These are pretty common flowers people either love or dislike. They leave no one indifferent. At the sight of the flower-bed of the marigold, some admire their bright colors, while others recall a rather sharp and specific aroma. That smell is often the main motive for gardeners, because insects and various pests prefer to bypass these plants, thereby simplifying the care of the garden and flower beds. In addition, planting marigolds in the ground relieves summer residents from frequent watering, because these flowers are drought-resistant. Even a week after the last watering, they will please the blossom.
Planting of marigolds
In our latitudes three main types of marigolds are planted: erect, thin-leaved and rejected.
These plants are both annual and perennial, but domestic gardeners prefer to cultivate marigolds from seeds annually. It's very simple and does not require much time. The great dignity of these flowers is that planting and caring for marigolds is not a troublesome task at all. It is enough to sow seeds, several times to water - and all! Of course, in addition to watering the marigolds, weeding will not be superfluous, but without this flowers can take care of themselves independently.
Marigolds are planted with seedlings and seeds. With the seedling will have to tinker, because the process must start in February. First the marigolds are sown in boxes, and in June they are transplanted into the soil. Easier in May, when the soil is warmed up, immediately sow the seeds in the ground. A shallow furrow is applied to the trowel, the soil is watered abundantly, and then the seeds are sown. The number of seeds does not matter - the more of them, the more luxuriant and thicker the flowerbed, and if such an option does not suit you, you can always transplant superfluous shoots. After that, furrows are filled with earth. You can water the furrows again.
After two or three weeks you will be able to observe the first shoots, and in two weeks the flowerbed will be strewn with bright and beautiful flowers.
Some gardeners, before planting marigolds, fertilize the soil. This is not necessary, but plants, of course, will grow better. If you are interested in what to feed already grown marigolds, then use inorganic fertilizers that improve flowering.
When the marigolds blossom and their flowers completely wither, do not forget to stock up the seeds of these flowers to again in the next year to sow them on the flowerbed.
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Helpful Tips
As already mentioned above, marigolds have a strong and specific smell. If you do not belong to the number of his admirers, then in a summer residence a flower bed or a bed with these plants is best placed away from the house, arbors and benches - in general, from places where you like to spend time.
It is worth noting that the smell is the only drawback of these colors, and even that is the relative one. But he has many advantages.
There are cases of infection of marigolds with spider mite , greenhouse whitefly, snails, slugs . It is better to collect large pests by hand using baits. So, half a potato or an apple, left for the night near the flowerbed, will literally be covered with snails and slugs in the morning. You will only have to destroy them. But whitefly will have to be sprayed with pesticides.