Everything You Want To Know About Marigold Plants
Marigold plants are annual, hardy and cheer up the appearance of any garden. They produce a few different color flowers with orange and yellow being the most common. Most flowers have a very pungent, strong odor that is used in cosmetic treatment to repair skin damage such as sunburn or broken capillaries. The sap from the stem is also used to treat warts, calluses and corns.
Types Of Marigold Plants
- American Marigolds – These are erect-growing, very tall plants that can mature at three feet tall. The flowers are large and globe-shaped and can often measure up to five inches across. These are considered ideal bedding plants and reach the flowering stage quite quickly.
- Signet Marigolds – These marigold plants produce very compact plants with lacy, finely divided foliage with clusters of single, small flowers. The signet marigold's flowers are edible and have a tarragon, spicy flavor. The foliage smells like lemons and they are excellent for edging or to be used in window boxes.
- French Marigolds – Flowers are orange, yellow and red, ranging from 5 to 18 inches tall. The flowers themselves are typically smaller in size with a width of about two inches. They are often used in mass plantings in beds, window boxes or other containers.
- Mule Marigolds – These are sterile hybrids of French and American Marigold plants. Mule marigolds are typically between 12 and 18 inches tall and although they portray the qualities of both plants, their germination rate is very low.
Growing Marigold Plants
Marigolds are typically propagated by seeds. After seeding, they usually require approximately 45 days or so to flower. Seeds should be sown around two centimeters apart and covered with a very light layer of potting soil. Water thoroughly and you should see growth in a couple of days. After leaves have formed, you can transplant them either outdoors or into individual containers.
Marigolds are quite robust plants that do not require much fussing over. They prefer a location of either partial or full sun in well-drained soil that is kept moist. Potash fertilizers can be added to the soil to help prolong the flowering period and you should pinch the first blooms before they have the chance to open. In doing so, your marigold plants will produce a greater number of flowers.
Maintenance
Marigold plants are fairly self-reliant but they do enjoy a little bit of care to offer their most bountiful bloom.
- Staking – It is recommended to provide taller marigold varieties with stakes to offer them protection from heavy rainfall and strong winds. Insert a stick of sturdy nature directly behind the plant and hold it in place with soft material or plastic.
- Pruning – Marigolds typically do not require very much pruning however, deadheading is always a good idea to suppress seeding and also encourage new blooms.
- Pests And Insects – Since marigolds offer such a pungent odor, they are really not troubled by many insects. The exception to this is that during the wet season, slugs can be bothersome. Using slug pellets will usually solve this problem.
Interesting Facts
- Marigolds are an effective herb that is used to treat skin problems that involve any type of inflammation of the skin including crural ulceration, hemorrhoids, varicose beings, anal fissures, sebaceous cysts, mastitis and impetigo.
- Macer suggest that marigolds improve eyesight back in the 12th century.
- In South Asia, thousands of very bright marigolds are used in garlands for decorating religious buildings and statues. They are also used in ceremonies such as weddings and funerals.
- Pigments from the flowers are often used as food coloring.