Marigolds are pretty flowers in cheerful yellow and orange colors. They are grown in flower beds and front gardens, but you can often see them as balcony plants. Note that unpretentious and easy to care for.
To grow these flowers, you do not need to buy bags of seeds every year. Planting material for the next season is very easy to collect yourself if you already have marigolds. Here's how.
When should marigold seeds be harvested?
Collect the seeds of these flowers, which are also often called black-browed or Turkish carnations, should be in the fall. This usually happens in the second half of September. The main criteria for starting seed collection are mass wilting of the bushes and a dry stem near the flower head. This indicates that the seeds in the box are already ripe.
It is equally important to wait for the "correct" weather - it should be dry and calm. The testes collected in damp weather run the risk of dampness, and then the germination of marigolds is noticeably reduced.
On flower forums, you can often find a question from novice flower growers whether it is possible to collect marigold seeds after frost. This is possible, but not all plants will have dried seeds by this time. Monitor the quality of the collected material, since there will be no sense in immature or wet seeds - they may die from frost.
How to collect marigold seeds?
Carefully cut off the flower head and dry in a well-ventilated area. After that, remove the ripened seeds from the calyx of each flower. There is another way to collect marigold seeds at home - you need to collect flowers in a bunch and hang them
heads down over the newspaper. Dry seeds themselves will begin to crumble and fall.
Mature marigold seeds are black in color and elongated. Until spring, it is recommended to store them in paper bags.
Thus, in order to grow marigolds for many years, you will only need to buy one bag of seeds. In the future, it is enough to collect the seed in time every autumn in order to use it in the next season.
- wonderful, beautiful flowers, the cultivation and care of which in open field do not constitute much work. Thanks to the bright coloring of flowers and unpretentiousness, marigolds are very popular. It should be noted such a useful quality of marigolds - repelling pests with its strong specific smell.
Today we will talk about growing marigolds with seeds in the open field, you will learn when and how to sow seeds, how to grow marigolds from seedlings, how to care for plants and collect seeds for the next planting.
There are many varieties of marigolds, differing in plant size and flower color.
Main varieties:
Upright marigolds - bushes grow up to 1 m high, blooms with large double flowers up to 15 cm in diameter;
-- Low-growing or rejected marigolds - low bush 20-40 cm in height, double and non-double flowers up to 7 cm in diameter;
-- Thin-leaved marigolds or Mexican - miniature plants with bright and small inflorescences with openwork leaves. The flowers are very fragrant. At the same time, up to a hundred flowers can bloom on one bush. Grow up to 20 cm high, flowers 2 cm in diameter. This species has about 70 varieties of hybrids.
Marigolds are grown from seeds, either directly by sowing outdoors or by growing seedlings and then transplanting.
The soil for seedlings should consist of humus, peat, turf and sand in a ratio of 1:1:1:0.5. The soil must be disinfected with a dark pink solution of potassium permanganate.
Seedlings of marigolds are grown so that they bloom already in May-June on suburban area. Marigold seeds are bought once, then they collect their seeds from the species they like. Seed germination is good.
Boxes with seedlings are placed in a warm place with a temperature of 22-25 degrees, the soil should be moist, not dry out. When sprouts appear (7-10 days), transfer the boxes to a lighted place and a temperature of 18 degrees.
Seedlings grow quickly, seeds should be sown in early April, transplanted into open ground in mid-May. The main thing is that frosts pass, young marigold plants do not like frost.
Seedlings are considered ready when 4 leaves and a good root system have formed.
When it is not possible to grow seedlings, marigolds are sown directly in open ground. Sowing of seeds is carried out starting from mid-May, remember, they do not tolerate frost. Flowers with this method of cultivation will appear 2-3 weeks later than when grown from seedlings. Marigolds will bloom until autumn and delight with bright colors.
