Marigold: Annual Herb Seed Planting Methods, Flowering Time, and Whether It Can Be Placed in the Bedroom

Marigold is an annual herb of the genus Tagetes in the Asteraceae family, with an upright, stout stem that has fine longitudinal ridges, and branches spreading upward and flat. It is distributed throughout China, mostly growing in roadside meadows. So do you know what the seed planting methods for marigold are? When does it bloom? Can it be placed in the bedroom? What value does it have? According to marigold grower Uncle Chen, because technology is now very mature, they can be sown all year round, so their flowering time is no longer fixed. Generally, if sown in spring, the flowering period is in summer; if sown in summer, the flowering period is in autumn.

Marigold Seed Planting Methods

Growing Seedlings

1. Seedling time, area, and seed quantity: The seedling time can be determined according to the transplanting time. Generally, spring marigolds are grown as seedlings about 40d before transplanting. For every 667 sq m of spring marigolds planted, a seedbed of 20--25 sq m is needed, using about 30g of seed.

2. Seedling method: Spring-sown marigolds use cold frames or small arched sheds for seedling raising, mostly small arched sheds. Choose a seedbed that is sheltered from the wind and faces the sun, preferably running east to west. The width and length of the seedbed should be suitable for the size of the film and ease of management; generally the width should not exceed 1.3m. The height of the arched shed should preferably be about 60cm. For the film, it is best to choose a drip-free film with good warming and heat-retention performance.

3. Preparing the bed and fertilizing: Marigold has low soil requirements, but soil with deep, loose, well-drained and air-permeable layers should be chosen. Rake to a depth of 20--25cm so that the surface soil is soft and fine and the field surface is level. For every 667 sq m of seedbed planted, apply 200kg of farmyard manure and 2kg of chrysanthemum-specific fertilizer. Turn the farmyard manure into the ground, evenly scatter the chemical fertilizer on the bed surface, then use a hoe to work it into the ground, and then rake it fine and level.

4. Seed treatment: First select the seeds, removing impurities and shriveled seeds to ensure the seeds are plump. Then sun the selected seeds to kill pathogens, enhance seed vigor, and increase the germination rate. Before sowing, soak the seeds in warm water at 35--40°C for 3--4h, then remove them, rinse once with clean water, and drain the water before sowing. To prevent seedling-stage diseases, thiophanate-methyl or chlorothalonil can be used for seed dressing.

5. Sowing: Sowing should be done on a windless, sunny day. On the day of sowing, water the seedbed thoroughly, and sow once the water has seeped down. When sowing, mix the treated seeds with fine sandy soil and scatter them over the seedbed in 2--3 passes. After sowing, cover with sieved soil 0.7--1cm deep.

6. Seedbed management: Spring-sown marigolds emerge fully 6--7d after sowing. After the seedlings emerge fully, note that the temperature inside the seedbed must not exceed 30°C, so as to avoid burning the seedlings and root rot. When the seedlings grow to about 3cm and the first pair of true leaves unfolds, attention should be paid to ventilation to prevent leggy growth. Keep the temperature inside the seedbed at 25--27°C. Ventilation should be done at 8--9 am, and not during the high temperatures at noon, so as to avoid damaging the seedlings. If there is windy and cooling weather, stop ventilation.

When the outdoor average temperature is steadily above 12°C, choose a clear, windless day, uncover the film, and remove weeds in the seedbed. If water is lacking, spray once thoroughly, cover the film well, and enlarge the ventilation openings. Do not water the seedbed too frequently; it is best to keep the bed soil alternately dry and moist.

When the outdoor temperature is steadily at 15°C, the film should be uncovered to harden the seedlings. About 7d before transplanting, stop watering and carry out pre-transplanting hardening of the seedlings in preparation for transplanting.

Transplanting

1. Transplanting time: Marigolds can be transplanted when the seedling stem is 0.3cm thick, the plant height is 15--20cm, and 3--4 pairs of true leaves have appeared.

2. Planting method: Use wide-narrow row planting, with large rows at 70cm, small rows at 50cm, and plant spacing at 25cm, leaving 4500 plants per 667 sq m, and planting by row according to large and small seedlings.

3. Plastic film mulching: Use plastic film mulching to raise soil temperature and promote earlier flowering and maturity.

4. Watering: After transplanting, irrigate heavily by flooding to promote early recovery and early rooting.

Can Marigold Be Placed in the Bedroom?

Although marigold has a somewhat distinctive scent, it can be placed in the bedroom. Its flowers are particularly large and also very vivid, and it is generally very good for ornamental viewing when placed in a room. If a pot of marigold is placed in the bedroom, it can regulate the environment in the room, giving a warm feeling and looking very harmonious. Moreover, if it is placed in the bedroom in summer, it can effectively drive flies and mosquitoes out of the room, so it is a very good natural mosquito repellent incense. From this point of view, placing marigold in the bedroom can not only make the environment better, but also help us repel insects, so it is very suitable for placing in the bedroom.

What Value Does Marigold Have?

1. Marigold can calm the liver and clear heat, dispel wind, and resolve phlegm. It effectively treats symptoms such as dizziness and blurred vision, wind-fire eye pain, infantile convulsions, cold and cough, and whooping cough. Take an appropriate amount of fresh marigold root, mash it, and apply it to the affected area. It can treat carbuncles, sores, swelling, and poisoning, etc.

2. Marigold is bitter and slightly pungent in taste, cool in nature. The flowers have the effects of calming the liver and clearing heat, dispelling wind, and resolving phlegm. The roots have the effects of detoxifying and reducing swelling. When marigold is used to treat symptoms such as wind-fire eye pain, dim vision, and cold and cough, fumigation and washing play a considerable role in postpartum uterine prolapse.

3. Marigold has strong resistance to and absorption of sulfur dioxide, hydrogen fluoride, chlorine, and lead in the air, as well as harmful gases released from household appliances, decorative materials, and plastic products. It can also absorb a certain amount of aluminum vapor, making it a fairly good flower for monitoring environmental pollution.