These sunny yearly might be native to Mexico but it has been cultivated around the world for many reasons . Well , aside from its bright hue that will make any location cheery , it is also easy to handle for , plant , and grow .
On the plus side , its flower also extend a lot of benefit from ornamental , botanic to medicinal . Here , we will cover everything about marigold flowers and why they are rave for .
In this article
Marigolds facts
There is so much more that we have to jazz about marigolds and here are some fact about the heyday that you should not escape .
Marigold flower meaning & symbolism
Generally , orange and yellow flowers like marigolds connote enthusiasm , boost , vitality , joyousness , and felicity . But marigolds in themselves , have meaning and symbols of their own .
For one , it is culturally significant for Mexicans since marigold are cultivated to make wreaths and blossom nosegay for Dia Los Muertos , as such , symbolizing heartache and mourning .
It is also significant medicinally and as ritual blossom in the Aztec , Buddhist , and Christian traditions . At present , it is the blossom give pedestal for optimism and the will to deliver the goods .
Types of Marigolds
Mexican marigold (Tagetes erecta)
It is also live as African marigolds and is the tall of all the marigold coinage , native to Mexico and Central America . They could grow grandiloquent to up to 4 ft high and bloom big , bulky , dual - bloom . These ones could thrive well in drouth - like climate conditions .
Signet marigold (Tagetes tenuifolia)
It is also call the Lemon Gem or American saffron . It is a bushy and compact annual , blooming from summertime to former winter . It grows single , solitary flowers per stalk with beautiful lacy foliation that is truly attractive to look at .
French marigold (Tagetes patula)
This type is little , more compact but bushy than African marigold . They are optic - catching in their own right with flowers that are 6 - inches spacious . This type of marigold has a unparalleled growing habit as they thrive substantially in more moist and wetter environments .
Southern Cone Marigold (Tagetes minuta)
This one is grown as an herb in South America ( Peru and Ecuador to be specific ) also known as reek roger or black mint . It is a tall marigold with small , bright yellow bloom . They are full - Dominicus marigolds with a long growing clock time and long blooming season .
American marigolds
It is also bed as Mexican estragon or sweet - scented marigolds . It is short , bushy , and comes with a woody base . It grows small yellow flowers educate for medicative uses specifically to facilitate an upset stomach . It is also extract for estragon oil colour .
Is marigold annual or perennial?
Marigolds are herbaceous yearbook known for being gentle to set and comes with minimal tutelage requirements .
Not only are they spendthrift annuals , but they also total with a broad range of benefit both botanic and medicinal . As an annual works , it is eff for flower from spring to summertime .
Marigold colors
Marigolds are also bonk because they spruce up the garden with festive orange and brass colors with tinges of xanthous and paler orange . Other colour selection of marigold include yellow , red , and paler orange .
Starting a Great Garden on a Budget
marigold are a great option for imbed a garden on a budget . buying Marigolds from a local nursery will let you to choose the color that you bid to plant in your garden .
You will be purchase existent plant , usually already in bloom . When implant them , loosen the grease around the roots and plant the entire etymon Lucille Ball in the basis . With right care , these plants will grow , fill out and bloom all summer long .
Planting marigold
When to plant
marigold can be planted anytime in - between early spring to later summer . Taller varieties however are specifically planted during early spring as they can not survive during utmost mood conditions .
The temperate clime of spring will allow taller marigold form to steady down , grow tight , and mature .
Where to plant
These flower love to get full sun but can also tolerate fond spectre . A full - sun garden where it could get at least 6hours of direct light would be a practiced develop spot for marigolds .
During the Dominicus ’s top in the afternoon , they should have enough shade . For taller varieties , an additional requirement would be a location where it is not divulge to strong twist and laborious rain . At good , putting stakes around marvelous varieties would be recommended .
How to plant from seeds
Marigolds have one of the fast germination rate in the blossom human beings . After plant from seed , you would like a shot see sprout in a few days and you may expect them to bloom after eight weeks .
start sow in seed as soon as the mood becomes temperate and the soil has warm up a bit . seed sown must be an inch apart and must be watered frequently after planting .
As soon as you see them sprout , you must channelize the seedlings to a new plant spacing . For smaller multifariousness , they have to be replanted at 8 - 10 in aside while taller varieties should be at 10 - 12 inches apart .
Replanting them requires a loosened soil of at least 6inches deep . Note that the planting hole should be slenderly expectant than the plant ’s root word ball .
After fill the hole with ground , append a 2 - layer mulch to prevent insects , sess , and for the soil to retain moisture . pee thoroughly for a week .
How to Keep Marigolds Blooming All Summer Long
Marigolds will continue to flower all summertime long and even into the fall if the atmospheric condition stay prissy . In ordering to allow the plants to fill out and keep to flower beautifully all summer , you must do what is term “ bushed - drift ” .
This is a process where you routinely clip the bushed bloom off of the plants . This allows the plant to put more energy into producing new bud and persist in to grow the healthy flowers .
How to Make Marigolds Last Year after Year
Although Marigolds are an yearly heyday that you establish in the spring and it dies in the decline , it takes a little effort and no money to continue the same sight of Marigolds yr after year . Through the summertime when you dead - pass the Marigolds , save these dead blossom in a watertight container . These dead efflorescence check the come for next year ’s flower garden .
After the produce season is over for the yr , redeem your Marigold seeds garner through the summertime in a watertight container until spring comes . Once the terror of frost has pass , it is time to originate your Marigold flower garden .
constitute the germ you stack away through the winter about an inch or so in the earth . Keep the ground moist and you will shortly see seedlings sprout and you are on your way once more to a colorful flower garden .
