We grow marigolds from seeds at home: terms and rules for sowing seedlings

Marigolds (also known as velvet, black-shaved, tagetes) - these are little suns that are ubiquitously grown in personal plots. They are loved by flower growers for a colossal number of all kinds of varieties, colors and shapes. Therefore, we highly recommend that you sow them first on seedlings, and then transplant them into open ground. Moreover, they are great for beginner florists because growing them is easy enough.

Well, let's get acquainted with the rules for planting seeds and growing marigold seedlings at home.

Technology of planting marigolds for seedlings

Marigolds are flowers that can be safely sown directly into open ground, and first for seedlings. More importantly, velvet flowers grown by seedlings at home will bloom much earlier and more abundantly.Therefore, if you have the opportunity to plant them for seedlings, then be sure to do it.

When to plant seedlings: optimal timing in 2021

The optimal timing for planting marigolds for seedlings varies depending on the region of growing flowers. So, in the south, they can be sown in the second half of March, and in the Middle Polos (Moscow Region), it is advisable to start planting marigolds only from the end of March, and even better from April. This late planting is explained by the rather short development period of seedlings: between the appearance of the first shoots and the beginning of flowering, as a rule, only 40-50 days pass.

According to the lunar calendar for 2021

Choosing the optimal date for sowing seeds can help you Moon calendar.

So, favorable days for sowing marigolds in 2021, according to the lunar calendar, are:

• in March - 2-8, 10-14, 29-31;
• in April - 1, 2, 5-7, 9, 17-20, 24, 25;
• in May - 2-6, 15-17, 20, 21, 25-31;
• in June - 2-4, 7-9, 11-14, 16-19.

Unfavorable days, according to the lunar calendar for 2021, for sowing marigolds are the following dates (days of the Full Moon and New moons, as well as the period when the Moon is in Aquarius, because it is a barren and dry sign -in italics):

• in March -9-10, 13, 28;
• in April -5-6, 12, 27;
• in May -2-4, 11, 26, 30-31;
• in June -10, 24, 26-27.

Container and soil mixture

You can use any container for planting marigolds, but it is desirable, of course, that it was a planting box or container in which it is recommended to plant a lot of seeds at once.

By the way! If you plant marigold seeds in a sufficiently large container and at a certain distance from each other, then later it will be possible to do without picking the seedlings. Many experienced gardeners do this.

As always, you have a choice: buy soil at a flower shop or make it yourself from the necessary components.

When preparing potting soil yourself, you will need to take in the following proportions:

• 2 parts of peat;
• 1 part humus (or compost);
• 1 part sand (preferably river sand).

Since marigold seedlings are prone to the appearance black leg and other diseases, then the earth must be disinfect with one of the methodse.g. spillage with one of the popular fungicides such as Fitosporin, or the simplest (but less effective) 1% solution of potassium permanganate. It's even better if you pre-steam the potting soil in the microwave or oven.

We sow on seedlings

Step-by-step instructions for planting marigold seeds for seedlings:

1. Prepare a container and fill it almost to the top with soil.
2. Moisten the surface of the soil well.
3. Spread the seeds gently over the surface. It is not scary if the seedlings are very thick, velvet (tagetis) perfectly tolerate a pick.
4. Sprinkle a little on top with the same soil mixture (about 1 cm).
5. Moisten the soil again with a spray bottle so that the soil is slightly compacted and there is good seed-soil contact.
6. Cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap.
7. Place in a bright and warm place. The germination temperature of marigold seeds should be at the level of + 20-22 degrees.

Video: sowing marigold seedlings

 

Caring for marigolds after planting seedlings

In 4-6 days from the moment of sowing marigolds on seedlings, friendly shoots should appear.

As soon as shoots appear, the shelter must be removed and aired every day, because during this period, the probability of infection of seedlings is high black leg... After 2-3 days, the shelter can be completely removed.

Further care for marigold seedlings consists in regular watering, because in no case should the soil be allowed to dry out.

The temperature regime should be maintained at least +18 degrees during the day and at least + 12-15 at night.

You shouldn't have problems with daylight hours, because in April it is already quite long, no phyto-lamps will be needed, but, naturally, it is better to keep the seedlings on a light windowsill.

If you notice that the seedlings are somehow slowly developing, then you can feed the velvet flowers with special fertilizers for seedlings, such as Solution, Fertika or Agricola.

Picking

As soon as you find that 2-3 true leaves have appeared in marigold seedlings, it's time to make a pick.

