How To Grow & Care For Marigold

Taking care of marigold is very easy, yet few gardeners struggles to grow it perfectly, but after reading this article on how to grow marigold, nothing will be hard for you to care for your marigold every year. 

Well, as I love to describe in few words that I dedicate to the beauty and glory of marigold flowers, I hope my words will help readers to get to know about the beauty of this flowering plant.

Introduction

Marigold or Tagetes is a genus of annual herbaceous flowering plants and is found to be originated in America. There are perennial varieties too. Size of the plant can vary from 0.1 to 2.2 metres tall and flower size from 4 to 6 centimetres in diameter. 

Flowers of this flowering plant can be of yellow, orange, golden, and white colour. The beautiful flowers are known for musky or pungent smell. There are more than 50 varieties that you can grow in your garden.

I love to grow this flowering plant in my terrace garden every year for embracing the beauty, smell and effects that it spreads in my surrounding.

Marigold also helps to keep pests away and the perennial varieties are known to repel rodents, but not the annual ones. Quite easy to grow and care for, this flowering plant can be an ideal choice for beginners as well as for experts.

How to grow marigold?

To grow marigold, you will need to know about these basic points that will make you expert in gardening. I will discuss these points in detail, keep reading very carefully and do not miss any of these points!

Growing Season

Marigold can be easily grown in hardiness zones 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11. The time of sowing seeds can differ from place to place.

If you are living in tropical to sub tropical regions that faces hot summer then you can start growing this plant during fall or late summer.

But if you are living in temperate or hilly regions that have colder climate then you can start growing this flowering plant during early to late spring season.

Potting Mix

To grow marigold, you do not need to care much about potting mix, just make sure that soil used is well drained. Sandy loam soil rich in organic matter is good for growing marigold.

Although if you are still want to prepare potting mix then, prepare with 70% normal garden soil + 30% any organic compost like vermicompost.

If your soil is clayey then mix additional 20% river sand in the potting mix.

Selection of Pot

You can select pot of various sizes ranging from 6 to 12 inch sized pot. It is considered best to grow marigold in earthen pots that have at least 3 to 4 drainage holes at the bottom.

Waterlogging in the pot should be avoided.

Propagation

You can either purchase healthy seedlings from the nearest plant nursery and can directly transplant them in your growing pots or you can purchase seeds from the market to propagate them.

To propagate marigold from seeds follow these important points:

• Prepare germination potting mix with 40% cocopeat + 30% vermicompost + 30% cow dung manure. Mix them together very well.

• Fill the germination tray or container with this potting mix and leave some space at the top for watering purpose. Apply water gently in the container.

• Sow the seeds by keeping 1 centimetre distance between each seeds. Cover the sown seeds with a very thin layer of potting mix.

• Apply water gently after sowing, do not over water. Keep the germination container in shade and check regularly for soil moisture.

• Whenever top layer of the soil seems dry apply a little amount of water carefully. Within 10 days you will notice new seedlings coming out of the soil.

After near about 25 to 30 days, seedlings will become ready to be transplanted. 

Transplantation

When your seedlings reaches 4 inches height then you can start transplanting them. To transplant, follow these points very carefully.

• Fill the selected pot for growing marigold with growing potting mix and leave one to two inch space at the top for watering and applying fertilizers.

• Take out the seedlings very carefully, one by one with the help of gardening tool like trovel, do not damage the roots while transplanting.

• Dig a hole in the centre of the growing pot and plant your seedlings, cover the base properly with potting mix and apply pressure around the base of the plant carefully to fix it in the pot.

Apply water gently after transplantation and keep the pot in semi shade for around 5 days till your plant gets well established in the new pot.

Marigold care Guide

There are few basic points that are required to make your plant happier, these important points will also help you to get heavy bloom on your marigold plant, read these points very carefully to get heavy bloom in marigold.

Sunlight

Marigold loves bright sunlight to grow and bloom properly, place the growing pot in the region where your plant can receive around 5 to 6 hours of sunlight daily.

Sunlight plays a very important role in the growth of a plant, if your space doesn’t receive good amount of sunlight then you can use grow lights.

Watering

Marigold can survive draught condition but soggy or constant wet soil can cause root rot disease in your plant that can ultimately damage the plant. Ensure proper drainage in the growing pot.

For watering keep checking soil moisture daily, whenever top layer of the soil seems dry then apply water in the pot during early mornings or evenings. 

Fertilizers

Excess amount of fertilizers can damage marigold instead of heavy bloom. Therefore, do not add excessive fertilizer. Start feeding your plant 30 days after transplantation.

You can add half teaspoon NPK in the ratio 5:10:5, once after every month, if you want to grow inorganically. In organic way, you can add a handful of organic manure along with half teaspoon bone meal once in every month.

Pest & Diseases

Disease like gray mould, powdery mildew, bacterial leaf spot and root rot can damage your plants. Pest like spider mites and leaf miner can damage your plant.

However, pest attack is not so common in this plant, but you should keep checking for diseases. If you want to learn on how to control powdery mildew disease then you can check out the link given below.

READ MORE: HOW TO CONTROL POWDERY MILDEW?

I hope this article has helped you to understand on how to grow, and care for marigold plants. If you have any queries related to grow this plant then you can leave your comment below.