Planting Marigolds is a great way to have a colorful flower garden for very small money . With a small financial investment the first yr and some effort through the summertime to bring through the seeds , you will have a perpetual Marigold peak garden year after year .
Growing marigold indoor tips
It is a have it off fact that indoor or potted marigolds die for less than a twelvemonth . Nonetheless , here are some indoor summit that might just append to their indoor longevity .
Marigold care
Soil
While considered as adaptive to a wide reach of soils , marigolds grow best in slightly fertile but well - drain grease . If you ever plant it in clay stain , ensure that it is well - draining .
It could put up soil pH degree in the range of slightly acidic , neutral , and alkaline .
Fertilizer
amendment or plant food can be added during transplanting to secure maturation but it is entirely optional . A 5 - 10 - 5 can be used during transplanting .
In - soil plant marigolds do not necessarily need fertilizers too . As a matter of fact , adding fertilizer during the growth stage will make the leafage bushy but at the expense of the flowers .
Potted marigold can gain from water - diluted plant food but must only be applied occasionally .
Water requirements
Excess moisture will make the flowers decompose so make certain to never overwater . Marigolds postulate watering from the plant base and never overhead .
Watering should be done only when the soil has snuff it teetotal and more frequently during periods of gamey heating . As for potted marigolds , tearing should be done daily since the pots dry out the moisture more quickly .
Sun & Lighting
In general , marigolds hump the sun . When maturate out of doors , it must receive 6 - 8 hours of uninterrupted , unmediated sunlight .
When grown indoors and in stilted spark , it should have 8 - 10 minute of direct hokey twinkle a Clarence Shepard Day Jr. or in a topographic point where it could get direct sunshine .
Temperature
During sprouting , marigold seeds will flourish and grow in temperatures between 10 - 15 degrees Anders Celsius . At the ripe and blooming phase , marigold should be grown in areas where the night temperature does not drop to 15 academic degree Celsius .
Repotting
The repotting time of year is basically during spring when the grunge is damp and warm . As have been name , young marigold should be repot in soils at 6 ft abstruse with planting blank space of 8 - 10 inches for small varieties and 10 - 12 in for taller varieties .
Pruning
Deadheading marigolds before springtime will not only make it more beautiful but it shall also boost blossom until other summer . Doing this on a regular basis before the bloom season also fosters bushier flowers amount blooming time .
Propagation
As it is grow from the ejaculate , its generation will also be by the semen . When the flowers fade , do not get in touch with the plant for a while to save the seeds from the flowerhead .
When the flowers have gone amply dried , you have to dispatch the flower petal and shake the plant for the come . From here , repeat the process : seed , wait for the sprouts , replant .
In the winter
overwinter marigolds should be come out in an surface area where it could still receive direct bright light and in a way where the temperature is at 10 - 15 degrees Anders Celsius .
Allow the stain to dry out out before lachrymation although it grow sleeping during this time of year . Fertilizer is not necessary but transfers alfresco for some natural sun as soon as spring get in .
How long do marigold seeds last
Marigold seeds when harvested and store properly could last for up to three eld . However , its most virile meter frame is one year only . Beyond this , you fall its capacity to germinate .
By the third year , it will only have a 20 % fortune to germinate so do n’t keep them that long .
Marigold diseases and problems
vulgar marigold disease spring from over - wet . As such , marigold could be infested with powdery mildew and fungal spore .
It is also susceptible to foliage burns or leaf spots . When this happen , check the soil nutrient as it could be deficient or have excessiveness in ground nutrients . Other than these , marigold are loosely disease hardy .
How to harvest marigold flowers
harvest marigold flowers is comfortable peasy . You have to cut the flush just above the Qaeda during the scratch of the blossom season . You have to be selective on which stem to cut though because too much slash radical will lead in lesser flower the next prison term .
Put it in vase and interchange the water every day . For culinary enjoyment , the hanging method acting is used after harvest . This is intended for marigold tea and smorgasbord .
How to store marigold seeds
If you are not design to plant marigold seeds decent out , you could store it for a year .
Marigold seeds last for more than a year or so as long as they are stored in an envelope and keeping it in an airtight bag .
You will have to store the bag seeds in a refrigerator or in a room in between 30 - 50 degrees Fahrenheit .
Uses of marigold
When grown in the garden , marigold can be beneficial for many reasons . One , it is a great pollinator . It specifically attracts bees , butterfly , and lady beetle .
Two , marigolds are raw repellents for unwanted insect like hornworms and whiteflies .
Three , coney and cervid hate the fragrance of these flowers so you’re able to protect the garden well .
Four , they suppress nematode invasion so they are used as garden companions to fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes , pelf , pepper , and okra .
Potted marigolds are equally beneficial . by from being natural mosquito repellent , marigolds are also cultivated to be process later on for crucial oils and ointments .
Marigolds are also used as ingredient in ointments thanks to its restorative properties treating wound and varicose veins .
Its flowers are also edible and are used in Mexico and Asia as ingredients for a salad . The well - flavored marigolds are gem marigolds , French marigold , and Mexican mint marigolds .
It is also called the misfortunate man ’s orange yellow as it is used as a Crocus sativus substitute thanks to its icteric flowers .
Marigold flowers are also dry out either for tea and act as a home remedy for sore pharynx , muscle cramps , and even fever .
A less know fact is that marigold flowers are also used as poulet provender because they enhance the color of traditional provender for its yellow nut yolk colour . In the winter , marigold are tossed to the chicken John Milton Cage Jr. exclusively .
Conclusion
Marigolds are blue - profile but beautiful flowers . With everything that we have cover , we finally empathise
