Tagetes patula - French marigold low orange-brown

Tagetes patula - Brown, Double Flowered

This annual from grandma's garden, better known as marigold, finds its place in every flower bed. It is also widely used for memorial plantings. The height of this variety is around 50 cm. Marigold flowers can be yellow, orange, red-brown, also bicolored, single, semi-double, double, with a strong scent. The diameter of flowers is 3 to 4 cm. It blooms throughout the summer until late autumn.

The flowers of some varieties have a pleasant citrus flavor and can be used sparingly as an aroma for salads, sandwiches or as decoration. An interesting fact for all gardeners may be that the secretions from the roots of growing plants have an insecticidal effect on the soil. They are very effective against nematodes and to some extent against slugs, but also work against some persistent weeds such as couch grass. Thanks to this, they are very widely used in so-called organic gardens and organic plant protection! Marigolds are suitable for cut and dried flowers.

How to Grow Marigolds

• Requires well-drained, moderately fertile soil in a sunny location. Plants love sunshine, but during prolonged drought they require watering. They do not tolerate heavy and moist clay soils, roots subsequently function poorly and rot as a result of waterlogging.

• We sow them in a hotbed, greenhouse or even on a windowsill, usually at the beginning of April. Germination begins at a temperature of 15 degrees. The easiest method is direct sowing in the flower bed in May after frosts.

• We plant in a mixture of horticultural substrate and compost. Or in special horticultural substrate.

• For balanced growth and flower setting, we fertilize once a week with complete fertilizer.

• Does not suffer from diseases and pests (the exception is slugs, which like to feast on them in the garden).