Content
Most people living on Russian soil have marigolds growing in their flower beds. Most likely, few people know that these beloved flowers came to us from America. In some regions of Russia and Ukraine, marigolds are better known as Chernobyvtsi.
In this article we will talk about the features of growing mimimix marigolds. I would like to immediately note that these flowers are unpretentious, so even a novice gardener 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.
The 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.
The leaves may also differ depending on the variety. They are pinnately divided or pinnately dissected. Some varieties have whole or serrated 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 love 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. There are approximately 280–700 seeds in one gram. The aroma of the plants is quite specific, some people do not like it, it resembles the smell of asters.
Features of the variety
The mimimix variety of marigold 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 bush of marigold mimimix is completely covered with miniature inflorescences.
Mimimix marigolds have thin, graceful leaves. The aroma of flowers is very gentle and pleasant. The height of branching bushes can reach up to 40 cm. Chernobryvtsy mimimiks have a powerful root system. The inflorescences are 2 cm in diameter and come in red, yellow and orange. Mimimix marigold bushes form approximately 2 months after sowing, after which they begin to bloom.
Varieties of marigolds mimimix:
- Bordeaux.
- Orange
- Ed.
- Yellow.
Growing from seeds
Although growing 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 have a slightly acidic or neutral pH.
- Mimimix marigolds are drought tolerant.
- The plants are thermophilic and die at the first frost.
Preparing seeds 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. Sprouts will appear in 3 days.
You can collect seeds for sowing yourself. The seed plants should remain on the bushes until they are completely dry. Then the seeds should be extracted from them, and then they are thoroughly dried. Seeds are better preserved in paper bags.
Planting 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, stretch out and, as a result, rot. The seeds should be sprinkled with a small layer of soil and gently watered with water. Maintain a moderate irrigation regime until seedlings appear. As soon as two or three leaves have appeared, the seedlings can be transplanted to a permanent growing location, if you did not plant the flowers in a flower bed. Plant bushes at intervals of approximately 150–200 mm. The depth of the roots of the bushes is approximately 5 cm.
The rule applies to marigolds: “The sooner you plant them, the sooner you can enjoy their flowering.” You can sow marigold mimimix seeds for seedlings in early spring, but this means that they need to be stored in a warm, well-lit and ventilated room. Planting seedlings in open ground can be done 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. At night, the seedlings should be brought back into the room. 7 days after hardening, they can be sent to open ground.
Soil preparation means adding sand, peat, humus and turf in a ratio of 0.5:1:1:1. To prevent the death of marigolds due to blackleg, provide the flowers with drainage. It can be made using a three-centimeter layer of crushed stone, sand and expanded clay. Before planting, you can add organic matter to the soil. You cannot use fresh manure for this. If after planting the seedlings the hydrometeorological center reports frosts, then to preserve the marigolds, cover them with film.
Features of growing in the Siberian climate
If you live in a cold region of Russia, then the seedling method should be used to plant marigolds. The period for planting marigolds in Siberia depends on weather conditions. Seeds are sown in early March or mid-April. To ensure early flowering, sowing marigold seeds of all types, including mimimix, is carried out in winter. However, for this you need to organize additional lighting and the temperature necessary for the development of healthy seedlings.
Landing stages
So, in order to successfully grow marigold mimimix seeds in Siberia, it is important to follow a certain sequence of actions:
- Soil preparation. The loose soil in which marigold bushes will develop well should include humus, peat, turf and a little sand. In addition, it would be a good idea to disinfect the soil. To do this, many experienced gardeners use a medium-strong or fungicidal solution of manganese.
- Preparing containers. To provide the plants with good drainage, expanded clay, crushed stone and sand are poured to a thickness of 3 cm at the bottom of the container, after which the container is filled with prepared soil.
- Sowing is carried out by digging long holes. The seeds are placed at a distance of 2 cm from each other. The seeds are sprinkled with soil no thicker than 1 cm.
- Watering is carried out so as not to wash the seeds onto the surface of the soil. It is better to use a spray bottle for these purposes.
- If you decide to germinate the seeds before sowing 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. This way, the plants will have enough strength to develop a healthy root system, and they will not stretch out.
2-3 weeks after planting in cups, the roots of marigolds will occupy all their space. In this case, they need to be transplanted into open ground, but provided that it is already warm enough outside and frost is 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 reduced by half after the first inflorescences appear. You need to weed the soil around the stems and fluff it up, then the plants will bloom profusely and for a long time.
Conclusion
Mimimix marigolds look very beautiful on balconies and windows of houses, as they are graceful and delicate. You should care for such a flowerbed in the same way as you would care for flowers planted in the garden, front yard or garden.
We also invite you to watch a video on growing marigolds:
