Calendula: planting and care in the open ground, cultivation and watering

An abundantly flowering, undemanding plant care plant is affectionately called "marigolds". Yellow, orange or red inflorescences-baskets adorn a sprawling bush from June to October. Even for novice gardeners, planting and caring for calendula in the open ground is not difficult.

Species and varieties

The name "calendula" is derived from the same Latin root as the word "calendar". Botanists added a specific definition of “medicinal”, thereby emphasizing the outstanding phytotherapeutic properties of the plant.

Kinds

Calendula (Calendula officinalis) is a herbaceous annual with a branched rod root, an erect stem, reaching a height of 30–70 cm. Branches are branched, pubescent with thin hairs, densely leafy. The lower leaves are large, broadly lanceolate, the upper ones are small, oblong.

Inflorescences in various varieties are:

• simple;
• semi-double;
• terry.

In single baskets with a diameter of 4-6 mm, the regional reed flowers are lemon-yellow, golden-orange, orange-reddish. Central - tubular, the same color or darker. Dry achenes are sickle-shaped or hook-shaped.

Medicinal properties of calendula flowers give:

• flavonoids;
• carotenoids;
• bitterness;
• mucous and tanning agents;
• saponins.

Aroma - specific, unobtrusive, due to the presence of essential oil.

Calendula is grown as a medicinal and ornamental plant, cut for bouquets.

In recent decades, many new varieties have been created: fruitful for medical use, large-flowered - for flower beds. Less commonly used in floriculture and herbal medicine is another species of the genus Calendula - K. field (Calendula arvensis).

Varieties

The natural appearance gave rise to forms with simple and terry baskets with a diameter of up to 10 cm. Inflorescences can be diverse in shape: anemic, gerbera chrysanthemum, imbricated. Low, medium and tall varieties, varieties in the traditional yellow-orange range, as well as with soft pink, almost raspberry and cream flowers, are bred.

Terry flowers calendula:

• "Favorite". Inflorescences are pale yellow with golden stripes.
• "The Orange King." Dark orange baskets.
• "Golden balls." Golden yellow inflorescences.
• "Radio". The baskets are dark orange.
• "Meteor". Inflorescences are bright orange.

Bushes of all considered varieties grow in height no more than 60 cm

1. Low marigold can be grown in open ground, in containers, in balcony drawers. These are compact plants with a height of 15 to 30 cm with a strongly branching stem, mainly terry baskets of yellow, golden-orange, cream or apricot color. The diameter of Calypso marigold inflorescences reaches 10 cm. The Mandarin hybrid blooms early.
2. Srednerosly varieties with a height of 30 to 50 cm: "Lemon Queen", "Sensation", "Orange King", "Radio".
3. The length of the stem of tall calendula is 50–85 cm. They are suitable for cutting, decorating the garden, flower beds. In this group there are varieties with terry baskets: “The Sun of Egypt”, “Pink Surprise”, “Golden Prince”, “Apricot Twist”, “Citron”.

Calendula: the basics of growing

Varieties, cultivation options, timing of sowing or transplanting seedlings are selected depending on the existing conditions and capabilities. You can grow decorative varieties of "nails" in the garden, on the flower beds, in the balcony drawers. Flowers for therapeutic use are planted on the lawn, in the garden after the harvest of early vegetables and as a sealing crop.

Calendula photophilous, hardy, responsive to watering and top dressing. Withstands short-term frosts up to –5 ° С in spring and autumn.

Inflorescences-baskets of nails in the shade become smaller, lose their characteristic color. The stem stretches and lays down, the leaves “take away” nutrients from the flowers, become fragile. Full lighting is most needed for varieties with terry and simple inflorescences.

Outdoor landing

The plant does not have special requirements for soil conditions. However, varietal qualities are fully manifested only on nutrient soils. The presence of a sunny place, fertile, well-moistened substrates are the conditions for the successful cultivation of terry forms, tall cut varieties of calendula. When planting in the shade of inflorescences grow smaller, the stem stretches. Areas with loamy, well-drained soil are best suited.

The choice of planting material: seeds or seedlings?

Cultivation of calendula facilitates self-seeding. Due to the high germination capacity, which persists for 3 years, without much effort you can get a large amount of planting material. For the same reason, at least two decimations are required.

The choice of cultivation method depends on the specific climatic and weather conditions of the region, as well as on the plans of the grower or summer cottage for the use of calendula. The earliest flowering is provided by sowing seeds in boxes with soil from the end of January and all of February. In this case, shoots in the premises require additional lighting.

