Calendula: planting and care in the open field, cultivation and propagation

Calendula is a beautiful and useful flower, so gardeners will always find a place on the site to sow it. Sun petals are great for border plantings, look great in rock gardens and Moorish lawn. Calendula is easy to plant in open ground and unassuming to care for. A rich selection of varieties allows you to build landscape compositions, harmoniously fit into any flower beds in front gardens, decorate flower lawns.

General information about the plant

Calendula is popularly called "marigolds", as the seeds of the plant resemble the claws of a predatory beast.Their leaves are a pleasant green color with a silvery sheen. And the trunk is straight, with soft sticky hairs, the leaves have a very different shape and are arranged in 2-3 rows on the stem.

Reed petals fold into a terry, bright orange or yellow-red basket with a diameter of up to 7 centimeters. Herbaceous annual plant Calendula is small (curb) size and reaches almost a meter.

Varieties and varieties

Since the beginning of cultivation by breeders, a large number of varieties have been obtained from the original natural species. Calendula medicinal - Officinalis and field - Arvensis received especially great popularity.

Distinguish undersized species in which the stem reaches 30 centimeters:

• Fiesta Gitana;
• Orange Gitana;
• Symphony of summer;
• Patio;
• Bonbon;
• Gold Koenig;
• Apricot pigmy;
• Calypso.

The list of medium-sized varieties is:

• Apricot Jam;
• Radio;
• Green heart;
• Sun of Egypt;
• Lemon juice;
• Geisha.

Tall varieties include:

• Kabluna Epricot;
• Beauty;
• Gold Emperor;
• Indian prince;
• Sunset;
• Flames.

Many of these varieties have healing properties. And cut plants look great in containers, flowerpots, patios, pots, balconies and flower beds.

How to grow calendula

A properly chosen landing site and the creation of normal conditions is the key to successful marigold growing. It is also important to follow the boarding dates.

Date of planting

It is recommended to sow marigolds directly into the ground. This can be done in the second half of spring, when the ground becomes warm and dry enough after snow. In this case, the soil can be checked whether it is ready for planting. Take a handful of earth and throw it hard from a meter high. If it falls apart, then you can start the process.

A proven way to get early flowering is to sow some marigold varieties before winter. The time is considered optimal when there are steady frosts at night, but the ground is not yet frozen enough.

Important: if you plant in a warm autumn, the plant will have time to sprout, which means that the onset of frost will destroy it. Dates may vary by region.

Preparation of planting material

The main task of gardeners is to prepare calendula for planting. The plant is not afraid of low temperatures and feels good at minus 5 degrees, so the seed can be planted directly into the ground.

For starters, it is recommended to calibrate. Separate damaged empty and small seeds from large and whole ones. Prepare a water-s alt solution and lower them there. The defective product will float to the surface, while the suitable product will fall to the bottom of the tank.

Pre-soaking will bring a good effect. Sprout a little in damp gauze or dip in water, which is changed daily. And make sure that the material is always wet and does not dry out.

Site preparation

The plant can show all its beauty in sunny areas. If planted in the shade, then the trunks will stretch out at the marigolds, and the petals will be small.Having chosen the most illuminated place, dig the site and fertilize. To do this, take a tablespoon of compost, urea, fertilizers containing nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus.

After that, dig up the soil and level it with a rake. On such fertile soil, marigolds can safely grow for 5 years.

Boarding process

Make grooves a couple of centimeters deep. The row spacing in flower beds should be 30 centimeters, and in discounts - 10 centimeters. In a week you will already see the result.

Important: if necessary, thin out the plants when two full leaves appear, and transplant the marigolds to another place.

After the appearance of sprouts, mulch the area. Dry leaves, freshly cut grass, sawdust are well suited for this.

Rules for plant care

If you want calendula to please all summer, take care of it properly. Marigolds, like all plants, need regular watering, fertilizing and weeding.

