Sowing marigolds for seedlings. Deadlines and general principles

Beautifully flowering plants are also called Chernobrivtsy, Tagetes, and belong to the Asteraceae or Asteraceae family.
The length of the stem depends on the variety; it can reach 130 cm. It is easy to grow unpretentious plants; they tend to repel pests and clean the soil. Dear readers! For you, we have created communities on social networks in which useful articles and interesting ideas are published several times a day! Subscribe and receive useful content in a convenient format!

How to determine sowing time?

Marigold seeds
Experienced gardeners are guided by the lunar calendar, the characteristics of the chosen variety, and the climatic characteristics of the region when planting marigolds. The exact day for planting seeds is calculated taking into account the desired flowering time.

Transplantation into open ground is carried out 30, 60 days after the sprouts appear - by this day the soil should warm up sufficiently, and the temperature should not drop below 15 degrees at night. It is also necessary to take into account the developmental features of some varieties.

There are 53 species of marigolds, divided into 3 groups:

• rejected;
• thin-leaved;
• erect.

The first, most common, are not demanding on the soil. Flowering begins even with a lack of soil, so they are often grown as a houseplant. The first flowers appear in June, the last ones fade in September-October, the peak is August.

Thin-leaved plants grow on roadsides, easily tolerating dusty air, exhaust fumes, and poor, hard soil. They are not demanding to care for, so they are often found in city flower beds and open balconies. Thin-leaved marigolds bloom from June until the first frost. Temperatures below +10 stop the growth and development of the plant.

Erect Chernobrivtsi grow up to 110 cm. Most often, varieties are grown for cutting; flowers last a long time in a vase. Flowering is long and extended - from July to October, marigolds will delight the eye.

How to properly plant marigolds in the ground: step-by-step instructions with photos

By the time the marigolds are planted in the flowerbed, the seedlings should be about two months old. By this time, the seedlings have formed several pairs of true leaves. Some bushes may even have buds. There will be nothing terrible if the Tagetes are about to bloom. They will need to be transplanted from the seedling container into the ground along with a lump of earth. The less the roots are damaged, the easier the seedlings will tolerate transplantation.

Preparing flower beds and holes

Before planting marigolds, dig up the soil in the selected area and fertilize it. Marigolds are unpretentious, but they will bloom profusely only in nutritious soil. Therefore, poor soil is fertilized with humus or compost. You can scatter universal spring fertilizers while digging.

Choose a site for growing tagetes that is well lit. In the shade they will stretch out and bloom sparingly.

Advice! Plant marigolds along the edges of the beds or between vegetable crops. They repel many pests and are good protection against some diseases.

The flowerbed is prepared, all that remains is to dig holes, the distance between which depends on the type of marigold:

• for tall varieties, the distance between the holes should be 35x35 cm;
• for medium ones – 20x20 cm;
• for short people – 15x15 cm.

It is not necessary to measure the distance between the holes for planting marigolds with a ruler. You just need to remember that the higher the bushes, the more spreading they will turn out and they need more space. But you shouldn’t plant flowers too far from each other. Otherwise, there will be a gap between them and you won’t get a continuous beautiful carpet of flowers.

By the way! The length of the matchbox is 5 cm. You can use it as a guide.

Step by step about planting

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It is very important to properly plant marigold seedlings in open ground without disturbing the roots. We recommend watering the plants a day before planting. Damp soil will not fall off the roots, and the bushes can be replanted without disturbing the root system.

Transplanting marigolds from their seedling containers into the ground will not take much time:

• Mash the pot or disposable glass. Carefully shake the seedling into your hand or pull the stem near the soil to remove it. If the container is disposable, it can be cut.

• Marigold seedlings grown in a container or box are dug out with a small spatula, spoon handle or other convenient tool. You need to dig up the bushes carefully, trying not to touch the roots of the growing seedling next to it.

• If there are few seedlings in the container, you can take them out all at once along with the soil. Then carefully separate the bushes from each other.

• Pour water into the hole, and when it is absorbed, place the seedling at the bottom.

• Fill with soil up to the lower leaves, gently press the soil down and water.

• When the soil settles after watering, add more soil or compost on top. Make sure that the roots are not exposed. Do not press the soil too hard to avoid breaking the roots.
• The soil added after watering does not need to be moistened. In this case, it will not become crusty, and oxygen will flow to the plants.

Make sure that after planting there are no mounds of soil around the marigolds. When watering, water will drain from them rather than being absorbed.

Favorable days for sowing marigolds in 2021 depending on the month

Good dates for landing change monthly, so you need to check the phases of the celestial body more often to achieve the best result. Favorable days for sowing marigold seedlings in 2021 are:

• May - from the 12th to the 25th of 2021.
• April is a good time to sow marigolds at this time in order to sow flowers from 13 to 26.
• March – from 14 to 27.
• February – from 12 to 26.
• January – from 16 to 27.

ATTENTION . Violation of the timing of seed sowing provokes a rapid increase in morbidity among marigolds.

When to plant depending on the region?

Seed preparation
Standard weather conditions and climatic features of the region must be taken into account when breeding heat-loving plants. Seedlings should be transplanted into open ground after the air and soil have warmed up and the return of frost has been minimized.

