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Are marigold deer resistant


Do Deer Eat Marigolds And How To Use Marigolds To Deter Them

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Deer find marigolds unappetizing, and 90% of the times they will walk on without giving them a single bite.

Maybe even more than 90% of the time; and in fact marigold are not just deer-resistant, but even dee repellent to a certain point.

Deer tend to find strong smell and finely textured foliage of marigolds, unappetizing. So planting them around other plants can minimize deer damage and even repel stags, does and fawns from your garden. Very hungry deer, however, will on occasion even eat marigolds, flower, leaf and stems! 

But why is it so? And what happens if you are among the unlucky 10%?

We are going to explore all the “deer proof” qualities of marigolds and  to take advantage of them, and what happens when even these are too little to save them from these herbivores. All with a top 5 marigold varieties that deer don’t like.

Why Are Marigold Deer Resistant?

Marigold are special flowers indeed; they have a quality that many animals detest, and two qualities that deer loathe. You must have smelled a marigold in the past…

let me ask you, did you like it? I bet the answer is a resounding “NO”! Then you are in agreement with deer.

Marigold foliage, stems and flowers have a strong fragrance that deer do not like. Most Humans don’t like this kind of smell either, like with geraniums. But put yourself in the shoes, (or hooves) of one of our horned friends…

Their sense of smell is 50 times (!!!) better than ours… In fact it’s better than that of dogs. Now imagine that same aroma but 50 times more powerful…

Now you know why deer are not keen on our bright flowers. But there is more… these animals are fussy when it comes to the texture of the leaves and petals they eat.

They like smooth things, so, Hostas are perfect, but Tagetes have that lace like foliage… Not their favorite at all.

So are marigold deer resistant or deer repellent?

Marigolds Between Deer Resistant and Deer Repellent

To start with, let’s look at the difference between deer resistant and repellent.

Marigold is a bit of both. It is resistant because deer will not eat it, most times. But its fragrance is actually a deterrent, a put off to deer. So, if you plant many marigolds, they can even function as a deterrent to horned herbivores visiting your property.

One or two won’t be enough though; you really need to grow quite a few.

Are Marigolds Fully “Deer Proof”

Deer resistant does not mean that deer will never eat the plant. Some plants, however, are literally off limit for our cervine friends. But these are only plants that are toxic or poisonous to them. And marigolds are not in this category.

To be honest and precise, marigolds contain irritating substances, which can affect the membrane of stomach, and they have a very, very bitter taste. 

All these characteristics make marigolds very, very deer resistant, in fact, they are among the safest plants to grow if you have a problem with these animals on your land. But they are not all the same…

Are All Marigolds Equally Deer Resistant?

The straightforward answer is, “No, not all marigold varieties are equally deer resistant.”

While most varieties, including the classic French and African marigolds (Tagetes patula and Tagetes erecta) are deer resistant, some like signet marigold (Tagetes tenuifolia) have a sweeter citrus smell and flavor. This is less unappealing to our horned friends, and sometimes they eat them.

But did you know that marigold are not just loathsome to deer?

Many animals are put off by the strong smell of marigolds, not just deer: mosquitoes, flies, slugs, snails, aphids and many other pests. Even rabbits don’t like them,

so, well, take advantage of the situation and use marigolds to keep most unwanted guests off your flower or vegetable beds!

And in fact…

How to Use Marigolds to Keep Deer Off Your Flowers and Vegetables

You can use marigolds to defend other plants from hungry deer, and there are a few “tricks of the trade” I would like to share with you… 

The key concept is to use the smell, flavor and even texture of these lovely flowers to discourage deer from eating nearby plants. There are two key methods you can use and we are going to see each one in turn.

How to Use Marigolds in the Garden to Repel Deer

We said that if you want to grow marigolds to repel deer, you will need to plant quite a few. And I mean a lot. You need to get their smell so strong that deer think it’s all or almost all they will find on your land, or in your garden.

To make your garden nearly deer proof : mix marigolds with other strong smelling plants, especially lavender, rosemary, sage and geraniums. You will still need to grow lots of these plants, like in large borders, or scatter them all over your garden with thick planting.

This won’t form a 100% deer proof solution, but the strong, mixing and confusing smells will likely send the herd to check out first other places, where the aroma is more suitable to their taste.

