French Marigold Sparky Mix Annual Marigolds Flowers Seeds - West Coast Seeds

PRODUCT DETAILS

Tagetes patula. Enjoy mounds of tawny oranges and yellows from mid-summer to first frost (and sometimes beyond). As a companion plant, Sparky Mix marigolds are the variety that will suppress 'bad' nematodes in your soil. Be sure to plant around the vegetable garden! They can also be used as a cover crop for weed suppression. Plant these marigold seeds in full sun, and deadhead (remove spent flowers) to prolong the bloom period. These marigolds work well in containers and they are surprisingly drought resistant, so can be incorporated in xeriscaping schemes. This little plant reaches a height of 30cm (12").

• Annual.
• Hardy annual
• Tawny oranges and yellows
• Will suppress 'bad' nematodes
• Can be used as a cover crop
• Plant around the vegetable garden

All About Sparky Mix

Latin:

Tagetes patula, T. erecta, & T. tennuifolia
Family: Asteraceae

Season & Zone

Exposure: Full sun

Timing

Sow indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost, or direct sow 2 weeks before last frost. If starting indoors, just cover the seeds with vermiculite and provide a soil temperature of 21-25°C (70-75°F). Seeds should sprout in 4-14 days at that temperature.

Starting

Marigolds are somewhat prone to damping off. As a precaution, just cover the small seeds with vermiculite, water from below, and provide ventilation in the room. Space plants in the garden 30-45cm (12-18″) apart. Dwarf varieties can be spaced 15cm (6″) apart.

Growing

Pinch the growing tips to encourage branching. This prevents tall, spindly plants. Dead head regularly throughout the growing season.

Companion Planting

French Marigolds (Tagetes patula) produce chemicals that kill soil nematodes and repel whitefly. Avoid planting them near beans. Mexican Marigolds (T. minuta) have the same effect, and may repel rabbits.