Is it possible to grow marigolds at home in pots: winter care rules

Garden, street paths are often framed with marigolds. Flowers are not chosen by chance. They have a long flowering period. When summer varieties fade, velvet buds continue to delight until late autumn. Is it possible to grow perennial marigolds at home in pots in winter, lovers of this species ask. The answer is unequivocal - you can. And at any time, depending on when we want to see flowering.

What are these flowers?

Tagetes are representatives of different species and varieties. The height of the erect stem ranges from 0.2-2 meters. Leaves pinnately dissected, pinnately divided, serrated, rarely entire, green to dark green.

Buds can be large, small, simple, velvet. Color: yellow, orange. There are both calm tones and bright, saturated ones. Some representatives - two colors.

Flowers gained popularity for unpretentiousness, frost resistance, long flowering. In addition to decorative properties, marigolds have medicinal properties, they are used in cooking, as a spice, in cosmetology.

Can marigolds be grown at home in pots?

Tagetes are flowers with a bright specific aroma. Therefore, they are suitable for growing on a balcony, terrace, loggia. Lovers of spicy smell grow flowers in the room.

Tagetes are planted not only as ornamental plants. Due to the spicy smell, the flowers protect themselves and neighboring plants from pests, they are used in cooking as a spice. The plant has medicinal properties.

Specifics of home growing

Tagetes bloom 2 months after germination. Therefore, the time is selected for a certain date, month. If you want to have a fragrant flowering for the New Year, sowing should be done in October, on International Women's Day - March 8 - in January.

Soil for sowing is used purchased or prepared independently. Connect earth, sand, humus, soddy soil. All ingredients are taken in equal parts, except for sand - its dose is halved. Land from the store does not require cultivation. Do-it-yourself soil is disinfected: with heat, steam, frost, solution. A layer of drainage is laid at the bottom of the flowerpot, container: expanded clay, crushed stone, pebbles.

Seed Selection

Planting material is collected independently or purchased at a flower shop. Collect seeds in autumn. Dried in the shade, packed in paper bags. With self-collection, it is possible to choose your favorite color, bud size, stem height.

When buying flowers in a store, pay attention to low-growing varieties that will harmoniously fit into the design of the apartment.

1. Bonanza bolero (USA) - bushes 25-30 centimeters high, girth in diameter - 20. Terry buds, annuals, orange.
2. Bonanza flame (USA) - stem height - 25, bush girth - 20, bud diameter - 6 centimeters. Bright double buds of orange and yellow.
3. Bonanza orange (France) - stem height - 20 centimeters, large double buds with bright orange tones.
4. Among the miniature varieties, Gnome, Lupa, Paprika, Ursula are popular - bushes up to 20 centimeters high, 2 centimeters in diameter; buds - yellow, orange, double color, simple petals.

Choose a pot

A flowerpot for marigolds must meet certain requirements:

• have a drainage hole so that excess water does not stagnate at the bottom;
• material: clay, ceramic, metal;
• the plant loves sunny window sills, so the color of the flowerpot is chosen light. In dark flowerpots, the root system will overheat;
• marigold root. Hence the pot is required deep (1/3 of the height of the plant with the root).
• The width of the pot is chosen up to 20 centimeters in diameter. The wider the crown, the wider the pot.

If the requirements are met, the bushes will grow sprawling, with lush flowering.

Choosing a seat

Marigolds, in good light, are revealed in all their glory. With a lack of lighting, the stems are stretched, flowering is scarce, the inflorescences are smaller.

South, southwest, east, west window sills are suitable in the apartment. If there are no such sides, artificial illumination is used.

Boarding process

Planting material is germinated within a few days. To do this, place the seeds on wet toilet paper, cover with polyethylene. When loops appear, the seeds are ready for planting:

1. Drainage is placed in containers, a nutrient layer of the soil.
2. In the grooves, at a distance of 5 centimeters, germinated seeds are sown. Sprinkle a layer of soil on top. Plants will bloom faster if planted immediately in separate pots without picking.
3. The containers are covered with glass or a plastic bag, set in a warm place (20-22 degrees).
4. Sprouts will appear on the 2-3rd day, the shelter is removed.
5. When two true leaves appear, the seedlings dive into separate pots.

Further care

Marigolds are not demanding to care for. Standard actions are needed: watering, fertilizing, lighting.

Water and fertilize

During summer, the flowers require daily watering. In winter - as the soil dries out. The main thing is to follow specific irrigation rules. In summer, water the plants at night. They have time to get enough moisture. In winter, watering is carried out in the morning, so that for the whole day the flowers draw liquid into the root system.

Do not allow the soil to dry out - the flowers will be smaller, the color will be pale. When buds appear, watering is carried out after the earth dries.

Marigolds respond positively to complex balanced mineral supplements. During the vegetative period, top dressing is applied 3 times: after germination, during the formation of buds, flowering.

Cutting

The bushes will have a spherical shape if the elongated buds are cut in time.

Lighting and air humidity

The plant should receive light for at least 12 hours a day. In the autumn, winter period, artificial lighting is equipped with photo lamps.

Tagetes love moderate humidity - 50-60%. At low humidity, the bushes are sprayed, pallets with water are placed. If the humidity is high, ventilate the room.

Temperature conditions

During sowing, the temperature is maintained at 15-20 degrees. High temperatures, over 25 degrees, are detrimental - seedlings do not germinate. When seedlings appear, the seedlings are put on a bright windowsill, the temperature is reduced to 18 degrees.

The optimum temperature in summer for adult bushes is 20 degrees, in winter 18-20 degrees. In winter, remove flowerpots from radiators or make protection, for example, from a shoe box.

Disease and pest control

Marigolds are resistant to diseases and pests. In the process of growing, the plant can be affected by a black leg, from pests - a spider mite.

Black leg

Young seedlings are most susceptible to black leg disease. Fungi are the cause of infection.

Symptoms: the stem is covered with a white bloom at the bottom. With the progression of the disease, black spots appear, the process of decay begins. It is difficult to save seedlings, but you can save he althy specimens.

Fight: remove all infected seedlings, burn. He althy specimens are treated with fungicides, transplanted into new soil.

Prevention: prevent disease when sowing seeds. Planting material is treated with biological preparations: Fitolavin-300, Planriz, Baktofit.

Earth prepared by one's own hands is steamed in the oven. At temperatures above 100 degrees, the fungi die. Trichodermin is applied to the soil before planting.

Spider mite

The surface of the leaves, when attacked by a spider mite, is covered with cobwebs. White dots appear on the back of the leaf plate. Leaves turn yellow, fall off. Sometimes the symptoms are confused with fungal diseases and the wrong drugs are used.

Fight: Each leaf is washed with warm water. Keep in a plastic bag for 3 days. Alcohol is sprayed on the soil, window sill, pot from the outside.

In case of severe damage, they are treated with Fitoverm or the Apollo hormone preparation.

Prevention: the substrate is disinfected. Spray marigolds with warm water. Ticks do not like moisture.

New plants are not put on a par with "locals". They are washed in the shower, quarantined for 2 weeks. After 10 days, the shower is repeated.

Warnings and Tips

Marigolds don't like tight spaces. Do not place pots with other flowers nearby. Please follow all instructions while boarding. Any deviation leads to negative consequences. Water the flowers with settled warm water. Inspect plants every day for disease, pest infestation.

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