Every March I Start my marigold seeds indoors, so that they're ready to plant along side all my vegetable plants by the first week of June. The first reason why I plant marigolds in my garden is, because it deters some of the pests that are harmful to my vegetable plants. The second reason why I inter plant these petite fragrant blooms is, because they attract beneficial insects to my garden, that help my vegetables grow better, thus giving me a high yield come harvest time. Last but not least they add color to my garden and they're so beautiful to look at.
I've just returned from the store with a packet of French Marigold seeds, seed starter mix, peat pots, and plastic wrap. Tomorrow me and my kids will plant them. It's very easy to start marigolds indoors. All you need to do is fill each peat pot up with seed starter mix. You then use a spray bottle and spritz the mix with a little warm water. Poke a small shallow hole in the dirt with the eraser of a pencil, and drop one seed in the hole. Cover the seed with more mix and spritz well with water again. After all your pots are completed you cover them with plastic wrap and place them in front of a sunny window. If the soil seems dry, you simply remove the plastic, spray warm water on them again and recover the pots. You'll see sprouts in no time. Once the seeds have sprouted, remove the plastic, water as needed and keep them uncovered for the rest of the indoor growing process.
When they are ready to move outdoors, you'll have to get them slowly use to the outdoors. This process is called "hardening them off." Place the pots out on your porch in indirect sunlight for about an hour the first few days and slowly increase the time they stay outdoors, until they are ready to plant. When your ready to harden off the seedlings, I recommend it be at least 60 degrees outside and keep a close watch as to how they react outside when you begin hardening off your plants. By starting these pretty orange and yellow blossoms indoors right now, they'll be ready to plant outdoors right at the beginning of planting season for my zone.
I love marigolds and used to plant them in pots on my terrace. But unfortunately, the snails love them, too. By the end of the first week they were all eaten ...
ReplyDeleteThe only potted flowers the snails do not eat here seem to be daisies, petunias, and geraniums.
The photo on your new post is very nice. It gives me a feeling of summer.
Thank You Eva. I love Marigolds too. They're so inspiring. I would love to try and paint one sometime. It's a shame that the snails ate your marigolds. You should try an organic pellet called escargo. This will take care of them.
ReplyDeleteI am looking forward to seeing your painting of marigolds, Lydia. I love the flower paintings you have shown so far. You have a gift for portraying flowers.
ReplyDeleteHello Eva, Thank you so much. I want to come up with a composition of marigolds, or maybe even incorporate one into one of my future butterfly paintings. Hopefully I will get to do that soon. I'm very happy that you like the flower paintings Ive displayed on my blog so far. I've always loved drawing and painting flowers, as well as butterflies and celestial themes.
ReplyDeletethis is a beautiful rose .. healthy and at the height of blooming. I went to the Chicago Botanical garden the other day but was disappointed to see that everything was barren (given it's still winter). Marigolds is such a cool name .. like Mary Jane
ReplyDeleteHello Nabeel, Everything is still barren here too. I hate the barren times of the season. I would hate the desert too. I love when things are so fertile and full of life. That's why someday I would love to move to a tropical climate. Everything is so lush all the time and always full of new life and beautiful blooms.
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