MARIGOLD FLOWER SEEDS GERMINATION

MARIGOLD SEEDS GERMINATION

Whether you use them as cut flowers, grow them in a pot or allow them to adorn a garden border, marigolds (Tagetes spp.) are bound to steal the show. Depending on the variety, marigolds can grow 8 to 40 inches tall, and develop blooms that can range in size from 1 to 5 inches. For germination within about five to 10 days, start the seeds indoors six weeks before the last spring frost and expose them to ideal conditions.

Starting the Seeds

Start marigold seeds in a seed-starting flat that's filled up until 3/4 inch from the top with sterile, moist, seed-starting mix. Sprinkle the seeds on top of the medium and sow them at a depth that equals two to four times the diameter of the seeds. Spray the soil surface with water to moisten it, and then place the tray in a plastic bag or cover it with plastic wrap. This will promote soil-moisture retention.

Germination

Marigold seeds can germinate in light and darkness as long as they're exposed to a temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit. During the germination period, remove the plastic daily to aerate the tray and check the soil moisture. If needed, moisten the medium with a water-filled spray bottle to avoid washing away the seeds. You want the soil to remain moist, not wet, during the entire germination period.

After Germination

Remove the plastic from the flat as soon as the seeds germinate. Then, provide a light source, because a lack of light can result in spindly, pale and weak seedlings. A south-facing, sunny window can provide enough light, as can two, 40-watt, cool-white, fluorescent lamps that are kept on for 16 hours a day. Suspend the lamps 6 inches above the seedlings and move them up as the plants grow so they're always 6 inches above the plants.

Transplanting

Harden off and transplant marigold seedlings when they're about 2 inches tall and all frost danger has passed. To thrive, the plants need an outdoor temperature between 50 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Harden off the transplants by gradually increasing their exposure to the outdoor environment over a two-week period. At the end of the two weeks, plant the transplants up to their first set of leaves in a sunny area of the garden with well-drained, moderately fertile soil. Space low-growing varieties 1 foot apart and tall-growing varieties about 2 or 3 feet apart