As a container for diving, you can use a more spacious box or container (depth 5-6 centimeters), individual cassettes are even more convenient. But the choice, as always, is yours.

The soil will do the same as for sowing, but this time you should do without sifting it. If you want, you can add 1 tbsp for 5 liters of soil mixture. a spoonful of complex mineral fertilizer and half a glass of ash, and then mix well.

Step-by-step instructions for picking marigold seedlings plank:

1. We fill the container with earth, and then level it so that there are no distortions during watering, and the water does not stagnate in any one corner or side.
2. We make grooves about 2 centimeters deep with a bar.
3. Then, with the same bar, carefully pull out the plant, trying not to damage the root, along with a lump of earth.
4. We put it in the groove at a distance of up to 2 centimeters from each other.
5. With the help of the plank, we press the plants with earth.
6. We make the next row at a distance of approximately 3 centimeters from the previous one.
7. Water carefully.

The essence of the second method tweezers next: each plant is carefully taken with tweezers and with the same tweezers buried in the ground. The main thing here is to calculate the power of clamping with tweezers so as not to transfer the root.

Video: picking marigold seedlings in two ways - with tweezers and a bar

1-2 weeks before planting on the garden, it is advisable to start marigold seedlings tempergradually letting her stand in the fresh air and better adapt to external conditions. Naturally, the temperature should be positive and at least + 12-15 degrees.

Planting marigold seedlings in open ground: when and how to plant

When the return spring frosts have completely passed, you can safely begin to plant marigold seedlings in open ground. In the Central lane (Moscow region), as a rule, this falls on the second half of May. In the south - late April-early May.

Important! Marigolds do not tolerate return frosts, the seedlings will simply die, so it is better to wait out once more when the warm weather stabilizes than to hurry up and be left without these beautiful flowers.

Marigolds love sunny places, although they can grow in a slight shade, but then they will not bloom so brightly and abundantly.

It is useful to plant marigolds next to tomatoes: then they can protect the bushes from the root nematode. And if planted next to potatoes, then marigolds will scare off the Colorado potato beetle. It is good to grow eggplants and cabbage in the neighborhood.

Marigolds are very unpretentious plants, therefore, they can grow on any soil, where there is perhaps no stagnant water. It is desirable, of course, that the earth be loose and permeable. If your soil is too heavy and clayey, then use sand and peat to improve it.

The process of planting marigolds in the ground is as follows: carefully transfer the plant along with an earthen lump into the hole and sprinkle it with earth, then press it a little so that it is better fixed in the ground.

The distance between marigold seedlings, depending on the variety, should be from 15 to 30 centimeters.

To protect the root system and the plant itself from drying out, it is necessary to mulch the plantings, for example, sawdust.

The final touch is light watering.

Video: planting marigold seedlings in open ground

Caring for marigolds after planting in open ground

Marigolds do not require any special care measures. All that is needed is constant loosening, weeding from weeds (naturally, only at the initial stage of development, since as soon as the plants form powerful and dense bushes, the weeds will simply not be able to break through), watering as needed.

On hot and dry days, it is advisable to water the marigolds 2 times a day: early in the morning and after 6-7 pm.

If you are confident in the quality of your soil and see that the plant is green, the leaves do not turn yellow, buds are quickly laid and the plants bloom well, then you should not carry out additional fertilization under the marigolds.

If it is noticeable that the plant is missing something, then it makes sense 1-2 times per season, preferably alternating organic and mineral fertilizers, in small amounts add liquid or granular dressings for marigolds. However, it is recommended to do this before the period of their abundant flowering. Naturally, it is necessary to use phosphate-potassium fertilizers, because these elements stimulate more lush flowering.

Advice! If you want a long and abundant flowering, then you need to quickly remove faded flower stalks.

Types and varieties of marigolds

The most popular varieties and varieties of marigolds are as follows:

• thin-leaved (Lulu Lemon, Gold Gem, Starshine, Paprika);
• rejected (Petit Orange, Petit Harmony, Veselaya Polyanka, Red Cherry, Rusti Red, Carmen, Brocada Yellow);
• upright (Dune Gold, Albatross, Eskimo, Vanilla, Cupid Golden Orange, Spoon Mix, Mary Helen).

Video: an overview of popular varieties of marigolds

Thus, planting and growing unpretentious marigolds in your summer cottage will not be difficult: you just need to follow the basic rules of care. And the ratio of hassle and result will definitely please you.

Video: growing and caring for marigolds