How to Mix Marigolds into Flower and Vegetable Beds to Stop Deer

Imagine a doe, stag or fawn that finds your flower bed; it gets close, and it tries to have a bite at your pansies or lettuce, but… It can’t do it without touching, smelling at close range or even eating a parts of your marigolds… 

If you plant lost of marigolds in your beds, so that deer cannot insert their muzzles without having a close encounter with them, you will cause them a big discomfort to your these uninvited dinner guests.

The chances are that they will prefer another “restaurant” where service is better than yours… Yet again, do remember that very hungry deer will stop before nothing and eat almost any plant, bar those that are poisonous.

But is there a way we can improve on our marigolds’ deer resistant properties?

How To Keep Deer From Eating Your Marigold Flowers

Yes! You can! And the idea is that there is strength in numbers! Now, if you have a very serious deer problem, you may want to offer some extra safety to your Targets… But let me tell you what I mean by “serious” issue.

So, what can you do if this is your case?

The Ultimate Solution: Deer Barriers

The on,y full permanent solution to deer is to keep them off your property with barriers. For this, you will need either a tall and strong fence (8 feet tall, or 2.4 meters) or a thick and deep hedge with deer resistant shrubs like holly, juniper, cypress, boxwood etc. This needs to have a dense mesh of branches, and it requires time and money, and maintenance…

So, how about of you can’t afford such drastic solutions, even in the short term?

Mix Your Marigolds with Other Deer Resistant Plants to Protect them from Deer

The easiest solution is to provide a totally “stomaching” meal to visiting deer. How can you do this? It’s simple, you can do it with planting.

Mix your Tagetes with other flowers, shrubs and herbs that these animals find disgusting like:

Conversely, avoid planting flowers and vegetables that deer love a lot, like hostas, pansies, roses, lettuce, spinach etc.

If marigolds can be a shield that protect these flowers and leafy veggies against hungry animals in normal circumstances, they can simply become part of their dinner when they are very hungry…

This is why it’s very important that you assess how serious the problem is in your area. 

And finally…

Add Extra Repellent Smell to Marigolds to Protect them from Deer

There are literally deer repellent products on the market that you can spray on your plants, including marigolds, to keep deer off them.

But I am going to save you lots of money and teach you how to make a great one at home.

Adapt the dosage to the amount of water you use and repeat the operation every two weeks or so. The garlic smell will disappear in a day for us, but remember?

Deer can smell 50 times better than we do, and they will find the nauseating pong on your flowers for a very long time.

And chili? They literally find it disgusting!

Plant

Deer Resistant Marigold Varieties

Now you know what to do with your marigold, here are top five marigold flower varieties which considered to be more resistant to deer.

1:
African Marigold (Tagetes erecta)

African marigold is one of the strongest smelling varieties, and its leaves are not a deer’s cup of tea because they are segmented into many leaflets.

So you can enjoy the yellow globular blooms of this popular annual variety without worrying about finding tooth marks in the clumps of color in the morning.

This massive bloomer is very low maintenance, strong and easy to grow. Depending on the climate and soil, it can grow into a fairly tall shrub like plants.

For this reason, it can be used even as part of barriers against hungry herbivores. However, it adapts to most soils, but its growth is affected by the type and quality.

2:
French Marigold (Tagetes patula)

French marigold is one of the most popular Tagetes in the world, and it too has lots of characteristics that deer hate: a strong aroma, and very thinly segmented leaves…

These form very thick and bushy, dark foliage. The flowers are orange and quite large, 2 inches across (5 cm). There are single, double and semi double varieties too. 

This is a small variety of marigolds, so it is ideal to mix it in with other little plants to protect them from deer, like pansies, lettuce, spinach etc.

3:
Sweetscent Marigold (Tagetes lucida)

Sweetscent marigold is no sweet smell to deer! It has a strong anise aroma, and the reason is that this is a medicinal variety.

And our horned friends cannot stand plants with medicinal properties… The leaves are bright green, unusually smooth and even glossy, but very aromatic, and the flowers are yellow and wild looking.

Sweetscent marigold is ideal for natural looking settings, like meadows, cottage gardens or even as a presence in vegetable beds and crop gardens that any doe, stag or fawn will find repulsive…

4:
Mayan Marigold (Tagetes parryi)

Mayan marigold grows in pastures in Mesoamerica, where herbivores of all sorts seem not touch it – including deer and even goats!