Soil preparation

For sowing in pots and flower boxes, ordinary garden soil with the addition of sand and peat is used. The permeability of the substrate is very important, so there should be a hole for draining excess water into the pan. To prevent this hole from becoming clogged with soil, drainage (expanded clay, shards from ceramic dishes) is laid at the bottom of the container.

How and when to plant?

The seedling method involves sowing seeds at the end of March in boxes or pots on the windowsill. Then it will be possible at the beginning of summer to admire the bright baskets of calendula.

1. The seeds of the "nails" are quite large, they are laid out one at a time into grooves with a depth of 1.5 to 3 cm.
2. Shoots appear within 1–2 weeks.
3. For 4-6 weeks, seedlings grow, which is ready for planting in open ground.

Seedlings of tall "marigolds" are transplanted from boxes into the open ground in May. Calendula can be sown directly in the soil and in a heated greenhouse. Germination occurs at a temperature of about 15 ° C.

“Nails” can be sown in open ground in the fall, then the plants will bloom early, will be stronger and more healthy. It is also possible to sow in the spring from April to June. When warm days come and the earth warms up, a lot of green shoots appear. Flowering begins in 8–11 weeks.

How to sow calendula:

1. Dig the soil in the fall.
2. Introduce ½ bucket of humus, 20-30 g of double superphosphate and potassium chloride per 1 square. m area (you can replace two mineral fertilizers with one ready-made nutrient complex).
3. In spring or summer, immediately before sowing, loosen the soil, add 20-30 g of ammonium nitrate or urea per 1 sq. M.
4. Sown in rows in furrows up to 4 cm deep, well watered, slightly compact the soil.
5. After 2-3 weeks, the seedlings are thinned, leaving a distance of 15 to 25 cm between them.
6. At the last thinning, the most developed plant is left in one nest, and its tip is pinched for better tillering.

In Europe, calendula for cutting is grown mainly in seedlings. The seedless method is used to obtain medicinal raw materials - flower baskets. Such a method of growing is also possible: sowing seeds of cut varieties in July, then new inflorescences bloom until frost.

Calendula Care

Most varieties of this plant need minimal care. More careful care of calendula is required when growing terry forms and cut varieties.

Watering schedule

After the emergence of seedlings watered, loosen the soil and weed weed.

Modern varietal marigolds did not inherit the ability to tolerate short-term drought without problems from a natural species.

On ordinary summer days, watered every other day or twice a week, on dry days - daily. In rainy weather, irrigate the plants.

Fertilizer and fertilizing

Spend feeding every two weeks. It is recommended not to “overdo it” with nitrogen fertilizers, as they affect, first of all, the growth of vegetative organs. Use a diluted infusion of mullein or bird droppings a week after transplanting.

When growing calendula in boxes on the balcony, watering is carried out more often, preventing the substrate from drying out. They are fed a solution of complex fertilizer.

Removing Faded Inflorescences

Breaking stalks with green seeds is carried out to ensure long, plentiful flowering, preserving the decorative appearance of the plant and preventing self-seeding.

Seed collection and storage

Fully ripened fruits are gray-brown in color and easily fall apart. Calendula seeds are harvested from July to September, packed in paper bags and stacked in cardboard boxes or wooden boxes. Seed germination lasts from 3 to 5 years.

Winter preparations

Calendula is an annual, it does not require shelter in winter or the creation of any protection against frost.

Calendula reproduction

The distribution of "marigolds" in nature occurs only with the help of seeds. The same method of propagation is used in floriculture. Cut shoots do not root, and leaves quickly lose turgor. For this reason, vegetative propagation is not used.

How to get rid of pests and diseases?

Calendula is little susceptible to attack by pests and diseases. The most likely causes of decay of leaves and stems are thickened plantings, cold and damp.Under these conditions, plants are more susceptible to fungal and bacterial diseases. To fight the infection, they are treated with Fitosporin or other fungicides.

Among the common plant pests:

• aphids;
• sciarides;
• fools;
• wireworms.

Get rid of them with insecticides.

It is recommended to change the area where the calendula is grown annually.

Combination with other plants

Calendula looks great in the "company" of many plants. It complements and contrasts well with colors in blue and blue-violet tones. Calendula is planted next to decorative bows, dolphiniums, and verbena. Summer residents prefer to sow "nails" along the fence of the site, in the garden between the trees and along the paths.

Low-growing varieties are used to create almost all types of flower beds. Calendula, due to its essential oil content, repels some pests, which is useful in mixed plantings.