Marigolds( tagetes)

Family astroves. Family tagetes.

Natural climatic conditions: the climate of temperate latitudes and subtropics( at the moment, the species of subtropical origin are fully acclimatized).

Herbaceous plants with bare ribbed stems; the leaves( in all cultural species) are odd-numbered to the main vein;the edges of the segments are serrate;the inflorescence is a basket; it can be one- and two-color; in the latter case, the ligule flowers differ from tubular flowers;may be non-marrow( 1-3 rows of ligulate flowers along the edge of the inflorescence), semi-double( up to 50% of ligulate flowers) and terry( more than 50% of ligulate flowers or long tubular flowers);fruit - seed.

There are also special classes of inflorescences: tubular, transitional and reed, named so by the types of flowers that determine decorativeness.

Tagetes deflected( French} * main stem is erect, but its tip is below the tops of the lateral branches of the first order, which extend away at an acute angle at the top and at the right - the bottom and, in turn, branch off into branches of the second,third and fourth order; leaves up to 14 cm long and 7 cm wide, dark green; inflorescences may be single- and two-color, single color are both light-yellow and red-brown or orange, most varieties has a two-tone color inflorescencesulchkovye flowers may have spots or fringe other coloring Tagetes erect( African) * Leaves to 20 cm long and 13 cm wide, light green or green;. inflorescence always one color from light-yellow; tubular class inflorescences are found only in this species. Tagetes thin-leafed( Mexican) ♦ The branching of the stem is almost completely analogous to that of Tagetes deviated, but the lateral branches all without exception depart only at an acute angle, and the general shape of the shrub is more compact;leaves up to 8 cm long and up to 3 cm wide, light green;there are no terry forms;inflorescence or one-color or two-color( only yellow with orange).

All kinds of marigolds( tagetes) are unpretentious. Requirements for moisture: drought-resistant plants, but for abundant flowering in the first half of the summer you need to provide sufficient moisture, which later reduces to a minimum.

Requirements for heat and light: heat-loving plants, sensitive to frosts( shoots die at minus 1 ° C, mature specimens withstand a temperature of at least minus 2 ° C), prefer sunny places, but can grow in partial shade.

Soil requirements: can grow in different soils, but prefer loamy soils. Top dressing in the first half of the summer - full mineral fertilizer, in the second half - only phosphorus and potassium fertilizers.

Reproduction: when growing several varieties of the same species, spatial isolation is necessary to avoid cross-pollination by insects. You can plant the finished seedlings from the second half of May.

Features: can be grown outdoors. Can grow on the balconies of high-rise buildings.