It has pinnate leaves of a fairly bright color and daisy like yellow flowers that grow on top of the finely laced elegant foliage and look up, back to the Sun, which they resemble. 

Mayan marigold is not one of the most common garden varieties, and it may be hard to find it on the market.

However, if you do, it is by far one of the best plants to grow in natural and wild looking settings and sleep happy dreams, because virtually no animal will eat it…

5:
Mexican Marigold (Tagetes lemmonii)

Mexican marigold has a strong musky fragrance which discourages deer from eating it. It becomes particularly strong if you rub the richly textured, dark green and evergreen foliage.

The flowers cover it like a carpet with bright yellow blooms, and they do it at very unusual times, in fall and winter, when days are short.

Mexican marigold is a sprawling variety which is ideal for large effects, like big clumps, flower beds or as ground cover.

It also adapts well to filling in gaps in tall borders and other flower beds, or even as hedging in vegetable gardens and containers.

Deer Free Marigolds and Gardens

Marigolds are really beautiful flowers, and they are extremely useful to gardeners. They brighten up your green space but they also keep many unwanted guests away, bugs, pests, slugs etc… They are also very deer resistant, and in some cases almost deer proof (Mayan marigold).

You can use them to keep your garden healthy and safe from hungry herbivores with horns, you can even use them to repel these unwelcome four legged visitors, as you now know. But you also know how to protect them even further and which are the best varieties to choose from.

What a beautiful and useful plant indeed!

Are Marigolds Deer-Resistant? | Home Guides

By Elizabeth Perry Updated October 28, 2020

Marigolds (Tagetes spp.) are a garden favorite because they are colorful, ample bloomers and they are less likely than some other flowers to be eaten by deer. Understanding why marigolds keep deer away, and some tips for growing marigolds, will help these multi-purpose beauties thrive in your garden. Marigolds grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 11.

Tip

Marigolds are a great deer-resistant option for your garden. Their strong fragrance deters browsing by deer, so planting them around your garden can create a natural, deer-resistant border.

Reliable Golden-Hued Blooms

Marigolds are annuals. They are favored by gardeners who love color because, with the right conditions, they can bloom all summer long. They have daisy or carnation-like flower heads, and come in a variety of colors, including gold, red, white and orange. According to the Farmer’s Almanac, there are about 50 species of marigold.

Marigolds prefer full or partial sun, and loamy or sandy soil. They do best in soil with a neutral pH, and are well-known for attracting pollinators like bees and butterflies. As one of the most popular and well known deer-resistant flowers, marigolds hold a special place in the garden.

Keeping Deer Out of the Garden

Deer, along with rabbits and other small mammals, tend to eat new growth, flower buds and anything green if they are desperate enough. As Garden Gate magazine describes, deer will return to locations where they have found plants that they find delectable (for example, daylilies and hostas), so your best bet is to protect the plants you have that deer will eat, and, moving forward, plant deer-resistant flowers to keep deer away.

Fencing is an obvious option to physically keep deer out of your garden. Good Housekeeping suggests using clear fishing wire to create an “invisible fence” around your plants. Introducing noisemakers to your garden – for example, pie tins and aluminum cans that make noise when they are disturbed, or sounds from a radio – can “spook” deer, keeping them at bay. Finally, odor repellents are a great, non-toxic option. You can make a DIY deer repellent out of ingredients you have at home and spray it directly onto plants. “Stinky” ingredients like garlic and mint deter deer from munching.

Understanding Deer-Resistant Flowers

As the Farmer’s Almanac also outlines, deer know to stay away from plants that are poisonous to them, such as daffodils, foxgloves and poppies. They also avoid flowers and plants with prickles and thorns, and – importantly – those with strong fragrances. Some deer and rodent-resistant plants, due to their fragrance and/or texture, according to Sunset magazine, include lamb’s ear, lavender, bee balm and stone crop. Garden Gate also lists allium and Russian sage, and Good Housekeeping also highlights fragrant herbs, like mint, catnip and oregano.

