South America has given birth to many magnificent plants due to its climate. Many of them subsequently spread throughout the world. One of these plants is tagetes. The mysterious and unusual name remained in the depths of breeding science, and amateur flower growers dubbed it in their own way. Affectionately and with great love they call these flowers marigolds for the pleasant velvety of the petals. It has been known to a wide range of flower lovers for over four hundred years. In those distant times, the Aztecs and Mayans used it as a spice, adding it to food; as a medicinal plant for healing ailments; in religious rituals, endowing tagetes with magical properties. They knew that planting and care for the "marigold" plant is quite simple.
They have also become popular in our country due to their unpretentiousness, minimal care, ease of cultivation, splendor and duration of flowering. These magnificent flowers can be found everywhere. They decorate squares, parks and squares with them, plant streets, plant them in front gardens and flower beds of houses. To date, about 50 different types of marigolds have already been bred. They can be grown even in pots on balconies, decorating the interior.loggia.
Marigolds are loved by flower growers. Planting and care is not difficult, as they reproduce well by seeds. Good germination is guaranteed for three to four years. Seeds are sown in open ground to a depth of 1.5-2.5 centimeters in late April or early May. Seedlings are also well suited for propagation of marigold flowers. Sowing in this case is carried out at the end of March. Well-drained loamy soils are best for these plants. When digging up the beds, fertilizer can be applied: organic, mineral or mixed. Only nitrogen in its composition should be avoided.
Marigolds, depending on the species, can be short, medium or tall. Growth variation - from 20 centimeters to one and a half meters. The marigold plant is easy to plant, and care is also quite simple. Abundant watering should be carried out twice a week. It is especially necessary to increase moisture before flowering, as the plant needs additional strength during this period.
Marigolds are very useful. The medicinal properties of these plants have been known for a long time. They are used in medicine for the prevention and treatment of fever and emaciation, to eliminate constipation, as a diuretic. The culinary properties of tagetes should not be underestimated. The leaves of this plant are added to salads, used for marinade, dried and grated, added to flour products and soups. Dried flower baskets give the food a pleasant golden hue. Essential oilsmarigolds are often used as a natural flavor. Another important advantage of this plant is its ability to disinfect the soil due to the substances released by its roots. The same substance repels pests both from the flower itself and from neighboring plants.
Ornamental floriculture boasts such varieties of these plants as aniseed, French, thin-leaved. For these specimens of the marigold plant, planting and care are also not difficult.