Make a furrow 5 cm deep with a chopper, pour water over it and sow the seeds, sprinkled with earth. Sprouts will appear in 10-15 days, if they are dense, then they can be planted. The distance between plants is regulated depending on the variety from 20 to 40 cm. If marigolds are planted in rows, then the planting pattern is the same from 20 to 40 cm. Water after planting so that the soil does not dry out and is moist.
Video - Marigolds: cultivation and care
Marigolds grow well in sunlit areas, do not plant in the shade and damp places. good places along the beds, you can make borders.
Plant marigolds in rows near potatoes, cabbage, various berries - many pests (bears, midges, aphids, slugs, snails) will leave the site, and bright marigold flowers will delight you until autumn.
Young plants need to be watered regularly, and adults calmly tolerate drought. Marigolds love air, so respect the distance between plants (depending on the variety) when planting.
Marigolds are unpretentious flowers in care. Flowering plants can survive without water for up to two weeks. For abundant flowering, it is necessary to remove old inflorescences. Pinching the top of the bush, the flowers will begin to grow on the sides, the bushes will be beautiful with bright colors. Also carry out weeding from weeds and loosening the soil around the bushes and between rows.
Marigolds grow on any soil, if the plants are green, do not wither, fertilizing can be omitted. If you are not sure about the soil, or if you see that the plants are missing something, fertilize 1-2 times per season: when the plants reach 10 cm in height, during the budding period or at the beginning of flowering. Top dressing is alternated with organic and mineral fertilizers, applying in small quantities.
Marigolds can be transplanted at any age by moving around the site. In the fall, transplanted into a pot and taken home, they will delight in flowering for a long time.
Video - A new way to grow marigolds
Decorative marigolds - an annual plant, dried inflorescences are suitable for collecting seeds, they should dry well. You can dry the marigold seeds at home by spreading them on paper in a ventilated area, and then store them until the next planting in a cool, dark place (12-16 degrees).
It is better to store seeds in metallized bags, in vacuum packaging with a film inside, they are not stored in paper bags for a long time. The marigold bushes themselves, after collecting the seeds, are pulled out of the ground, the soil is dug up.
Modern science has proven that marigolds have healing properties are beneficial to human health. The content of lutein in plants reduces the risk of cataracts. In folk medicine, marigolds are used to treat diabetes and inflammation of the pancreas.
Possess marigolds medicinal properties and dried, they insist and treat asthma, stomatitis, colds, bronchitis, purify the blood. Recipe for marigold infusion: 1 tbsp. l. crushed flowers pour 1 liter of boiling water, leave for 3 hours, strain and drink 1 glass 30 minutes before meals for 1 month.
To relieve stress and anxiety, take a bath with marigold decoction. The peoples of South America use marigolds as a condiment. In some countries, powder is made from the flowers and added to various culinary dishes.
In France, marigold leaves are used in canning vegetables, they give a pleasant aroma and elasticity.
We figured out with you how to grow and care for marigolds in their summer cottage. Don't forget to plant these beautiful and useful annual flowers.
The root system is fibrous, the leaves are pinnately dissected or pinnately divided, alternate or opposite, the green color can be light or dark green.
Baskets of inflorescences from yellow to bright orange or brown. Flowering begins in June and may continue until the first frost. It is worth noting that marigolds can sow themselves. The germination of seeds that have fallen into the soil lasts up to 4 years. A pleasant smell does not come from the buds, but from the greenery of the plant.
In addition to this, a flower bed with marigolds on the site is an invaluable home pharmacy.
Flowers help in the treatment of the following diseases:
- prevention of cataracts;
- diabetes;
- inflammation of the spleen;
- stomatitis;
- asthma;
- bronchitis;
- cold.
How to grow at home and on the site?
Marigolds have a short growing season and can begin flowering as early as the second month after sowing the seeds. Due to the fact that the plant is unpretentious to weather conditions and tolerates small spring frosts, it does not need covering material when sowing seeds directly in open ground or in boxes on the balcony.
