Marigold, also known as stink hibiscus, honeycomb chrysanthemum, milligold, etc., is an annual herbaceous flower of the genus Marigold of the Asteraceae family. Plant height 30~90 cm. The leaves are opposite, pinnately split, and the lobes are lanceolate. The flower head is terminal, with a flower stem of 5 to 13 cm. The flowers come in different shades of milky white, yellow or orange, or even complex colors; the flower types include single petal, double petal, cinnamon, hydrangea, etc. The flowering period is from June to October. Marigold flowers are luxuriant, colorful and have a long flowering period. Medium and dwarf varieties are suitable for flower beds, flower borders or potted plants, and tall varieties can be used as background materials.
Marigold is native to Mexico. It likes a warm and sunny environment, is drought-tolerant and intolerant of high temperatures and heat, and does not grow well in humid conditions. The soil requirements are not strict, but loose, fertile, and well-drained sandy loam is preferred. Resistant to transplantation, grows rapidly, and has fewer pests and diseases.
In order to make marigolds grow robustly and bloom densely, the following tips should be mastered in management work:
1. Sufficient light should be provided, both during seedling cultivation and during cultivation. Light, if there is insufficient light, the stems and leaves will easily become leggy, the plants will be thin, and the flowers will be few and small.
2. Do not apply too much fertilizer. When cultivating marigolds, in addition to applying base fertilizer, during the growth period, apply thin liquid fertilizer 1 to 2 times a month. When fertilizing, be careful not to use too much nitrogen fertilizer to avoid excessive growth of stems and leaves and delayed flowering or even no flowering.
3. Flower beds or potted plants should be pinched 1 to 2 times after transplantation to encourage more branches to increase the number of flowers. If you want to make the flowers bigger, do not pinch the top and remove all the side buds in time to promote the full development of the top buds.
4. After the flowers fade, if you do not plan to save seeds, you should cut off the remaining flowers in time, thin out the dense stems and leaves, and apply 1 to 2 quick-acting fertilizers to maintain continuous flowering until autumn. end.
5. Marigold likes a soil environment that is slightly damp and dry, so during the entire cultivation process, attention should be paid to not overwatering, especially drainage during the rainy season.
6. Tall-stemmed varieties and plants in the later stages of growth are prone to lodging, and pillars should be set up to prevent lodging.
7. The main diseases and insect pests that harm marigold include damping-off, damping off, whitefly, cinnabar spider mite, etc. Once discovered, they should be prevented and treated in time. Marigold cultivation technology
Marigold, Asteraceae, Tagetes genus, scientific name TAGETES ERECTA.
1. Ecological habits: It is native to Mexico and the Americas. It is a biennial herb with thick stems, opposite or alternate leaves, pinnately split, and lanceolate lobes with serrations. It likes a warm and sunny environment, and does not grow well under hot summer conditions. It is not strict with the soil, but fertile, deep, humus-rich, and well-drained sandy soil is suitable.
2. Variety introduction Marigold has the characteristics of wide adaptability, long flowering period, and good gardening effect. It has always played an important role in landscaping. The common marigold varieties are introduced as follows:
1. MAYA series: Plant height: 25-30 cm, large flowers, flower diameter more than 10 cm, obvious short-day response, suitable for spring flowering applications. Summer flower beds are suitable for northern regions, while potted plants are suitable for autumn, winter or spring flower beds in southern regions. The main colors are: bright yellow, golden yellow, orange and other colors.
2. Antigua (ANTIGUA) series: Plant height is 20 cm, dwarf, extremely early flowering period, double flowers, suitable for production and application in summer and autumn. Special recommendation: summer and autumn, especially for flower beds in northern areas. The main flower colors are: golden yellow, orange yellow, primrose yellow, bright yellow and other colors.