Recommended minimum temperature at night is +7 degrees. Forecaster forecasts should be monitored daily to avoid surprises. Cultivation by region:

• Moscow, the region surrounding the city, the middle zone of the Russian Federation. It is recommended to sow in the second decade of March, replant in open ground in the first days of May. The mandatory requirement is 45 days from the appearance of the first shoots. To obtain May flowers, marigold seeds should be sown as seedlings in early February.
• Siberia, Ural, Leningrad region, Far Eastern region. Frequent night frosts significantly shift the sowing calendar. It is recommended to plant seeds in the last days of March.
• Southern regions. Seeds are sown in open ground in the second half of March until the end of April. The lunar calendar and weather conditions will help determine the time of sowing more accurately.

REFERENCE . If weather conditions prevent the timely planting of Tagetes seeds, and early flowering is needed, it is recommended to create additional conditions by covering the crops with film, agrofibre, or other dense material.

Planting marigolds with seeds step by step

Step-by-step process for planting marigold seedlings:

1. Soil preparation, disinfection, fertilization.
2. Fill containers halfway.
3. Sprinkling seeds onto a white sheet of paper.
4. Making holes 1 cm deep with a pencil and a stick in increments of 3-4 cm.
5. Throwing 1 seed per hole (in a glass, 2 peat tablets).
6. Cover with soil and press lightly.
7. Moisturize with warm water from a spray bottle.
8. Cover with film and place in a warm place.
9. Ventilate the crops daily, removing the film for 10-20 minutes.

How to care for marigold seedlings, any tricks?

Chernobrivtsy are susceptible to the blackleg disease, which develops with excess moisture, therefore, when caring for tagetes, you should avoid waterlogging the soil during cultivation. Rainy weather is a signal to stop watering to avoid waterlogging of the soil. It is necessary to loosen the top layer of soil more often to free up oxygen access to the root system.

It is prohibited to apply nitrogen-containing fertilizers that provoke increased growth of green mass and shoots, reducing the number of flowers and making them smaller. Overgrown Tagetes bushes should be trimmed. A small number of pests will be removed by a weekly shower; a large number will be removed by insecticides.

The marigold seeds have sprouted, what to do next?

The seed will produce its first shoots in 4-7 days. The appearance of sprouts is a signal to remove the film and move the tanks to a brighter place for further cultivation. Marigold seedlings are unpretentious and easily tolerate lack of moisture.

It is better to water with settled water at room temperature as the soil dries. The recommended temperature during the day is above +18, at night up to +15 degrees. Some varieties can withstand up to +12 degrees - the data should be indicated on the packaging.

How to feed marigold seedlings

It is recommended to feed sprouts lagging behind in development:

• "Agricole";
• "Fertiki";
• "Solution."

Fertilizer should be applied no earlier than 15 days from the appearance of the first shoots. Regular feeding will help speed up the development of seedlings. The frequency of the operation is 14 days. After any manipulations with tagetes (picking, replanting), you should stop fertilizing the soil for 2 weeks.

How to pick marigolds

Plant replanting begins when 2 full leaves appear. Thoroughly disinfect new containers, pour a third of the soil on the bottom. Using a teaspoon or a special spatula, carefully pry up the plant, avoiding touching adjacent roots. Be sure to extract with root soil. Place the seedlings in a new container, deepening to the base of the leaves, but they should not come into contact with the soil.

You can plant seedlings in a seedling box even at the flowering stage. A prerequisite is the preservation of the root ball. The land should be similar to the previous one. Add a tablespoon of mineral fertilizer to each hole and distribute half a glass of wood ash evenly over every 5 liters of soil.

REFERENCE. It is recommended to shorten a long root system.

How to properly plant marigold seedlings at home step by step

It is not enough to just know when it is advisable to plant marigold seedlings so that they bloom in June, counting one and a half to two months in the opposite direction, you need to know all the rules for planting tagetes. If seedlings are planted in peat pots or other seedling containers, then it is best to do this between the 15th of March and the 7th of May. If the gardener wants to get an early flowering flower bed with colorful lights, then the seeds should be planted for seedlings in February (the method of supplementary lighting is practiced due to the short daylight hours).

Choosing a container for seedlings

The quality of plants planted in open ground depends on the correct planting, compliance with the rules of growing and caring for seedlings. If several varieties of Chernobyvtsev are grown at once, then the planting containers must be provided with labels. Various containers are used to germinate seedlings:

• boxes (cardboard and wooden);
• elongated peat pots;
• special plastic containers;
• cassette stands;
• plastic cups;
• peat tablets.

It is important that small holes can be made in the seedling container to allow excess water to escape after watering. It is important to organize a reliable drainage layer of expanded clay, paper, coarse sand, crushed stone, etc.

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Selection and preparation of Chernobrivts seeds

To germinate Chernobyvtsy seedlings, you can use both purchased and hand-collected seed material. If the second option is chosen, then you need to collect the seeds 45 days after the end of the marigolds flowering. It is important that the buds and pedicels take on a yellowish tint. Such seeds are easily pulled out of the cup. The dried planting material is stored in a paper envelope until the time comes when you have to sow marigold seeds for seedlings at home. Such seeds are stored for 2-3 years. The same applies to purchased seed.

