Package of Practices for Growing Marigold

Package of Practices for Growing Marigold

Botanical Name      : Tagets erects, (African Marigold)
Tagetspatula    (French marigold) Family   : Compositae

Importance:

Marigold is one of the most commonly grown flowers for garden decoration and extensively used as loose flowers for making garlands for religious and social functions.

It has gained popularity amongst the gardeners on account of its easy culture and wide adaptability. Its habit of free flowering, short duration to produce marketable flowers, wide spectrum of attractive colours, shape, size and good keeping quality has attracted the attention of flower growers.

Marigolds are ideal for cut flowers, especially for making garlands. They can be planted in the beds for mass display or grown in pots. The French Marigolds are suitable for hanging basket and edging. The demand for Marigold flowers during Dashara and Diwali is very high.

Soil and Climate:

It requires well drained loamy soil.  It can be grown well in hot and dry as well as humid climate. It can not stand severe cold.

Types of Varieties of Marigold:

Varieties of Marigold are grouped in two groups :

A) African Marigold:   Tall growing plant / big size flowers

B) French marigold: Dwarf plant with small flowers

Varieties:

A) African Marigold   :           Cracker jack. Climax, Yellow supreme, Hawai,
                                        New Alaska, Aapricot, Glitters, Happiness, Primrose, Fiesta
B)  French marigold   :         Rusty red, Star of India, Red Bokardo, Flash,
                                        Petit spray, Harmony, Gypsy, Lemon drops

Propagation:    By seed

Seed Rate:       1 to 1 V2 kg per ha

Raising of Seedlings and Transplanting :

For raising seedlings, well dried flowers are crushed by hand and seeds are broadcasted on the raised bed during May – June and watered regularly. When seedlings will attend the age of one month or a height of 10-15 cm then those seedlings are transplanted in well manured and fertilized bed at the spacing of 60 x 60 cm or 45 x 45 cm.

Nutritional Requirements:

20 to 25 tones FYM + 25 kg N + 25 kg P + 25 kg K per hectare

Special Culture Practice:

Pinching:

Three weeks after transplanting earthing up is done and then one week after earthing up or 1 month after transplanting the seedlings, pinching is followed for bushy growth of the plant and development of lateral branches. Pinching results into production of more number of flowers.

Irrigation:

Constant moisture supply be maintained from bud formation to harvesting of flowers.

Harvesting of Flowers:

French Mangold starts flowering 1 to 1 Vz months after transplanting while African Marigold I 14 to 2 months after transplanting of seedlings. For Garland stalk less fully opened flowers (loose flowers) are picked, white for vase decoration also fully opened flowers with stalk are plucked.

Loose flowers are packed in a bamboo basket, while flowers with stalk are bunched in bundles and transported to market.  From one plant near about 100 to 150 flowers are obtained. Blooming duration is near about 3 months.

Yield:

6000 to 8000 kg flowers per ha, 100 to. 150 qtl flowers per ha.

Pests and Diseases:

Thrips and Caterpillar             :       0.1 % Nuvacron spray
Black spot, leaf spot              :       0.2 % Dithane M 45