Tagetes are easy to sow and propagate yourself. As early as February you can bring the attractive summer flowers to a bright spot in your home or in the air-conditioned greenhouse. As soon as the small plants have reached a height of ten centimetres, it is time to prick them out so that they can develop well.
The marigolds should be pricked out before the seedlings get too tight
Why does it have to be pricked?
If you have sown the marigold over a wide area and many seeds have sprouted, after a while it will become too narrow for the plants. They would compete for space and nutrients in the grow pot, ultimately only surviving the strongest plants.
The little marigolds themselves show you when to prick. Once the first "real" leaves have developed after the cotyledons, this is the best time for this care measure.
Seperate tagetes professionally
For this work you will need the following materials:
- a special pricking stick, alternatively a wooden handle that is not too thick is also suitable
- Individual pots or connected pot trays from the garden trade
- Sowing soil that can be mixed with a little potting soil
Carefully get the seedlings out of the ground by pressing the pricking stick into the substrate next to the seedlings and carefully lifting the small plants out of the ground together with the tiny root ball. You can shorten very long roots with scissors. This stimulates the formation of a strong root ball.
Place the offspring in the new vessel much deeper than before. Press the substrate a little so that the isolated marigolds have a secure hold. It is poured with a sprayer, as a sharp jet of water could damage the delicate plants. A cover that ensures a warm, humid greenhouse climate is no longer necessary.
Move to the open air
Before planting out, it is important to slowly acclimate the marigold to the changed outdoor conditions. On mild days, place the small marigolds in a shady spot on the patio to help them get used to it.
tips
If you have enough space, you can use medium-sized flower pots to grow the marigolds yourself. Put only three to five marigold seeds in each one. This saves you the pricking.