Marigolds are annual flowers that are very popular among gardeners. They are also called "marigolds." To achieve early blooms, they can be grown from seedlings.
Depending on your region and preferences, seeds can be sown from mid-February to mid-April. If you want flowering plants in June, sowing should be done in late February or early March.
Of course, you should also take your region into account. We'll discuss that in the article as well. Now, here's a quick guide. But be warned: if you're a beginner, it's best to read the entire article; that's the only way we can guarantee you'll succeed.
8 steps from A to Z of the main process:
- Seed and soil preparation: soak marigold seeds in water for 12-24 hours before sowing to improve germination. Then mix equal parts peat, sand, and compost.
- Sowing: Fill pots or containers with prepared soil. Make holes 3-4 cm apart and 1-1.5 cm deep, then place the seeds one at a time in each hole and cover with soil.
- Watering: Moisten the soil with a spray bottle to avoid washing away the soil and damaging the seeds.
- Creating conditions for germination: cover the pots with film or glass and place them in a warm place with a temperature of 20-22°C.
- Seedling care: Once the seedlings emerge, remove the plastic or glass and move the seedlings to a bright location. Water the plants regularly, avoiding overwatering, and monitor the temperature—it should be around 18°C (64°F) during the day and 16°C (61°F) at night.
- Pricking out: When the seedlings have 2-3 true leaves, pick them out – carefully transplant them into separate pots or into larger containers if they are growing together.
- Hardening off: 7-10 days before planting in open ground, begin hardening off the seedlings by taking them outside or opening a window for several hours a day, gradually increasing the time spent outdoors.
- Planting in open ground: When the soil warms up to 15°C and the threat of frost has passed (usually this is the end of May - beginning of June), you can transfer the marigold seedlings into open ground at a distance of 25-30 cm from each other.
Lunar calendar
| Month | Favorable (planting and replanting) | Unfavorable |
| January | 13-23 | 10-12, 24-26 |
| February | 12-22 | 9-11, 23-25 |
| March | 12-23 | 9-11, 24-26 |
| April | 10-22 | 7-9, 23-25 |
| May | 10-21 | 7-9, 22-24 |
All those left without “attention” are neutral.
Marigolds (commonly known as marigolds) are a popular choice among gardeners due to their long flowering period—from May to October, sometimes even into November.
In Latin, tagetes means relatively easy-to-care-for plant, requiring little attention or care. The flowers have a distinctive scent, which some may find unpleasant, but it is the flowers' pungent aroma that repels harmful insects.
Varietal characteristics
When choosing seeds for germination, keep in mind that some varieties may take longer to develop than others. The time it takes for marigolds to emerge can vary by up to 5-7 days, depending directly on the varietal characteristics.
There are about 53 species of marigolds, which can be divided into several groups:
- rejected (French);
- thin-leaved (Mexican);
- erect (African).
The most popular deflected varieties (French or small-flowered) come from Mexico, or more specifically, its mountain ranges. Gardeners often choose this variety for their front gardens and rock gardens, as it doesn't require any special soil conditions. And the flower can grow almost anywhere.
Because marigolds can bloom even in very little soil, they are often used indoors, for example, as balcony ornaments. Flowering for this species typically begins in June and continues until September-October, peaking in late August.
Thin-leaved (Mexican) lilies require little special planting or care. They can grow wild on roadsides and tolerate dust, exhaust fumes, and polluted soil. These flowers are often planted in urban flowerbeds.
They can also be used as balcony decorations. They have the longest flowering period of all species, beginning in June and lasting until the first frost. However, this group of flowers does not tolerate low temperatures well and stops growing when temperatures reach 10 degrees Celsius.
Climatic features of the area
Central Russia has favorable climatic conditions for growing this flower crop, so in Moscow, the Moscow region, the Volga region, and other neighboring regions, it's best to sow in mid-March. Given this timeframe, the grown seedlings can be transplanted into open ground as early as the first days of May. At least 45 days must pass between germination and transplanting to an outdoor flowerbed.
The transfer to a permanent location, accordingly, is in June.
Features of other regions:
- The Leningrad Region and the Far Eastern regions are very similar in climate to the Urals and Siberia, so the timing will be the same.
- The Altai region stands out somewhat. Sowing is recommended from the second half of March to mid-April.
- Thanks to the mild climate in the southern regions of Russia (Volgograd Oblast, Rostov Oblast, Krasnodar Krai), work can begin as early as the beginning of February.
A mandatory general condition for all regions is to plant seedlings in flower beds only when the air has warmed up and the likelihood of sudden frosts is minimal.
Florist's Rules
Marigolds thrive in almost any soil. However, if the soil has a high clay content, adding river sand is recommended to improve the quality.
The bushes are transplanted into a prepared hole, preserving the root ball, covered with soil and compacted slightly near the stem. Planting marigolds It is better to plant at a distance of 15-30 cm depending on the size of the adult plant.
After transplanting they need to be watered.
Common varieties grow best in well-drained soil, as overwatering can lead to root rot. Drought-tolerant varieties are also available.
Some recommendations:
- If you plan to transplant into open ground ahead of schedule or plant the seeds late, then to reduce the time it takes for the plants to develop, you need to sow them in fertile soil and then cover the container with cling film or glass.
- This will create greenhouse-like conditions, promoting rapid germination and strengthening of the seedlings. The time it takes to transplant into the soil will be reduced by 10-15 days.
- In the case of germination of seeds of erect (African) marigolds, this acceleration will be ineffective.
To reduce the risk of blackleg, a dangerous fungal disease, gardeners pre-treat seedling containers with a fungicide solution or a saturated solution of potassium permanganate. Sowing marigolds should be done so that approximately 1-2 cm of the soil mixture used for sowing is above the seeds. Watering should be done sparingly and carefully to avoid damaging the fertile soil layer.
The container with seeds must be stored at a temperature of 15-20 OC. When the temperature drops below +15 OCrops may die. Temperature rises to +27 OC can lead to delayed seed development. Regularly inspect seedlings for early detection of disease signs. If any are detected, re-treat the seedlings with a fungicide. If delayed seedling development is noted during inspection, fertilizing with fertilizers is recommended, for example:
- Agricola;
- Solution.
Any container can be used for planting. If the container is spacious enough, pricking out can be avoided. If sowing in a relatively small container, monitor the plants' development, and pricking out is necessary when 2-3 full-sized leaves appear. This can be accomplished by transplanting into a larger container or individual pots.
Choosing a location
Due to the antibacterial thiophenes released by their roots, it is not recommended to plant legumes near these flowers. However, they do well near vegetable crops and help repel pests.
Since marigolds love both light and heat, they are best planted in sunny flowerbeds. They can also be planted in partial shade, but only if the total daily sunlight is at least 6 hours.
To ensure they bloom longer in May, it is necessary to systematically remove faded buds from them, then the plant will not waste its energy on forming seeds.
Caring for mature plants
Throughout the flowering period, weed the flowers periodically, loosen the soil at least twice a week, and promptly remove any faded buds and dried leaves. If there's no rain, watering once every three days is sufficient, but in hot weather, water twice a day—morning and evening (preferably after sunset). Until the buds ripen, the plants can be fed with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers (once or twice throughout the summer).
Marigolds are not only beautiful garden flowers but also very useful plants. In some areas of South America, they are used as a medicinal tea. Dried flowers can be consumed as a spice, known in our country as Imeretian saffron. In Mexico, the leaves are used medicinally: for intermittent fever, constipation, as a diuretic and diaphoretic, and as an emetic (in large doses).