It is necessary to plant marigold seeds at a time when a stable temperature of +5 is established on the street.. Planting dates directly depend on weather conditions, if in regions with a warm climate it is possible to sow seeds in the ground already in April, then in middle lane it will be the end of May. Flowering, respectively, occurs at the end of June at the beginning of July.
If you want the marigolds to start flowering earlier, then you should use the seedling method of planting. Seedlings are grown at home, and when warm weather sets in, an adult plant ready for flowering is planted in a permanent place.
You can learn more about the features of growing marigolds.
Collection of seed material
Marigold seeds are oblong black sticks with white tips that form in the center of the flower after it dries. Because seeds remain viable for more than 4 years, flowers can be self-seeded.
How to propagate marigold seeds? start in September, in its second half. The main sign for this is the wilting of the bushes, especially if the stem near the head is dry - the seeds are ripe. To collect seed material, dry, calm and sunny weather is needed - seeds collected in bad weather can become damp and germination will be reduced.
Seeds are collected in the following way:
- cut off the testis and put it in a ventilated place to dry;
- then carefully open the head with seeds and shake them out on a newspaper.
There is another way to collect seeds:
- collect flowers in a bunch and hang in a ventilated and dry room over a newspaper;
- as soon as the boxes ripen and open, the seeds themselves can get enough sleep.
Then the seeds are placed in a paper bag and stored until spring sowing.
Growing methods
Marigolds can be grown in two ways - sown directly into the ground, or in separate pots at home on the windowsill.
It is worth considering both of these options in order to accurately determine the timing of landing in a particular case. It depends on how early and abundantly the plant will begin to delight with its beautiful flowers.
Read more about how to grow marigolds at home.
When to sow?
If it was decided to sow seeds in the ground, then the optimal sowing time will be May-June, depending on the region. It is during this period that good and consistently warm weather sets in in many regions of Russia.
In open ground and seedlings
Flowers are grown by sowing seed material in the ground at the following times:
As for the seedling method of growing marigolds, you can sow them in pots at any time, from February to March.
Preparatory stage
It should be understood that in order to obtain good seedlings, fresh seeds are needed that are not yet two years old, and the soil must be prepared fertile and very light.
Before sowing, the seeds should be prepared - germinated, then the seedlings will be fast and friendly. Seeds are placed in a cotton cloth, which must first be soaked in warm water. Place on a saucer and wrap with plastic wrap to create a greenhouse effect. Put the saucer in a warm place and after 2 days check the seeds if they good quality, then the bulk planting material already hatch. The seeds are ready for planting.
Requirements for the composition of the earth
The following soil composition will be optimal for sowing marigolds:
- garden soil - 1 kg;
- washed river sand - 500 g;
- peat - 1 kg;
- humus or compost - 1 kg.
sowing
Planting seeds is carried out as follows:
- make grooves on the beds, between which there should be 2 cm;
- spread the seeds at a distance of 1 cm from each other;
- embedment depth no more than 10 mm;
- shed the grooves with warm water;
- fall asleep seeds;
- cover the beds with covering material until shoots appear.
As soon as shoots appear, the film is removed. This will help to harden the plant for further favorable development and growth.
If sowing is done by seedlings, then the procedure is the same, only after the emergence of seedlings the pot is transferred to a bright, sunny windowsill so that the seedlings do not stretch out.
We select a pot
Any container is suitable for growing marigolds- plastic, plastic, containers, boxes, individual cups. It is worth noting that seedlings can appear in any container, only there is the main condition - good drainage at the bottom of the pot and holes for draining excess water.
Soil selection
The soil can be prepared by mixing garden soil, peat, humus and river sand in equal amounts. And you can buy ready-made soil in a specialized store for growing marigolds.
Cet care
Once the seedlings have grown and planted in a permanent place, it will be as follows:
- regular watering, while in hot weather twice a day - early in the morning and late in the evening;
- constant weeding;
- formation of a bush with the removal of dried flowers and damaged leaves;
- loosening the soil is carried out 1 time in 7 days, the roots must breathe.
