How to Grow Calendula? Detailed Guide to Cultivation Methods and Precautions
Calendula is a biennial herbaceous plant in the Asteraceae family, with very high ornamental value. It is distributed throughout various regions of our country, and calendula is very suitable for decorating gardens and cities. Moreover, calendula is rich in vitamins, can be used for brewing tea, and also has the effects of relieving spasms and promoting digestion. So how should calendula be cultivated? Today, the editor brings you the cultivation methods and precautions for calendula. Let's take a look!
1. Soil Selection
Before cultivating calendula, we first need to choose the planting soil. The soil should mainly be deep, soft, and well-drained. Every spring, after the temperature gradually rises and the soil's tillage layer slowly thaws, we should do a good job of soil preparation, plowing the soil to a depth of about 22 cm. Break up the surface soil into fine particles, then compact the soil and level the field surface. When preparing the soil, we can also apply an appropriate amount of base fertilizer according to the soil fertility. The base fertilizer should mainly be organic fertilizer, combined with an appropriate amount of compound fertilizer such as nitrogen fertilizer and phosphorus fertilizer.
2. Propagation Methods
The propagation method of calendula is mainly seed sowing. The best sowing time is autumn and early spring, and if conditions permit, sowing can be done in a greenhouse. First, select good seeds, mainly plump seeds without wounds, and remove shriveled seeds. Under normal circumstances, the weight of 120 seeds is about one gram. It is best to disinfect and germinate the seeds, and if growing in pots, the soil also needs to be disinfected. After sowing, cover with a layer of fine soil, and germination will occur in about a week. The germination rate of the seeds is generally around 80%, and their viability can last up to three years.
3. Water and Fertilizer Management
Calendula has a relatively high demand for water. If water is insufficient, it will cause the plant to be short and reduce its ornamental value. However, overwatering can easily cause the plant to grow excessively, leading to a lower flowering rate. Therefore, we should pay attention to controlling watering. Generally, watering should be done once each in June, July, and August. Control the amount of watering according to the soil moisture, and then during the bud stage, watering should be combined with fertilization. To improve the flowering rate and flower quality, if the purpose is to harvest fresh flowers, then appropriate foliar fertilization should also be applied to increase the number of flowers.
4. Precautions
When planting calendula, temperature is something we need to pay extra attention to. The temperature for calendula growth is generally around 5-15 degrees. If the temperature is too low, cover with plastic film to avoid frost damage, but the winter temperature should not exceed 10 degrees, otherwise calendula is prone to growing excessively. In summer, pay attention to cooling down to avoid high temperatures affecting the growth of calendula. Then also pay attention to controlling light, and it should not be exposed to direct light to prevent the leaves from being scorched. However, it also should not be placed in a dark environment, otherwise it is also very unfavorable for its growth.
The above is a brief introduction to the cultivation methods and precautions for calendula. That's all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only, and I hope it can help everyone!