We grow calendula seedlings
Most flower growers sow calendula directly into open ground, since it is quite frost-resistant and can withstand a slight drop in temperature to 5 degrees below zero. However, the seedling method of growing calendula has found its fans.
The advantages of the seedling method
If you sow calendula seeds not in the garden, but first in a container, and let them grow indoors, you can get good results, namely:
- to bring the flowering period closer - calendula, planted in the garden seedlings, blooms earlier than sown with seeds in open ground;
- to get the opportunity to combine planting of cultivated plants and calendula to protect them from pests - planting ready-made seedlings in onion aisles is much more convenient than sowing seeds that may not all sprout.
Where can I get seeds?
You can buy calendula seeds at any flower shop. It is also easy to prepare them yourself, if last season the flower took place in the flowerbed.
Despite the fact that the seeds of calendula have an interesting appearance and vary in shape, they all germinate quite well: those that have a clear appearance of a dense curved seed, and even unusual shells that look like dry scales. Seeds keep their germination for 3-5 years.
The only thing that should not be used is unripe, green calendula seeds. They are the ones that most likely will not sprout.
When and how to sow?
The time of sowing seeds depends on which climatic zone the calendula will be grown in. On average, this is the month of April. You need to focus on the fact that 50 days pass from the moment of germination to the onset of flowering.
Seeds can be sown both in a common container with further picking, and immediately in separate cups. It is good to spill the nutrient soil with water and compact it slightly, since the calendula requires a fairly deep planting (up to 2 cm in depth). Lay out the seeds and sprinkle with earth.
Cover the container with a film on top and put it on a warm windowsill in a room with a temperature of at least 20 degrees Celsius. Seeds sprout very quickly and within a week there will be young seedlings. The film must be removed at this moment.
Calendula seedling care
To prevent stretching of seedlings, the temperature of its cultivation must be gradually reduced to 18-15 degrees Celsius. If this does happen, you should:
- add earth to the cotyledon leaves;
- or dive seedlings, deepening them in the same way.
You can plant seedlings in a flower bed in mid-May. If the bushes have time to bloom by this time, it's okay, the calendula will perfectly tolerate the transplant and take root in a new place.