What are the home care principles for French marigold?

1. Light adjustment

French marigold is a sun-loving plant; both growth and flowering require ample sunlight, and sufficient light also helps prevent the plant from becoming leggy. In hot seasons, direct sunlight should be avoided, and shade and cooling are needed around midday.

2. Temperature control

After potting, the temperature can be lowered to 18°C, and after a few weeks it can be reduced to 15°C; before and after flowering it can go as low as 12-14°C. This temperature range is ideal for forming a good plant shape, but in actual production it may be difficult to achieve these conditions. So generally speaking, as long as it is above 5°C it will not suffer frost damage, and it can grow well between 10-30°C.

3. Water and fertilizer management

The key to water management is using a well-drained medium. Although keeping the medium moist is important, proper drying before each watering is necessary; of course, the medium must not be allowed to dry out so much that the plant wilts. For those grown entirely in artificial medium, fertilizer can be applied alternately once every 7-10 days. When winter temperatures are low, the amount of fertilizer used should be reduced. If ordinary soil is used as the medium, a compound fertilizer can be mixed in an appropriate amount as a base fertilizer before potting. When fertility is insufficient, apply additional fertilizer as a top dressing.