The main reason marigolds keep deer away is because of their strong smell. Planting marigolds will not only give you flowers themselves that resist decimation by deer, but flowers that can actually protect your garden – for example, by creating a natural, deer-resistant border. In order to keep deer away, Good Housekeeping suggests encircling your garden with a thick layer of plants that have a strong aroma, like marigolds, as well as dispersing some potted ones throughout the garden.

Growing Marigolds and Final Thoughts

According to the Farmer’s Almanac, the best time to plant marigolds depends on the specific variety; however, spring (after the danger of frost in your area has passed) through mid-summer will generally work. Sow seeds directly into the soil in your garden, and they should easily germinate outside. Once planted, marigolds typically produce blooms in about eight weeks.

If planted in shady, moist areas, marigolds can be vulnerable to powdery mildew and may bloom less well. You can deadhead marigolds to encourage blooms throughout the season, but once a marigold plant is blooming, avoid fertilizing it as that will encourage foliage rather than blooms. Allow the soil to become fairly dry between waterings.

Even deer-resistant flowers can be palatable to deer when they are very young, so you should consider using physical barriers or deer repellents (for example, an odorous spray) on young plants, including marigolds. There is no perfect way to “deer-proof” your garden, but with an understanding of what attracts and deters deer and an arsenal of strategies, you can do your best to keep deer at bay.

References

Writer Bio

Elizabeth Perry is a writer and editor. She graduated with honors from Vassar College in 2013, earning her BA in English and specializing in literature and literary theory. She is a lover of sustainable agriculture and self-reliance, and has experience gardening and farming, including on a flower farm. She has contributed creative writing, arts journalism, and literary criticism to a variety of publications, both in print and online.

Marigolds. Landing and care. Growing marigolds from seeds in open ground and through seedlings.

Marigolds are affectionately called "marigolds", "chernobrivtsy", or from the Latin name - tagetes. Marigolds never get bored, their flowers are so cheerful and bright that they cheer you up at the mere sight of them. Fast growth, long flowering and ease of cultivation are just some of the advantages of these bright flowers.

Even a novice gardener can handle planting marigolds. Flowering seedlings of marigolds can be bought at the garden center or grown independently from seeds. Care for marigolds in the open field is minimal, they can be attributed to plants for a low-maintenance garden. Marigolds do not get sick with anything, they tolerate rain and drought equally well, and do not need a garter. They bloom continuously until frost.

Marigolds rejected Striptease

Benefits of marigolds

Marigolds owe their tart aroma to essential oils found in juicy carved greens and bright flowers. A fragrant seasoning is prepared from dry inflorescences, for its bright color it is called "Imeretian saffron".

An infusion of marigolds can be used as an insecticidal agent to control aphids, and the marigolds themselves work as repellents, driving insect pests away from vegetable plants. Several bushes of marigolds planted in a greenhouse will prevent the arrival of whiteflies. Marigolds planted near the porch reduce the number of flies in the house. The secretions of marigold roots suppress the reproduction of the nematode in the soil, and the wireworm does not like their smell.

Marigolds have a healing effect on soil microflora.

They have powerful phytoncidal properties that suppress root rot pathogens and other pathogenic fungi. The bactericidal properties of marigolds are used in folk medicine.

European scientists have learned how to make herbicides based on marigolds, which are successfully used in agriculture without harming the environment. Due to the strong allelopathy, the ability to suppress the growth of other plants, marigolds can be used to curb the growth of weeds - plant them along garden paths, along the edge of flower beds, along the perimeter of a vegetable garden or wide beds.

Marigolds are planted along the edge of the bed to suppress weeds

Marigolds: types and varieties

For the most part, marigolds have a bright sunny color: orange, yellow, orange, brick red. There are bicolor varieties with different shades of orange or a combination of red and orange.

There are exceptions - these are almost white or lemon-white marigolds. Popular marigold hybrids with white flowers: 'Kilimanjaro' , Vanilla F1 .

When choosing varieties for your flower garden or for planting them in the garden, pay attention to the type of marigolds. Varieties of tagetes vary greatly in the height of the bush, in the size and shape of the flowers.

Marigolds erect Solar giants

Popular varieties for a bright flower garden: "Solar Giants" with large sunny yellow flowers, "Hawaii" with double orange flowers, a mixture of "Crackerjack" with huge double flowers in two shades of yellow.

