Marigold High-Efficiency Planting Technique Tutorial, Latest Cultivation Methods Explained
Marigolds have colorful and vivid flowers, bloom profusely, have a long flowering period, and are easy to cultivate, making them an excellent landscaping and street greening and beautification material. Marigolds prefer a warm, sunny environment and also tolerate early frost; they can still grow at short-term low temperatures of 2-3°C. They are not demanding about soil, tolerate transplanting, and bear many brightly colored flowers. They grow quickly, are easy to cultivate, and have relatively few pests and diseases.
Seedling Raising and Planting
Marigolds are mostly grown from seed for seedlings, and can also be propagated by cuttings. The former method is mostly used for large-area planting, while the latter is often used for cultivating rare varieties.
Seed sowing for seedlings can be done throughout the year. Usually, spring sowing produces autumn flowers, and summer sowing produces autumn and winter flowers. The seeds germinate easily and can self-sow and propagate. From late March to early April, prepare the ground and make beds, then cover the seeds with 0.8 cm of soil after sowing. Then water with a fine-rose watering can to keep the soil moist. At a temperature of 20-21°C, the seeds germinate and emerge 1 week after sowing, and in about half a month the leaves reach 7 in number, at which point they can be transplanted. The optimum temperature for seedling growth is 15°C. When the seedlings are 10-13 cm tall, they can be planted out at a spacing of 30-35 cm. Early-maturing varieties have a short vegetative growth period and bloom in about 40 days, while late-maturing varieties bloom in about 90 days, with a flowering period of 2 months.
During the growing period in May-June, cut vigorous young shoots with 3-4 nodes, 6-10 cm long, and insert them under a shade frame for cutting propagation. Use washed river sand or garden soil as the medium. Insert to a depth of 2-3 cm and keep the soil moist. They root after 2 weeks, are ready to leave the nursery and be planted out after 3 weeks, and bloom in about 1 month. When cutting in large quantities, use the full-light misting method, and perlite can be used as the medium. Because misting increases air humidity, the cuttings do not need shading during the day after insertion, and more leaves can be left on the cuttings than in conventional seedling raising. They root in about 1 week, and are then transplanted.
Field Management
If marigolds are planted in sunny, loose and fertile soil, there is no need to apply much fertilizer after planting. If the soil is poor, during peak growth periods such as the bud stage and flowering stage, spray the leaves 2-3 times with 0.3% urea solution, adding 0.5% monopotassium phosphate. Because they are relatively drought-tolerant, apart from watering during especially dry summer periods, they generally do not need watering.
Shaping and Pruning
Pinching off side buds at the seedling stage favors the growth of the terminal bud and elongation of the flower stalks, making the plants suitable for flower bed displays. In summer, plants tend to grow excessively and should be pruned in time to control height. After pinching off the terminal bud, the plants are shorter and bloom earlier, making the flowering period easy to control. Because the flowering period is long, plants tend to lodge in the later growth stage, and the branches and leaves tend to wither and age, so overly dense stems and leaves and spent flowers should be removed in time. Tall and medium-stemmed varieties must be supported with stakes and double wires to hold up the stems and prevent lodging from wind.
Pest Control
When the hot summer heat arrives and there is little rain and the air is dry, red spider mites are likely to cause damage. In addition to choosing well-ventilated plots, it is advisable to spray high-efficiency, low-toxicity pesticides early for control.