Often, marigold seeds do not germinate, but to speed up the process of the emergence of young shoots, you can wrap the seed in damp gauze or cotton cloth for several days. It would not be superfluous to treat the seeds with growth activators, for example, Epin or Zircon.

Preparing the soil for marigolds

After preparing the seeds, you can begin to create a fertile soil mixture. For this, humus, mineral additives, etc. are used, mixed with sand and soil. To get nutrient-rich soil, you can use this recipe for preparing a soil mixture:

• garden or purchased soil (2 parts);
• peat (1 part);
• humus (1 part);
• sand from the sea or river (1 part);
• some coconut fiber.

All these components are thoroughly mixed and scalded only with a manganese solution diluted in boiling water (it should have a slight pinkish tint). After processing potassium permanganate, the soil is disinfected by calcination in a microwave oven or oven. Purchased soil may not be calcined. All that remains is to pour the treated soil into planting pots and leave it to rest for three days in a warm room.

Sowing marigolds

When the time comes for sowing, small grooves need to be made in the prepared containers with soil. The distance between the holes should be approximately 3-4 cm. Since marigold seeds are quite large, they need to be planted in the soil to a depth of about 1 cm. Next, the planted seed is sprinkled with earth mixed with sand in a ratio of 1 to 1. Containers with tagetes seedlings covered with a glass shade, transparent plastic lid, polyethylene or cling film. It is important to create a greenhouse effect with a stable temperature of about +25°C. Once a day, a kind of panic needs to be ventilated, this allows you to get rid of condensation. Under such conditions, the first shoots will appear after 4 days.

If separate planting containers are used, for example, cups or peat pots, tablets, then two seeds must be placed in each recess. If it is intended to be grown in a greenhouse, then the seeds are sown when the temperature of the upper soil layers is approximately +15°C.

When to plant seedlings in open ground?

Marigolds can die from frost, so transplantation is carried out after the temperature has normalized. It is recommended to carefully monitor weather forecasts to avoid marigolds freezing, which will lead to death. Residents of the southern regions begin planting seedlings in mid-May, in the northern regions - the end of June

Answers to frequently asked questions

Experienced gardeners are happy to help amateurs. The most frequently asked questions with clear answers are given below.

What soil should I buy for growing seedlings?

Soil mixture for ornamental flowering crops is sold in stores, but you can make it yourself. a mandatory soil preparation procedure is disinfection. For these purposes, the soil mixture is spilled with boiling water and a manganese solution to eliminate weed seeds.

To prepare the soil yourself you will need:

• humus 1 part;
• peat mixture 2 parts;
• coarse sand 1 part.

REFERENCE. It is recommended to treat any mixture with phyto-preparations to eliminate infections - fungicides. Diluted according to the manufacturer's instructions.

How can you stimulate seeds for further growth?

The mandatory procedure for disinfecting seeds is placing them in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Soaking the seed in warm water for two hours will significantly increase the germination of marigolds.

Seed growth can be stimulated by germination. For the procedure, natural fabric is moistened with warm water. The seeds are wrapped in a flap, placed on a saucer, wrapped in cellophane, and transferred to a warm, dark place. After 3 days, the sprouted seed is selected and the rest is thrown away.

Why don't the seeds germinate?

Poor planting material is the main problem with germination. The lack of sprouts may be caused by poor quality soil. If the containers are not covered with film, then shoots may appear after 3 weeks; the same effect should be expected if the temperature regime is not observed.

Why are seeds soaked?

Place the seed in warm water to “awaken” and increase the percentage of germination. It is important not to overexpose the seeds, otherwise it will have the opposite effect.

How to harden marigold seedlings?

A couple of weeks before the intended planting in open ground, the grown sprouts are taken outside. The first two sessions are 5 minutes each, then the time can be gradually increased. A prerequisite is a temperature above +15 degrees.

What to do if marigold seedlings do not grow?

Feeding with Agricole, Fertiki, and Rastvorin will help stimulate the development of tagetes. An important condition for the full growth of seedlings is temperature and humidity. Failure to comply with the conditions leads to a halt in development.

Features of flower care

Marigolds are an unpretentious flower that can tolerate short periods of drought. Therefore, seedlings in containers are watered once every 2-4 days. To moisten the soil, use warm (+18...+22˚ C) water, which has stood for 24 hours. Melt or rain is also suitable. At night, from +18˚ C, the room temperature is reduced to +15˚ C.

After 2 weeks from the emergence of seedlings, the seedlings are fed with Fertik, Agricola or Rastvorin solutions.

After 2-3 true leaf blades appear on the seedlings, the seedlings are planted in separate containers. To do this, gardeners often use disposable plastic cups. The seedlings are transplanted into soil of the same composition in which they germinated. A couple of weeks before planting in open ground, you need to harden the seedlings; to do this, the containers with them are left outside during the day - at first for 15 minutes, but gradually increase this time to a day. But this is only possible when the outside air temperature is at least +15˚ C.