The flowers are small, 5-7 cm in diameter, the color is often in two shades, red-orange. Most varieties of rejected marigolds have double or semi-double flowers, there are varieties with simple flowers.

Popular varieties of rejected marigolds:

- red "Carmen" , "Brocade red" , "Rusty red" ;

— yellow "Festival" , "Petit yellow" , Lemon Drop , Hero's Gold ;

- orange "Mandarin" , "Petit orange" , "Fireball" ;

- two-tone "Tiger Eyes" , "Orange Flame" , "Bolero" , as well as "Striptease" with "striped" yellow-orange flowers.

Marigolds rejected Bolero

Rejected marigolds are planted in the foreground of the flower garden, along the paths, along the perimeter of the beds, in greenhouses, etc. They tolerate thickening well, can be grown in balcony boxes and pots.

The flowers of thin-leaved marigolds are simple, rather small, 2-3 cm in diameter, but there can be more than a hundred of them on one plant. Different varieties bloom with yellow, orange or red-orange flowers. Thin-leaved marigolds will decorate the flower garden, they are good along the paths as a border planting.

The contrast of the small height of the bush and the many huge inflorescences looks amazing. This species is worthy of front flower beds, it is planted in the foreground. Hybrid marigolds can be grown as a container culture.

Seeds of hybrid marigolds are quite expensive, because. are the result of selection of foreign agricultural firms, but they cost their money. There are several hybrids on the Russian market: Taishan F1 , Antigua F1, Marvel F1, Discovery F1, Inca F1 . Each hybrid has varieties with lemon yellow, bright yellow and orange flowers.

Marigold Taishan F1

There are also developments of domestic breeders, they have slightly smaller flowers. These are varieties Lemon Giant (bush height 40 cm, flowers up to 10 cm in diameter), Orange Cupid (height 20-25 cm, flowers diameter 5-6 cm).

Marigold planting and outdoor care

Marigolds are a rather "early" culture. Rejected marigolds bloom 2-2.5 months after germination. Upright marigolds bloom a little later, after about 2. 5-3 months.

The first flowers bloom on marigolds at the stage of growing seedlings. As the bush grows, the number of simultaneously opened flowers increases day by day. Marigolds bloom continuously all season, until the very frost.

Planting dates

The beginning of the flowering of marigolds depends on the timing of sowing. Marigolds can also be grown by direct sowing of seeds into the ground, in mid - late May. In this case, the first flowers will bloom around mid-late July. Throughout August and September, until the first frosts, marigolds will fill the flower garden with bright colors.

In order to enjoy the flowering of marigolds from the beginning of summer, they are grown through seedlings. Upright marigolds are sown for seedlings in mid - late March, rejected - in early - mid April.

Marigolds are a heat-loving plant; they are found in the wild in Mexico and South America. Young plants are extremely sensitive to negative temperatures. Planting seedlings of marigolds in open ground is started only after the return frosts have passed.

Growing marigolds through seedlings

For growing seedlings of marigolds, ready-made soil is used or the soil mixture is made independently from garden soil with the addition of coarse-grained sand and high-moor peat.

Marigold seeds are sown immediately in individual cups or sown in shallow boxes with subsequent picking. Seeds are laid out at a distance of 2-3 cm from each other and close up to a depth of 1 cm.

In the heat shoots appear in 3-4 days. They start picking when a pair of true leaves appeared on the seedlings. To obtain strong seedlings, they dive into pots with a volume of at least 0.5 liters.

Rejected marigolds can be sown in a bouquet way, several seeds in one glass, without subsequent picking. In order not to take up space on the windowsills, they are sown for seedlings in a greenhouse, along the edge of the garden.

Marigold seedlings are quite resistant to lack of light, but, of course, when grown on a southern windowsill or under a lamp, the quality of seedlings will be much higher. When picking or when planting seedlings in open ground, elongated seedlings are deepened to cotyledon leaves.

During the period of growing seedlings, it is necessary to feed the marigolds 1-2 times with a complex mineral fertilizer, such as "Healthy Turbo for seedlings" . A balanced composition of macro- and microelements ensures the rapid development of plants.

Growing marigolds from seeds by direct sowing into the ground

Marigolds have large seeds, similar to thin "slivers", black with a white tip. Marigold seeds are sown in grooves, planting to a depth of 1-1.5 cm.

When sowing in the ground, the expectation of seedlings can stretch for 7-10 days. Marigold seeds germinate at soil temperatures above +15°C. Shoots of marigolds are quite small, you can recognize them by a slightly reddish leg. After the appearance of a pair of true leaves, marigolds are easy to distinguish from weeds, their leaves are carved.

Care for young marigolds in the open field consists of weeding and regular watering. If the plants were sown densely, they can be planted out when 1-2 pairs of true leaves appear on the seedlings. Marigolds easily tolerate transplanting with a small earthy clod and at an older age, even flowering plants can be transplanted.

When transplanting marigolds shed abundantly. Transplantation is best done in the evening or on a cloudy day. When transplanting adult plants, it is necessary to shade the plantings with spunbond for several days.

Site selection

Marigolds grow best in open sunny places, however, they will bloom no worse in partial shade, only the beginning of flowering will be delayed for a week or two. In the shade, the marigolds stretch a little, so the height of the bushes will be greater, and the flowering will not be so plentiful.

Marigolds are quite resistant to any bad weather, especially undersized varieties.

Tall, upright marigolds do not tolerate strong winds and showers. Under normal weather conditions, they do not require a garter, however, with hurricane winds, marigold bushes can be knocked to the ground. Tall varieties are best planted in places protected from the wind.

Some varieties of upright marigolds with dense double flowers do not tolerate prolonged rains. So, in the hybrid variety "Discovery F1" , the core of the flowers can rot during prolonged rainfall. At the first sign of decay, damaged flowers must be removed before the infection has spread through the tissues of the plant.

Soil preparation

Marigolds are absolutely picky. They grow well in all types of soil. Of course, it is better to loosen heavy clay soil by adding coarse sand or sawdust, and add clay or humus to sandy soil. But some particularly careful preparation of the soil is not required. If, when planting marigolds, you introduce complex fertilizer into the soil, the plants will bloom brightly and luxuriantly without additional dressings.

Marigolds grown as a container culture are more demanding on the structure and composition of the soil, because they have a small amount of land at their disposal. So that the soil does not cake with frequent watering, it must be breathable. Half of the mixture is high-moor peat or coconut substrate. The second half is fertile garden soil mixed with perlite, or low-lying peat with the addition of biohumus.

Landing pattern

The scheme of planting marigolds depends on the desired effect. Tall varieties of erect marigolds require more free space. Between the plants leave 35-45 cm. They look good in groups, when planted in a checkerboard pattern, the plants create a continuous array.

Marigolds in the greenhouse

When growing tall marigolds, it should be borne in mind that the bushes can lie under the influence of precipitation, so it is necessary to leave them enough space “to maneuver”. The distance between marigolds and other ornamental plants should be at least 30-40 cm.

If, as a result of a weather cataclysm, the marigolds lay down, do not rush to pick them up. The stems of upright marigolds are very fragile at the point of attachment, the shoots break off entirely with the slightest effort.

If the marigold bushes are knocked down by the wind, it is better to leave them alone. After some time, the plants themselves will straighten out, redirect the young shoots with flowers to the sun, the bush will continue to grow in the “reclining” position.

Rejected marigolds are planted more often, with a distance between plants of 15-20 cm. With such a planting, by the middle of summer they close rows and turn into a continuous flowering carpet.

Marigolds rejected

For the development of thin-leaved marigolds, more free space is needed. In order for the plants to form ideal spherical bushes, they are seated at a distance of 30-35 cm from each other. For this type of marigold, planting in the sun is extremely important. In partial shade, the plants stretch a little, and the shape of the bush deteriorates.

Fine-leaved marigolds

Hybrid marigolds are planted at a distance of 30-40 cm from each other. When grown in pots, one plant requires a soil volume of at least 5 liters.

Watering, feeding, maintenance

At the beginning of growth, while the plants are very tiny, and in the first 2-3 weeks after planting the seedlings, marigolds need watering. Plants have fibrous root systems, so it is important to maintain moisture in the topsoil. As soon as the marigolds get stronger, they will be able to be content with rains, unless, of course, there is abnormal heat and drought.

The only exceptions are plants that are grown in boxes and pots. A small amount of soil dries out quickly, so marigolds in container culture are watered daily.

When growing marigolds in containers, fertilizing is carried out regularly, twice a month, but at the same time, the concentration of fertilizers is halved from the recommended one. In a closed volume of soil, nutrients are quickly consumed, but an excess of mineral salts in the soil is no less harmful than a nutritional deficiency.

Rejected marigolds can grow without fertilizing at all. But it is better to feed tall and hybrid varieties of upright marigolds 2-3 times during the summer with complex fertilizer, such as " Zdraven Turbo for flower beds and flower beds" .

Top dressing promotes faster growth of the plants themselves, stimulates flowering, provides a large size of flowers and bright colors. Fertilizing is especially important for hybrid marigolds, because with a very modest bush size, they carry up to 20 large inflorescences.

Unlike other ornamental crops, marigolds do not require the mandatory removal of faded buds. Drying seed boxes do not interfere with flowering and do not spoil the appearance of the plant too much. And since there are a huge number of flowers on one bush, it never occurs to anyone to cut off wilted inflorescences.

Seed collection

Collecting marigold seeds is not difficult. This is done in early autumn, when the seed pods are completely dry. Each flower contains a huge number of mature seeds.

However, in most cases, in the second generation, there is a splitting of parental traits. Terry marigolds can be reborn into semi-double, and stunted marigolds can be quite tall. Seeds of hybrid marigolds will have to be bought annually.

It makes sense to collect your marigold seeds in order to use them for sowing as green manure. Due to their phytoncidal properties, they reanimate the soil after growing crops susceptible to fungal diseases: tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes, cucumbers.

Marigold cultivation

Growing marigolds at home is a simple and complex task at the same time. On the one hand, marigolds are stable and unpretentious, on the other hand, you need to know a lot of nuances so that the plant grows healthy and beautiful.

Properly grown marigolds bloom all summer, until the first frost, without requiring any human intervention. They have the correct symmetrical shape and many bright flowers.

Conditions for growing marigolds

The main condition for growing marigolds is to maintain the correct proportions of light, moisture, heat and free space. If there is not enough light, lower the ambient temperature so that the seedlings do not stretch. At low temperatures, do not water so that the roots do not rot. Do not give a lot of land to the root system so that the plant does not go into tops.

Marigold growing technology includes microclimate control, which must meet the following parameters:

Pay attention to the weather in general. Every year, the number of sunny and warm days changes, which affects the intensity of marigold development. If there are many favorable (warm - sunny) days, your flowers will overgrow and become too bulky for transplanting outside. It is necessary to limit the velvet in heat not only to maintain the shape of the bush, but also to slow down growth ( if needed ).

Growing marigolds from seeds

It is necessary to sow marigold seeds for seedlings two months before the onset ( heat without night frosts ), so much is needed for them to bloom. For my region (Siberia) - this is the end of March, the beginning of April . There are no strict deadlines for planting marigolds, they will bloom in any case and will grow as if nothing had happened.

You can grow marigolds from their seeds in the ground on the street or at home in seedling boxes. They bloom two months after sowing and bloom until they die from the cold. Therefore, it makes sense to grow seedlings of marigolds in advance and plant an already flowering plant in a flower bed. You can grow seedlings in a common container or in separate cells, it depends only on your desire, there are no advantages in this form ( verified empirically ). The main thing is to observe favorable climatic conditions from the table above.

How to grow marigolds from seeds:

When all the seeds have germinated, lower the soil moisture to (nearly dry) so that the seedlings begin to develop a root system, and do not grow themselves until the main stem is strengthened.

After the appearance of the third - fourth ( true ) leaf, seat the marigolds 10 centimeters apart. In this state, they can be until landing in a flower bed.

Planting marigolds in open ground

Marigolds are afraid of night frosts, so planting in open ground should be carried out from mid-May. The earth must first be loosened and raised to dry for a couple of days.

If marigold seedlings are grown correctly, the root system will be strong and will not hurt. Nevertheless, in the early days it is better to give them a shadow so that the sun does not burn the leaves and the flowers do not crumble. At night ( if the temperature is below 5 ° C ) it is recommended to cover the plant with a plastic bottle.

Marigolds grown in cassettes take root faster, but develop more slowly due to the confusion of the roots, so it's better to rummage them a little.

Caring for marigolds

Caring for marigolds outdoors consists of timely watering and protection from night frosts.

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