Easily Grown Flowers for Gardens and Greenhouses
Marigolds ( Tagetes ) are annuals of heavy ornamental note value during the summer and fall months . They are natives of Mexico andSouth Americaand belong to the Daisy family , Compositae . The name is said to have been derived from a mythological deity , Tages . These Marigolds are quite distinct from the Pot Marigold or Calendula .
The two primary type ofTagetes are the African Marigold , Tagetes erecta , and the French Marigold , Tagetes patula . The former reaches a altitude of 2 - 4 ft . and assume large , individual or double blossom of orange or yellow coloring ; the latter spring up from 9 in . to 2 ft . high and the flowers are yellow , or yellow mark off with ruby - chocolate-brown . In late years hybrids between the African and French miscellanea have been rise . In add-on , two other species of Tagetes are grown in gardens , Tageteslucida , the odorous - scented Marigold , and Tagetes tenuifolia ( signata ) .
The African Marigoldsare represented by legion freehanded double varieties which bear large , rounded efflorescence in Orange River and various shades of yellowed , on unattackable stem . They are highly useful in garden beds and boundary line during the summer months . Much try has been drop in attempt to develop a white - flowered variety and while not yet successful some modern varieties have pallid creamy yellow flowers .
In the height of plants and form of blossom , there is considerable variation , and groups of varieties are designated in seedman ’s catalogs as Carnation Flowered and Chrysanthemum Flowered . There are many other diversity with flowers in many clear-cut shapes and forms , and some even with odorless foliage . If the plants are well grown they will last in bloom until trim down by frost , and provide smart as a whip masses of semblance in the garden in autumn . They are useful as cut flowers .
When to Sow Seeds
The African Marigolds may be raise from semen sow about 6 weeks before the plants are to be planted outdoors , in a greenhouse in which a temperature of 50 - 55 grade is maintained . The seeds are sown in pot or flat tire filled with sifted sandy soil ; they are gently covered with like soil and the containers are cover with glass and shaded from sunshine . If kept moist , the source will shoot in a few daylight .
When the seedlings are 1 - 2 in . high up , they should be transplanted to flats 3 - 4 in . deep , fill with a sandy , loamy compost ; they are placed 3 in . aside . They should remain in the flats until it is time to engraft them out of door after danger of frost has passed and the weather is affectionate and settled . For two or three hebdomad after transplanting to flats the seedlings should be kept in the nursery to aid them to become build quickly . later on , they are grown in a cold frame , and as the clip for planting pass near , they are hardened off by air the frame more freely , and finally are fully exposed to the air .
It is also quite practicable togrow African Marigolds by sowing the seedsin the locations where the plants are to remain , but the plants get by this method will not flower quite so early as those raise under glassful . The seeds are scattered lightly in a well - prepared seedbed outdoors as shortly as peril from rime has passed , and the seedling are slenderize out until they are not less than 10 in . apart .
African marigold must be chosen in a location fully exposed to the sunshine ; they are not successful in suspect place . It is a misapprehension to specify them in very rich dirt , or they will get rank , exuberant growth at the expense of flower product . They should be plant 12 - 15 in . asunder .
The French Marigolds
The potpourri of these vary in height from 6 - 24 inches . The taller ace are useful for group towards the front of prime borders and produce cut bloom ; the very gnome ones are unremarkably used for edging flower beds . There are both doubly - flowered and single - flowered varieties .
Among the dwarfer varietiesNaughty Mariettais popular . It has rich golden - yellow flowers attractively marked with dark-brown - blood-red . The single flowers of Red Head have a crested center of yellow and maroon and surrounding petals of mahogany , bronze and gold . gay has single , bright yellow-bellied flower mark with cerise at the bases of the petal . Ruffled Red has Venetian red - red flowers edge with yellow . All these are single - flowered potpourri . Of the dwarf double French Marigolds , some of the best are Spry , maroon with bright golden centers ; Tangerine , bright tangerine - orange;Lemon Drop , clean Citrus limon - yellow ; and Yellow Pygmy , with tiny , light yellowish chrysanthemum - comparable flowers . There are individual forms of the tall French Marigolds , but these are not so democratic as the dwarf varieties .
