Content
Planting and caring for calendula in open ground does not cause any trouble for gardeners. This annual plant is undemanding, can grow on almost any soil and does not need special attention. Initially, marigolds were grown as a medicinal crop and as a seasoning, but now they often decorate flower beds and flower beds.
Planting calendula in the front garden gives it bright orange and yellow colors.
When to plant calendula seeds in open ground
Despite the fact that when growing a crop through seedlings it blooms earlier, many gardeners most often decide to plant calendula directly in open ground. This happens because the plant will still bloom and will not suffer from nighttime drops in temperature.
The plant is usually sown at the end of March, April or May, but even if you are a little late and sow at the beginning of summer, the calendula will still bloom in July, will not require special care and will decorate the flower beds until the cold weather arrives. Less commonly, calendula is sown in open ground before winter. In this case, work begins around the end of October-November, after the arrival of the first frosts.
How to plant calendula seeds in open ground
Growing calendula from seeds in open ground will not cause problems and will not raise questions even for novice gardeners. The culture is unpretentious in care; even on weak soil it always looks beautiful and emits a pleasant aroma. It is worth noting that the flower is quickly accepted, actively develops, and gives good self-seeding. It grows rapidly in open ground and fills all the empty space in the garden bed.
The Mediterranean coast is considered the birthplace of calendula.
Choosing a landing site
Despite the fact that it is easy to plant calendula in open ground with seeds, it is advisable to first find and prepare a suitable place for it. To achieve abundant flowering, it is best if the planting and care of the crop is carried out in a well-lit and warm area, and it is not scary if the flowerbed is located even in a place that is too sunny. In partial shade, calendula can also grow, but it will not bloom so abundantly and brightly.
Planting a plant in open ground should also be done in a place protected from strong winds, since a draft can break the fragile shoots of the flower.
Sometimes calendula is placed between beds with vegetable crops, where it brings many benefits: its aroma attracts pollinating insects, and phytoncides reduce the risk of fungal infections and repel pests - caterpillars, nematodes, rattles, cabbage flies. Planting and caring for a plant in open ground is similar to cultivating many vegetables; the crop will serve as a good companion for tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, beans, asparagus, parsley, onions, and celery.
In open ground, calendula is usually planted immediately in a permanent place, but sometimes it is placed in a nursery and transplanted closer to summer. Seedlings of the crop hardly notice the change in location and quickly adapt to the new bed.
Soil preparation
Care, as well as planting of calendula, can be carried out in any type of open ground, including calcareous or poor soil. However, most of all the plant prefers light, moderately fertile soil with a good drainage layer. Calendula has no special requirements for soil acidity; it can withstand a pH range from 4.5 to 8.
Planting and caring for marigolds can also be done in a pot. Some gardeners grow them on balconies and terraces.
When sowing, the soil in an open area should first be dug up and a leavening agent in the form of sand, peat or vermiculite should be added to it. It is also useful to add ash, manure or humus, and potash fertilizers.
If planting is carried out in the fall, then the soil is prepared in advance, about two weeks before the work.In this case, superphosphate is used as a fertilizer instead of potassium.
Seed preparation
Calendula seedlings, if they are fresh, do not need pre-treatment. But if the seeds are more than two years old, then before they are planted, it is advisable to take measures to improve germination. To do this, planting material is usually soaked for half an hour in a solution of any growth stimulant, which, in its absence, can be replaced with aloe juice or honey.
Planting scheme
In open ground, planting medicinal and decorative calendula takes place according to different schemes: in the first case, the interval between plants in a row should be 7-10 cm, in the second 25-30 cm, and row spacing should be within 30 and 60 cm, respectively.
To sow one square meter of flower bed, about 2 g of planting material is usually required, which is placed in shallow grooves and sprinkled with a thin layer (1-1.5 cm) of soil on top.
In favorable conditions, calendula shoots appear very quickly, already on the fourth day. The flowering of the crop begins approximately one and a half to two months after sowing the seeds.
If calendula is planted before winter, then the seeds are sown with a reserve
Caring for calendula in open ground
Calendula flowers, which are usually planted and cared for in open ground, require virtually no attention. The gardener performs the usual procedures: watering, weeding, loosening, fertilizing. The only subtlety in care is cutting off the open buds in order to increase the duration and abundance of flowering. If this rule is followed, the splendor of the plant's bushes will be guaranteed until late autumn.
Watering
Caring for young calendula seedlings in open ground involves regular watering, which promotes better survival. Mature plants cope well with drought and need to be moistened as the top layer of soil dries. It is allowed to water daily, but with a small amount of water.
To keep the moisture in the ground longer and keep the roots cool, caring for the bushes involves mulching the beds. To do this, choose materials such as hay or crushed bark.
Fertilizer
Caring for calendula in open ground does not require fertilizing, but a moderate amount will benefit the crop. As a fertilizer, it will be enough to add compost when planting, or at the initial stage of development, feed it with Frtika or Kemira.
If the area is well fertilized, the bushes can produce abundant green mass, but poor flowering
Trimming
Caring for flowerbeds with calendula in the open ground involves regularly cutting off its fading heads. In addition, experienced gardeners recommend pruning the bushes well in early August so that they rise above the ground by no more than 25 cm to ensure abundant flowering.
Wintering
Calendula is an annual plant, so it does not need pre-winter care, and even if planting was done in the fall, nothing is done to the beds either.The only thing is that when grown in cold regions, they are sometimes sprinkled with mulch.
In the case when calendula is already growing on the site, then you don’t have to worry about planting it at all. If you leave several bushes with buds in the open ground, the seeds that have fallen from them will ripen well on their own and will produce many shoots in the spring.
Protection from diseases and pests
Although growing and caring for calendula is easy, sometimes gardeners encounter some troubles in the form of diseases or insects on the plant. Most often, marigolds are susceptible to powdery mildew and black spot. Even the slightest damage to illnesses affects their health, which is why the fight against diseases must begin as soon as possible.
Among the pests, calendula is of great interest to slugs, therefore, in order to prevent them, it is recommended to scatter ash or crushed egg shells around the plants. Also, flower bushes are often attacked by aphids, which should be combated by spraying the plantings with a soap solution.
Calendula repels other insects, except aphids and snails.
Conclusion
Planting and caring for calendula in open ground does not cause trouble for gardeners. This plant blooms well and develops in almost any area, looks great in flower beds and coexists with any crops. A rich assortment of different varieties of calendula allows you to include it in the landscape design of a garden made in any style, as well as decorate balconies and verandas with it.Planting and caring for a flower is also carried out with the aim of repelling pests in the garden, using it in cooking and folk medicine.
