Bright flower beds will decorate any garden. Among the flowers that make up the living composition, there will definitely be marigolds. Bright, fragrant, velvety inflorescences always delight with their beauty from the beginning of summer until the first autumn frosts.
Tagetes are a plant of the Asteraceae family, they come from Latin America. This heat-loving plant is quite unpretentious. A strongly branched annual flower, depending on the variety, can grow from 20 cm to a meter in height. The inflorescences located in the upper part of the plant are simple or double, have an elongated pedicel. Reaching a diameter of two to twelve centimeters, they can be yellow, orange or brown-yellow. Their colorful forms are especially spectacular.
For each variety in the flower garden there is its rightful place. Marigolds are undersized - universal plants. Due to their unpretentiousness and at the same time spectacular appearance, they are very popular among flower growers. Small sizes and rather large flowers, which have a long flowering period, make it possible to grow plants not only in flower beds, but also in flowerpots and planters. They are used for landscaping garden plots, streets, parks and even balconies. Marigolds are undersized - excellent materi alto create bouquets. In cut form, they are stored for 10 days.
Short flowers are an excellent material for decorating live borders and making bright compositions, the advantage of which is that they are very colorful and, with simple agricultural technology, retain their decorative effect throughout the season. They are easy to transplant. Even in the flowering phase, planting material takes root easily.
Short marigolds are planted in sunny areas. However, even in partial shade, they do not lose their attractiveness. Flowers are not demanding on moisture. If the summer is dry, you will not find more suitable flowers for flower beds. They easily cope with high air temperatures and lack of abundant watering. Undersized marigolds are more unpretentious than tall forms. Such flowers are not demanding on soil fertility. There is no need to create special conditions for them.
When planting flowers take into account the thermophilicity of this species. Marigolds are often used to create early compositions. Low-growing varieties for these purposes are grown in seedlings. At the end of spring, when the threat of night frosts has passed, the plants are planted in open ground. Flowers take root easily. The only condition for spring planting is the absence of frost. Heat-loving annual flowers die even with slight frosts. Undersized marigolds can be planted as flowering seedlings. This makes it easier to create vibrant flower arrangements.
Exceptseedling method used seed propagation. From mid-May, plots are being prepared on which marigolds are planned to be sown. Seeds germinate in a week and a half. Shoots are thinned out. Excess plants are used for transplanting to other areas or flowerpots, as well as for the formation of borders or flower beds.
Short marigolds are also suitable for growing on balconies or loggias. For this purpose, the seeds are sown in boxes in April. Before the onset of warm weather, they grow indoors. The unpretentious plant easily copes with the lack of bright lighting, the flowers do not stretch, while maintaining their decorative appearance.
Marigold seeds ripen between August and September. Faded inflorescences are cut off and dried well. Matured seeds will be suitable for sowing next year.