3. Sowing and reproduction 1. Marigolds are propagated by seeds and can be sown in all seasons. Under suitable conditions, it takes about three months from sowing to flowering. For sowing, a 128-hole seedling tray can be used, using a mixture of one part vermiculite and two parts peat as the substrate. Marigold seeds are photophobic, so cover them lightly with vermiculite after sowing. Keep the soil temperature at 22-27 degrees Celsius for seedlings to emerge 2-5 days after sowing.
2. Planting: When the cotyledons of the seedlings are fully opened to 2-3 pairs of true leaves, the seedlings can be planted in flower pots. You can use 3 parts of loam and 1 part of decomposed manure, then add an appropriate amount of ternary compound fertilizer, and pour chlorothalonil after transplantation. 1000 times of solution is used as seedling slowing water. Try to avoid direct sunlight in the initial stage after planting, and gradually allow it to receive direct light after the seedlings have slowed down. After slowing down the seedlings, water them once and then as little as possible to control the plant shape and allow the seedlings to wilt slightly. At this time, the ambient temperature is required to be 16-22 degrees Celsius.
4. Management temperature after transplantation: night temperature is 13-16 degrees Celsius, daytime temperature is 16-26 degrees Celsius. Light: Marigolds can tolerate full sun and maintain moderate light levels while maintaining as high a light level as possible. Watering: should be based on the principle of seeing dry and wet. Water in the morning in summer and autumn, and at noon in winter and spring. Fertilization: Apply 800 times liquid urea every 2-3 times of watering to promote plant growth. After the plant is full in the pot, topdress with 800 times liquid ternary compound fertilizer to promote flower bud differentiation.
Prevention and control of pests and diseases: (1) Botrytis: Botrytis cinerea 1000 times liquid spray or Phytophthora 800 times liquid spray. (2) Leaf miner: Qianbiduo 1000 times liquid spray. Introduction to marigold
Marigold, also known as stinky hibiscus, is a plant of the genus Marigold in the Asteraceae family. It is native to Mexico and is cultivated throughout China for ornamental purposes, mostly growing in roadside meadows.
Another name for marigold
Marigold is also known as smelly hibiscus, marigold, honeycomb chrysanthemum, smelly chrysanthemum, and scorpion chrysanthemum.
Growth habits of marigold
Marigold likes a warm, humid and sunny environment and can tolerate drought. The suitable temperature for growth is 15-25°C, the suitable temperature for flowering period is 18-20°C, and the air temperature is 60-70°C. The overwintering temperature in winter should not be lower than 5℃. Marigold is a photophilic plant, and sufficient sunlight is very beneficial to the growth of marigold. Marigold does not have strict soil requirements and prefers fertile, well-drained sandy loam.
The main value of marigold
Marigold has certain medicinal value and can also be used to extract pure natural yellow pigment. Interesting facts about the origin of the name marigold
In the 16th century, marigold was also called stink chrysanthemum because its flowers and leaves had a smell of green odor, so people called it this casually. Because of an anecdote later, marigold got its current name.
It is said that more than 500 years ago, a Spanish officer went to Mexico and accidentally discovered marigold wildflowers in the countryside. He thought they were very cute, so he took the seeds back to Europe. At that time, many people saw that it was full of golden flowers and used them to worship in front of the image of the Virgin Mary. According to the English name, Mary is Gold, which means golden Mary.
It was first spread to South China in the mid-16th century, and people didn’t know its name at that time. Because its flowers and leaves both have a greenish odor, we had to call it petal-smelly chrysanthemum.
Later, it was said that it was the 60th birthday of a county official. In order to add to the atmosphere, the housekeeper placed two rows of potted flowers at the gate. Suddenly, yellow and green were dazzling, and the county official was very happy. Jiandao: What kind of flower is this? The steward replied: It is the smelly chrysanthemum. Unexpectedly, the county magistrate heard it wrong and said, "It's marigold, good, good!" The housekeeper quickly complimented: Yes, yes, I wish you a long life! Since then, the name of marigold has spread like wildfire. In the book "Flower Mirror" written by Chen Fuyao in the Qing Dynasty in 1688, the name marigold was officially written.