Irrigation

Marigolds are quite moisture-loving plants, so they do not tolerate drought. But they don't like too much moisture either. As soon as the first shoots appear, water 3-4 times a week with warm water. When they are already strong, reduce watering. Adult plants need moisture only during the drought period.

Soil

After watering, a lot of weeds always grow around the plant. So pay attention to weeding. Also, at the same time, plants need loosening. The process increases gas exchange in the top layer of the soil, and the roots will begin to receive oxygen. In addition, after loosening, evaporation decreases, moisture is better retained.

Fertilizer and top dressing

Despite fertilized soil, calendula needs to be fed. Feed your nails for the first time when two or three leaves have appeared. To do this, take half a kilogram of cow or chicken manure per bucket and add a large spoonful of complex mineral fertilizer.

If top dressing is carried out with nitrogen fertilizers, be careful. Excessive use of it leads to a decrease in the size of the inflorescences. Organize the subsequent addition of fertilizer at the time of flowering.

Cutting

To improve flowering, it is recommended to remove faded inflorescences. Do this regularly throughout the summer. Constant pruning stimulates the calendula to form new buds that will be much brighter and bigger.

When marigolds are grown for medicinal purposes, cut off the shoots regularly as well.

Preparing for winter

The beginning of the winter period is a difficult time for many plants. The most unfavorable moment is when the temperature has dropped significantly, and the snow has not yet fallen. If the nail is annual, then it does not require any preparation for winter. But there are perennial varieties.They need special care. Trim off overgrown marigold shoots in late fall.

Treatment from diseases and pests

Marigolds are resistant to various diseases and pests. The biggest threat is to be expected from aphids. To destroy pests, plants are not only treated with special preparations, but the paths made by ants around the marigolds are also destroyed. After all, it is ants that spread aphids, infecting calendula.

Sometimes dark spots are visible on the leaves. This is a sign of the fungal disease cercosporosis.

If a powdery coating appeared on the plant, then the nails fell ill with powdery mildew. The most effective means in the fight against diseases are systemic fungicides. Processing is carried out before the flowering of marigolds. Problems most often arise due to the frequent planting of calendula.

Flower breeding

Calendula has gained its popularity due to its decorative and healing properties. Gardeners breed marigolds for many reasons:

• decorate the garden plot;
• make medicinal potions;
• protect other plants from pests.

To prepare healing potions, use only blossoming inflorescences. Petals are used to treat many pathologies, as they have the following properties:

• wound healing;
• antispasmodic;
• bactericidal;
• sedative;
• tonic;
• sweatshop.

The plant is also bred for cosmetic purposes. Marigold infusions strengthen hair roots and cleanse the face.

In addition, marigolds protect vegetable crops from attack by caterpillars, ticks, Colorado potato beetles and other garden pests.

Combination of calendula with other plants

Landscape compositions with marigolds look exquisite and charming. They pair well with other golden, red, orange flowering plants:

• poppies;
• asters;
• marigold;
• rudbeckia.

Marigolds are suitable for moorish-style lawn decoration, rock garden.

Will look bright surrounded by evergreen shrubs or against the background of dark-flowering plants:

• cornflowers;
• violet;
• sage;
• ageratums.

Low-growing varieties look spectacular in hanging baskets, flowerpots, planters.

Rules for collecting, drying and storing calendula

Reproduction of marigolds takes place in a generative way. Therefore, to breed marigolds, collect inflorescences as they bloom throughout the summer. Cut the buds in a dry time so that the petals do not wilt and dry well. Then lay them out in the open air, but in the shade. It is recommended to turn them a couple of times to prevent spoilage.

Store dry nails in a cool, well-ventilated place where there is no increased humidity. Transfer the dry product to small canvas bags or paper bags - this way it will last longer.

Marigolds have won the recognition of gardeners because they bloom all summer, reproduce profusely, are easy to care for and have a large number of useful properties. Plants will help in the fight against pests, replenish the home first aid kit and cosmetic bag, give a delicious taste to food as a condiment.

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