We water correctly
Marigolds are very fond of moisture, especially during the active growing season.. But in irrigation, it is necessary to observe not only uniformity, but also the rate of water.
It is worth remembering that if watering is plentiful, with stagnant water, then the roots of the plant will begin to rot. With a lack of moisture, the flower may not bloom, or form small, ugly flowers.
During growth, watering should be moderate, and later it will need to be reduced so that there is no stagnation of moisture, from which the plants get sick, rot and do not bloom. In the summer heat, it is better to water in the evenings..
top dressing
Marigolds do not need much fertilizer, but for a lush and long flowering, fertilization is only welcome. You need to feed the plant 1 time per month.
Try not to overfeed the plant with nitrogen fertilizers, as the flower will produce a lot of greenery and bloom much later.
The main one, on the advice of experienced gardeners, is held three times a season.:
- as soon as the height of the seedling reaches 10 cm;
- with the formation of the first buds;
- at the beginning of flowering.
You can feed the plant for the fourth time during the period of rapid flowering, this will increase the growing season. Top dressing is carried out with complex fertilizers for flowering plants.
Useful video
We offer you to watch a video on how to plant marigold seeds for cultivation:
Conclusion
Finally, it should be said that the plant is light-loving, and they need to be planted in bright, sunny areas. This culture easily tolerates temperature changes and lack of moisture. These characteristics allow the plant to be used in decorative floriculture. Also, a cut plant can stand in a vase without losing its beauty for almost three weeks. But you should not plant a crop near water bodies or in heavily shaded areas - or die.
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Not to buy every year marigold seeds, do not spend money on their purchase, seed material can be harvested in the fall on your own. Many flower growers understand that this option for purchasing flower seeds is economical and it is always clear what result to expect on your flower garden! The main thing is not to be late with the fees and properly store the planting material until spring.
Seed collection time
You can’t call it a capricious plant, but if you collect unripe seeds, they will not sprout in the spring. The collection of seeds in each region begins in the fall, when the marigolds begin to wither and dry en masse.
This period occurs approximately on the fortieth day after the start of direct flowering. It is important not to miss the time, if you start the procedure late, then there will be a risk of finding already empty seminal calyxes. already mature and simply crumble.
How to collect seeds?
Before you start collecting, you need to find the most suitable plant. Choose healthy, full-fledged bushes. These are those that fully developed throughout the growing season, formed buds correctly, bloomed on time and during flowering, as expected, turned very yellow or even turned brown, depending on the variety of marigolds.
Cut off the buds of the central shoots, and those that formed the shoots of the first order. The buds must be completely dry, and therefore ripe. The cut parts of the plants must be laid out on a dry cloth, down with “heads” and left, without touching each other until completely withered, drying in a dry place, where direct sunlight does not penetrate, where it is dark.
(reklama) Often, the cut tops are tied with a rope, forming bunches, and dried, hanging in the pantry on a nail. It is clear that when a lot of seeds need to be collected, there is not always a place to lay them out. However, keep in mind that as it matures, the ripened material will begin to spontaneously fall out of the seed calyx, so if you hang bunches, then lay something under the bottom. After a while, when the buds are completely dry, become hard, you will need to remove the seeds from each cup.
After collection, you can wrap it in a cloth bag, pour it into a paper bag, and put it away for storage. The bag in which the planting material is supposed to be stored must completely let air through, “breathe”. Marigold seeds are stored in dry rooms with normal humidity, you can clean them directly in the closet, where it is dry, dark and warm.
Weather
If you are going to collect marigold seeds on your own, you need to remember that the weather should favor such activities. You can’t collect seeds when it’s raining outside, or it was literally yesterday, the flowers have not dried out yet, they are wet. For collection, windless sunny days are chosen, without waiting for prolonged rains to begin. The seed material will simply become damp, moldy, some may rot in general, and there will definitely not be the desired seedlings from such planting material.
