How to plant calendula in the country and take care of a flower?

In many gardens in Russia, you can find such a plant as calendula. Outdoor planting and maintenance is usually straightforward. It is also grown in other countries of the northern region. Caring for this plant is not difficult. This flower is popularly called "marigolds". It belongs to the Aster family. Representatives of this family are widespread in the Mediterranean, Western Europe and Asia. In total, there are about 20 species of different flowers related to calendula. Among them are both annual and perennial plants.

Besides for beauty, marigolds can be planted for other needs. So, these flowers have medicinal properties. The ancient Greeks knew about them. In addition, the herb was used as a spice and added to various dishes.

Flower description

Calendula is a herbaceous plant whose stems are covered with a tough downy. Flowers growing on it are collected in apical baskets. Their color usually ranges from yellow to orange. The leaves of the plant can have completely different shapes, but most often they are elongated, arranged in 2-3 rows on the stem. The flowering period is up to 3 months and can last from June to September. At the same time, the flower bears fruit abundantly.

Seeds can germinate in the soil even after 5 years from the moment they were harvested, without even requiring special care. The flower got its name precisely due to the shape of its seeds, which in their appearance resemble the claws of a predatory beast.

The medicinal properties of the flower

Calendula is used to treat and prevent many diseases, therefore it was included in the top ten most cultivated medicinal crops that do not require special care. You can find this type of herbs in any pharmacy around the world.

Interestingly, planting calendula as a medicine began much earlier than as an ornamental plant. From ancient times to the present day, this flower has been widely used in folk and traditional medicine.

The most useful properties are dried marigold baskets, they contain the following substances:

• carotenoids;
• bitter substances;
• organic acids;
• vitamin C;
• provitamin A;
• proteins and many other useful substances that help not only to heal and take care of the sick, but also to maintain the body in a healthy state.

Due to this composition, the flowers have bactericidal, wound healing and anti-inflammatory properties. They are prescribed for diseases of the liver, intestines, stomach and other organs of the digestive system. They are also prescribed as an additional substance for heart disease and cancer.

Seed collection

You can buy calendula seeds at any store that sells a variety of garden supplies. But if there are already these flowers on the site, then it is not necessary to buy them. It is enough to walk around the site. When? In the period from late August to early September, it is worth enriching yourself with seeds, which can later be planted. By this time, all the petals have fallen off and only the core is left, full of small "marigolds". One flower can contain up to 15 seeds, with which it is planted in the ground.

The calendula seeds on the stem remain moist and must be dried thoroughly. They will last longer when they get rid of excess moisture. To do this, it is enough to place them in a cardboard box or on a dry newspaper. Store seedlings in a paper bag in a dry and ventilated place.

A medicinal decoction can be prepared from some of the seeds obtained in order to take care of a sick person, and some can be planted in order to harvest the “harvest” for the next year.

There are two methods of planting with seeds:

1. for seedlings;
2. planting calendula in open ground.

Some, before planting flowers in the garden or in a flower bed, let them germinate at home. The rest, and most of them, sow seeds directly into open ground, skipping the stage with seedlings.

Each of these methods has its own characteristics, so you should better consider both options.

Growing seedlings

This type of landing is a little more difficult than the one that will be described below. But if you decide to plant this way, then the flowering will turn out to be more even, and even additional care is not required. Therefore, this method is suitable for those who want to grow marigolds precisely as an ornamental plant. In addition, it will allow you to most effectively grow undersized calendula varieties.

When are flowers sown for seedlings? Towards the end of March, some of the varieties can be sown in early April. Small wooden containers or special plastic seedling pots are suitable for planting. What care is needed and when is it worth watering the seeds? This should be done as needed. Within 6-7 days after the planting was carried out, sprouts should hatch.

Advice

For faster growth, it is worth observing the optimum temperature. Marigolds love when the air around them does not exceed +14 - + 15 ° in temperature.

Calendula can be planted in open ground when the flower grows up and gets stronger. To determine this, it is enough to count the number of large leaves on the plant. If their number has exceeded 5, then it's time to transplant.

Planting calendula seeds in open ground

As a rule, marigolds begin to sow closer to the beginning of autumn. It is best done in early September or late August. If it is decided to plant in the spring, then this can be done as soon as the soil is ready for planting. To check this, you need to take it into a fist and squeeze it, after which the resulting lump must be thrown from a height of a meter. If the soil crumbles easily, then sowing can begin.

Before planting a flower, open ground must be dug up and fertilized. For this, humus is suitable, which must be applied in a proportion of 3 kg per 1 m² soil.

Advice

In addition to humus, you can also use some types of fertilizers. So, a solution with potassium sulfate, superphosphate and urea can be poured into the ground. Each substance needs 1 spoonful per 1.5 liters of water. This solution is enough for 1 m² soil.

The fertilized soil is well dug up and leveled. After all procedures, sowing can begin. Experts advise planting marigolds in rows. To do this, it is enough to draw shallow grooves in the area where the sowing will be performed. Their depth should not exceed 2 cm. This is necessary to make it easier for the seedlings to overcome the soil layer. The distance between the grooves should not be less than 30 cm, since after the flowers grow, they can become cramped.

So, caring for calendula in the open field is not difficult: for optimal plant development, only timely watering is needed. Planting this flower is also simple, it takes root well in a suitable earthy mixture.

"Marigolds" will decorate any suburban area. And due to their medicinal properties, they can be used as a folk remedy.