Marigold French Seeds

French marigolds have decorative frills and some have distinctive "crested eye." They grow roughly 8-12 inches high with elegant dark green foliage. Read more on Growing French Marigold

How to grow Marigold French from Seeds:

Introduction and Uses: Marigold is one of the most popular annual flowers in India. It is used for garden display as well as for commercial cultivation. These delightful beauties are ideal for cut flowers, especially for making garlands. They can be planted in beds for mass display, in mixed borders, and can also be grown in pots. French Marigolds are compact in habit and flower profusely in singles or doubles.

The French marigold is ideal for hanging baskets, window boxes, rockeries, and edgings. When grown in a newly planted shrubbery, they help fill the gaps and add color. The French marigolds are also suitable for planting in drifts and along driveways or paths.

Botanical Name: Tagetes patula

Common Name: French Marigold

Family: Asteraceae

Plant Origin: South America

Propagation Method: Seed sowing

Flowering/ Growing Season: Throughout the year (except freezing winters)

Sunlight Requirement: Full sunlight (6-8 hours)

Plant Height: 35-40 cm

Growing Method of Marigold French:

Marigolds are grown by transplantation method.

The seeds are sown in May-July for monsoon flowering, August-October for winter flowering and February-March for summer flowering.

Seeds are sown thinly in nursery beds/ seed pans/seedling trays.

Fine sandy soil is required for seedbed (Outdoors), or coco Peat is used as sowing medium for seedling trays (Indoors)

Before sowing the seeds, soil/coco peat should be made slightly moist.

Immediately after sowing the seeds, watering should be done carefully with a fine rose-can.

Seedlings are allowed to grow on seedbeds/trays kept in semi-shade.

One-month-old seedlings are transplanted in pots or flower beds.

Seedlings should be transplanted in high-quality rich soil or potting mixture.

Planting Distance: 30 cm apart in flowerbeds or 25 cm pots.

Watering: Water the marigold plants twice a week in winters, every alternate day in summers. Provide plenty of water to potted plants as well.

Feeding: French Marigolds perform well in light soil. These should not be given too much manure as they will produce more vegetative (leafy) growth and fewer blooms.

Plant care: Marigolds are hardy plants and are rarely attacked by diseases. In poorly drained soil, footrot caused by Phytophthora may occur. Prophylactic spray or drenching with Blitox is helpful in checking the foot rot.

Bloom time: 2-2.5 months after sowing of seeds.

Pinching: The seedlings tend to produce flower buds at a comparatively young stage. These should be pinched off to obtain bushy and compact growth.

Varieties of Marigold: Marigold African Double Seeds, Marigold Alexander Orange