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There is something incredibly satisfying about growing your own flowers, all that hard work rewarded with beauty. If you want to instill a love of gardening in your children, then growing flowers from seed is an excellent way to begin, especially if you choose your flowers carefully. Marigolds are incredibly easy to grow, and the golden, cheerful, flowers you get are well worth it. Marigold seeds are easily available from any gardening shop, and online; you just need to choose the type of marigolds you want to grow.
Types of Marigold Seeds
Before planting marigold seeds, have a look at the varieties available. One variety of marigolds is "tagetes patula", more commonly known as French marigolds; with double or single flower heads. When buying French marigold seeds, you can choose from standard 5cm height marigolds, or the dwarf French marigolds. Marigolds are known for their golden yellows and oranges, but nowadays there are a range of shades in between, French crested marigolds offer the widest range and are known for the intensity of their colors and tight double blooms. Some French marigolds have single flowers with different colored edges, or stripes, they can look stunning The larger marigolds are "tagetes erecta" or the African marigold. These are taller than French marigolds, and when buying African marigold seeds you tend to get fewer seeds in the pack than with French marigolds, as they need more space to grow. The African marigold even has a near white variety, and whilst most have the rounded double flower head we are so used to, there is a variety with open ruffled petals called Marigold Yummy Mummy, which you may buy just for its delightful name
When to Sow Marigold Seeds
You can sow marigold seeds directly into your flower beds but will need to thin the seedlings out later which can be harder work than getting them spaced correctly indoors in seed trays. Choose dwarf French marigolds for containers on the patio, and the African varieties for flower beds. Sow the seeds in February, in seed trays, cover with a light layer of soil, and water once. You could mix in vermiculite which helps seed germination and holds water well. Cover your seeds after sowing and remove the cover as soon as the first seedlings appear. Plant your marigold plants once there is no danger of frost, dwarfs about 4 to six inches apart, larger plants need one or two feet between them. Marigolds like sunny positions, but will tolerate poor soil if you add some compost to it. They will flower eight to ten weeks after sowing and there is little need to dead head the blooms. Get a variety of marigold seeds, sow at intervals from February to March and you will have flowers all summer long.
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Author Bio Box: Patricia Wainwright
Get all the facts about seeds and gardening information at GreenThumbArticles.com!
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