over it - this can destroy nutrients in the soil.... Also, ready-made solutions can be used for disinfection. The most common options are Vitaros and Fitosporin.

You can also put the soil in an oven or double boiler to disinfect. To disinfect the soil with this method, it is worth waiting for at least an hour, but if we are talking about calcining in the microwave, then the time is reduced to 10-15 minutes. Such a procedure is also needed for the destruction of weed seeds in the soil. If you don't want to mess around with preparing the soil at home, then you can always buy a ready-made mixture in stores for gardeners.... Often such mixtures are already disinfected and do not need to be ignited.

Marigold seeds of any kind are not a problem to obtain - they are sold in every gardening store. If we are talking about obtaining seeds from the flowers themselves, then after the end of the flowering period, the buds of the plant gradually turn yellow and turn black (somewhere after about 1-1.5 months). Then they open easily and the seeds can be freely collected from the cup. Usually, there are more than 20 potential plants in one marigold bud, but in practice, not all seeds germinate.

After you have taken out the seeds, you should place them in special paper bags or cloth bags for herbs. If you have a large number of seeds left after planting, then you should not throw them away or give them away - they can germinate even after a few years. Before the planting procedure itself, the seeds should be moistened with warm water and placed in a warm place for 2-3 days (close to batteries or on a windowsill under the sun).

After all the stages of preparation have been passed, you should also consistently treat the landing procedure itself. Below you can find step-by-step instructions for sowing marigold seeds at home.

• After placing the soil in the container, compact it a little and moisten it with a little water. After that, make longitudinal parallel grooves in the soil with a depth of 1-1.5 centimeters.To make future sprouts feel as comfortable as possible, it is worth observing the distance between the grooves of 1.5-2 centimeters.
• Place the marigold seeds in the grooves (this is conveniently done with tweezers or an ordinary folded sheet of paper or newspaper). Do not feel sorry for the seeds - many of them may be empty, and you can easily remove excess shoots in the future. Many owners plant several varieties in one container at once. To avoid confusion, place a piece of paper with names at the beginning of each groove.
• After some tamping of the seeds in the grooves, sprinkle them on top with the same mixture as in the container. Do not overdo it with the amount of soil so that it is not difficult for the seeds to sprout - 1 cm of soil from above will be enough. Leaving the seeds without powder is also not worth it, otherwise their shell will complicate the development of the leaves.
• Moisten the already sprinkled seeds slightly with cool water. Be careful not to leave the seeds without cover.
• The next step is to create a favorable microclimate. To do this, cover the container with a transparent lid, film or cloth. Thus, the soil in the container will always remain moist. Then place the covered container in a warm place. Already after 1-2 weeks at room temperature, you should fix the first shoots of the plant. The ideal temperature for germination is 15-22 degrees Celsius. At a lower temperature, the sprouts will sprout much slower; at a higher temperature, there is a possibility that most of the sprouts will not sprout at all.
• As soon as the first full-fledged sprouts of marigolds appear, it is worth increasing the number of airings and carefully monitoring the legs of the plants. For marigolds, a disease such as "black leg" is characteristic, in which the lower part of the plant visually becomes thinner and dries up. The disease quickly spreads to adjacent shoots, which should also be removed immediately. You can use a fungicide solution to spray the ground again.
• If the sprouts rise from the ground healthy, frequent and strong, the plants should be exposed to the air, completely removing the film and the lid from the container. There is no need to rush with subsequent watering, wait until the primary moisture in the container has completely evaporated. In order for the sprouts to be strong and grow faster, it makes sense to add various fertilizers to the soil at this stage.
• The next stage begins with the appearance of 2-3 full leaves in the seeds. Then you can start picking - planting them in a larger container, separate containers or in open ground.

After planting the plant in open ground, the manipulations for caring for it are significantly reduced. Marigolds are a patient and resistant plant that can do without watering, pruning or weeding for a long time. However, when it comes to planting marigolds for decorative purposes, then caring for the appearance and health of the plant comes to the fore. After diving, the sprouts take root very quickly. As with any plant, they need regular weeding (especially at the initial stage, when the sprouts have not yet matured). After regular watering, the soil can lose its plasticity and become hard, in this case it is worth turning to the help of a garden hoe to loosen the soil around the plants.

The primary actions during the dive phase should be as follows:

• the seedling itself should be placed in a depression up to the level of leaf growth;
• the root system of the plant straightens and fits neatly into the grooves;
• water the plant with warm water, avoid wasting water near the base and roots;
• after watering, add some more soil on top and tamp lightly.

During the growth stage, you should take care of fertilizing the plants (for this, various phosphorus-potash fertilizers, which can be found in every gardening store, are suitable).The fertilizer will give young sprouts the strength to fight against parasites and help with rooting. If we are talking about planting marigolds in strictly limited containers, then to preserve moisture in the upper layers of the soil, it is enough to cover it with a small layer of fine straw. Avoid planting several varieties of marigolds together, this will lead to their mixing, which will negatively affect the originality of a particular type of plant. If pests such as aphids, slugs, or other insects appear on the plant, it is sufficient to use a soapy solution, which you can prepare yourself.

Finally, you can read a small list of useful tips with which you can grow healthy and beautiful marigolds. They relate to a greater extent to planting and growing marigolds in the open field.

• Keep track of the amount of water calculated for each marigold bush. In dry times, try not to neglect additional watering (especially for newly planted flowers), at the same time, during a period of high humidity, make sure that excess water does not accumulate in the roots of the flower, otherwise there is a great chance of rot formation.
• Too high humidity during the initial growth phase can also result in more greenery and leaves than flowers themselves. And here the attractiveness of the plant already suffers.
• Also, excess moisture can lead to rotting of the inflorescences themselves. In such conditions, flowers are extremely susceptible to the influence of fungal diseases. Try to get rid of rotting buds or twigs immediately so that the disease does not spread to the base of the plant.
• Marigolds have a number of properties that have a beneficial effect on the soil. These flowers are believed to heal the earth from the nematode (root worm). That is why it makes sense to plant this plant along garden beds along with other ornamental and medicinal plants.

For information on how to plant marigolds for seedlings, see the next video.