French Marigolds require the same general cultural charge as that detailed for African Marigolds . They may be begin in a nursery or upgrade from seeds sown directly alfresco . If sown straight outdoors the seedling sprout quickly , provided they are hold on moist . They must be thinned out in unspoilt fourth dimension to earmark them to develop sturdily .
It is a mistake togrowthese plant in too rich a soil , for they will make vigorous growth but will not bloom very freely . Neither is it wise to plant them anywhere except in full cheerfulness , for in tincture or partial shade they become very leafy , and their blossoming is disappointing .
African-French Hybrid Marigolds
A race of crossbreed between the African and French Marigolds , raised in America in recent age , are bring up Burpee ’s Red and Gold Hybrids . As yet the mental strain is not repair and theplants vary in the color of the flowersthey produce . Some are unanimous red , some solid yellow , others various combinations of red and golden - lily-livered . bloom colors vary on the same plants at different period during the time of year . The flower are double , 2 - 3 in . in diameter ; the plants are bushy and grow about 18 in . marvelous .
These African - French HybridMarigoldsrequire the same finish as their parent types . They bloom throughout the summer and fall and are good cut flowers . Because the tune is not fixed a few honest African Marigolds usually appear among the seedlings . Even while they are very pocket-size it is easy to segregate these from the hybrids because the African type has green stems whereas those of the hybrids are red . The African Marigolds normally grow tall than the hybrid and should be engraft separately .
Other Kinds of Tagetes
A Tagetes of very distinct visual aspect and of great charm and usefulness is T. tenuifolia ( signata ) pumila . In recent years this has been listed under the name of Dwarf Signet Marigold . It is a indigene of Mexico and form a broad , shaggy-haired works 1 ft . or less tall . It has finely divided foliage and bears a multitude of exclusive , aureate - orange flowers about 1 in . in diameter , each with but few beam floweret .
Tagetes tenuifoliavariety pumila requires the same cultural upkeep as the dwarf French Marigolds and , like them , is a splendid subject for planting in groups at the figurehead of borders , for have a go at it and for set out as edging to blossom beds .
The Sweet - scented Marigold , Tagetes lucida , is an attractive metal money from Mexico that does not appear to be very much cultivated . It grow about 1 ft . tall , hasfragrant foliage and carries its golden or orange - yellow flowersin dense terminal clump . It requires the same cultural fear as the other kinds .
In Greenhouses
All kinds of Tagetes are usefulplants for growing in nursery for winterand spring display . They are elegantpot plantsand are also useful as cut flowers . Some seedmen offer special winter - flowering variety that flower freely even when days are short and light is less acute than in the summertime .
One of the good of these is call Lieb ’s Winter Flowering .
For winter bloom , the semen should be sown in August or September ; for spring bloom , sow in them in January . The seedlings should be transplant to flats , or individually to small-scale pots , and afterward pot in prominent receptacle as take . hatful mensurate 5 - 7 in . in diam are acceptable size in which to let the plants flower . Good results may be had by raise either one or three works in each sight .
The grime for Tagetes develop in greenhouse should not be overrich but well - drained . When the plants have filled their net pile with base , hebdomadary applications of diluted smooth fertilizer will be very beneficial .
At all metre these plants must be exposed to full Lord’s Day and should be supply with airy , rather nerveless condition . A night temperature of 50 degree is ample ; on deadening twenty-four hours the temperature may climb up about 5 degrees and on gay day 10 or even 15 degrees .
By supplementing daylight with artificial light ( either of the fluorescent or incandescent form ) originally and more flowers can be obtained from Tagetes farm in nursery in winter .
