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Most people living on the territory of the Russian land have marigolds growing on flower beds. Most likely, few people know that these beloved flowers came to us from America. In some regions of Russia and in Ukraine, marigolds are better known as black-cutters.
This article will discuss the features of growing mimimics marigolds. Immediately I would like to note that these flowers are unpretentious, therefore, even a novice florist can cope with their cultivation.
General information
In Latin, marigolds sound like Tagetes. They belong to the Asteraceae or Asteraceae family. They are annual and perennial. In America, marigolds are wild plants that grow from New Mexico to Argentina.
Stems are branched, erect, from which a compact or spreading bush is formed. The height of the plant, depending on the variety, varies from 20 to 120 cm. All types of marigolds have a fibrous root system.
Leaves can also vary depending on the variety. They are pinnately dissected or pinnately dissected. Some varieties have whole or toothed leaves. The color of the leaves varies depending on the variety - from light to dark green.
The inflorescences form baskets, which can be simple or double. The characteristic color palette of all varieties ranges from yellow to orange, from orange to brown. Many gardeners fell in love with marigolds because they have a long flowering period - from June to frost.
The seeds are dark brown or black in color and remain viable for 3-4 years. One gram contains about 280-700 seeds. The aroma of plants is quite specific, some people do not like it, it resembles the smell of asters.
Features of the variety
The marigold variety mimimix blooms throughout the warm season until the first frost. Mimimix is most often used to decorate borders. The bushes are compact and dense, as evidenced by the very name of the variety. The mimimix marigold bush is completely covered with miniature inflorescences.
Mimimix marigolds have thin graceful leaves. The aroma of flowers is very delicate and pleasant. The height of branching bushes can reach up to 40 cm. Chernobryvtsy mimimix have a powerful root system. The inflorescences are 2 cm in diameter, they are red, yellow and orange. Mimimix marigold bushes form about 2 months after sowing, after which they begin to bloom.
Varieties of marigold mimimics:
- Bordeaux.
- Orange
- Ed.
- Yellow.
Growing from seeds
Although the cultivation of marigolds is not particularly difficult, it is still important to take into account some features for the success of this business:
- Inflorescences do not develop well in partial shade, so it is better to plant the plants on the sunny side of the site.
- The soil should be slightly acidic or neutral pH.
- Mimimix marigolds are drought-resistant.
- Plants are thermophilic and die at the first frost.
Seed preparation for sowing
To improve the germination of seeds, they should be germinated before sowing.To do this, you need to spread the seeds on a damp cloth and place them in a cellophane bag. Such seeds are stored in a warm place. The sprouts will appear in 3 days.
Collecting seeds for sowing can be done independently. The testes should remain on the bushes until they are completely dry. Then the seeds should be removed from them, and then they are thoroughly dried. Seeds keep better in paper bags.
Landing in open ground
If you decide to sow seeds in open ground, then make wide holes. There should be 15 mm between the seeds so that the plants do not grow too densely, do not stretch and, as a result, do not rot. The seeds should be sprinkled with a small layer of earth and carefully watered with water. Observe a moderate irrigation regime until shoots appear. As soon as two or three leaves have appeared, the seedlings can be transplanted to a permanent growing place if you did not plant flowers in a flower bed. Plant the bushes at intervals of approximately 150-200 mm. The depth of the roots of the bushes is about 5 cm.
The rule applies to marigolds: "The sooner you plant them, the faster you can enjoy their flowering." It is possible to sow seeds of marigold mimimix for seedlings at the beginning of spring, but this implies that it must be stored in a warm, well-lit and ventilated room. Planting seedlings in open ground can be carried out no earlier than in May. However, the seedlings must first be taken out into the open air during the day so that they get used to the new conditions. The seedlings should be brought back indoors at night. 7 days after hardening, they can be sent to the open ground.
Soil preparation means the introduction of sand, peat, humus and turf in a ratio of 0.5: 1: 1: 1. To prevent the death of marigolds due to damage to the black leg, provide drainage to the flowers. It can be done using a three-centimeter layer of crushed stone, sand and expanded clay. Before planting, you can add organic matter to the soil. Fresh manure cannot be used for this. If, after planting the seedlings, the hydrometeorological center transmits frosts, then for the sake of preserving the marigolds, cover them with foil.
Features of growing in a Siberian climate
If you live in a cold region of Russia, then the seedling method should be used for planting marigolds. The landing period for marigolds in Siberia depends on weather conditions. Sowing seeds is carried out in early March or mid-April. To ensure early flowering, the sowing of seeds of marigolds of all types, including mimimics, is carried out in the winter. However, for this it is necessary to organize additional lighting and the temperature necessary for the development of healthy seedlings.
Disembarkation stages
So, in order to successfully grow mimimix marigold seeds in Siberia, it is important to follow a certain sequence of actions:
- Soil preparation. The composition of the loose soil in which the marigold bushes will develop well should include humus, peat, turf and a little sand. In addition, it would be nice to carry out disinfection of the soil. For this, many experienced flower growers use a medium-strong or fungicidal solution of manganese.
- Preparation of containers. To provide the plants with good drainage, expanded clay, crushed stone and sand are poured onto the bottom of the container to a thickness of 3 cm, after which the container is covered with prepared earth.
- Sowing is carried out by digging out long holes. Seeds are placed at a distance of 2 cm from each other.The seeds are sprinkled with earth no thicker than 1 cm.
- Watering is carried out so as not to wash the seeds to the surface of the soil. It is better to use a spray bottle for these purposes.
- If, before sowing seeds, you decide to germinate them, then use the recommendations previously outlined in this article.
After the seedlings germinate and produce 3 mature leaves, they need to be transplanted into separate cups. Thus, the plants will have enough strength to develop a healthy root system, in addition, they will not stretch.
2-3 weeks after planting in cups, the roots of marigolds will occupy all of their space. In this case, they need to be transplanted into open ground, but on condition that it is already warm enough outside and frosts are not expected.
Dwarf marigolds, which are mimimixes, are planted at a distance of about 20 cm from each other.After transplanting, they need to be watered abundantly and often, which will allow the plants to form a strong root system and large inflorescences.
Watering should be halved after the first inflorescences appear. Around the stems, you need to weed the soil and carry out its fluffing, then the plants will bloom profusely and for a long time.
Conclusion
Mimix marigolds look very beautiful on balconies and windows of houses, as they are graceful and delicate. You should take care of such a flower bed in the same way as for flowers planted in the garden, in the front garden or garden.
We also invite you to watch a video on the topic of growing marigolds:
