Can calendula be grown as a houseplant?

Calendula, the closest relative of asters, daisies, chamomiles and other representatives of the numerous aster family (Compositae), are called “marigolds” by many affectionately and affectionately. This versatile plant with numerous sunny flowers has long gained great popularity.

People use calendula as an effective remedy for the treatment and prevention of various diseases. Gourmets use it as a savory spice for sauces, soups and meat dishes. For the fair sex, she is a good cosmetic product, and for gardeners - an active assistant in the fight against garden pests: thrips, nematodes, etc. Moreover, all the above advantages of calendula are perfectly combined with the bright appearance of the plant, for which, in fact, this flower is mainly grown.

Calendula, or Marigold (Calendula) - a genus of herbaceous plants of the Asteraceae family. They grow in the Mediterranean, Western and Central Europe and Southwest Asia. Popular view - Medicinal marigolds (Calendula officinalis) are among the popular ornamental plants.

Calendula

About 20 varieties of annual and perennial marigolds adorn the Mediterranean, Western and Central Europe, Western Asia. In our area, it is most often found Calendula officinalis (C. officinalis). Many types of calendula grow as weeds, for example, Field calendula (C. Arvensis).

Marigolds are famous for their unpretentiousness to unfavorable growing conditions. They easily take root and grow fully in any corner of the garden or vegetable garden. The height of the calendula is 40-60 cm, the diameter of the inflorescences in some varieties reaches 7-8 cm. The bright flowering in golden-orange tones and the specific aroma of flowers can successfully complement any flower garden or Moorish lawn.

The undersized forms of marigolds will revive the rock garden. They will look great in border plantings among annual plants with bright blue or pink flowers. Low terry varieties of calendula, grown in beautiful flowerpots and baskets, will adequately decorate a balcony or an open terrace, and tall forms will delight in cutting for a long time.

Calendula

Calendula - growing and care

Marigolds love sunny places, in the shade they are very stretched and bloom weakly. Plants tolerate poor soils well, grow fully on any garden soil, however, they prefer loose, moderately moist and humus-fertilized soil. If the land is scarce, then before the autumn digging, experienced gardeners recommend applying 40 g of phosphorus-potassium fertilizers and 3 kg of humus per m².

When growing calendula, it must be remembered that excessive feeding, too thick plantings and long-term presence of plants in one place can provoke black spot disease. In such cases, diseased plants should be removed from the site as soon as possible, preferably along with the roots.

Calendula

Planting calendula

The marigolds are cold-resistant. They steadfastly tolerate a temperature drop of up to 5 ° C and are not afraid of recurrent spring frosts. Calendula seeds can be sown under glass in spring or winter. In order for the plants to bloom earlier, in February, seeds are sown in a greenhouse for seedlings.

The first shoots of calendula appear in March-April. At the end of May, the matured seedlings are transplanted to a permanent place in an open garden soil. When sown before winter, calendula seeds are embedded in the furrows to a shallow depth (up to 3 cm). In the spring, as soon as the ground warms up to 4C, the seeds will begin to germinate, and at a temperature of 8C, they will actively grow. After about a month, the sowing of calendula must be thinned out, taking into account the varietal height of the plants, leaving an interval of 20-40 cm between the specimens.

Collecting inflorescences of calendula

Usually, calendula blooms 3-4 weeks after germination, and you can immediately collect its medicinal inflorescences-baskets. It is interesting that the concentration of medicinal substances in inflorescences directly depends on the brightness of the color - the brighter the flowers, the higher the concentration in them.

The more flowers are plucked, the more new ones will bloom, and the flowering itself will last until the very frost. If the calendula flowers are not removed, then flowering will end in July. In August, ripe seeds must be harvested to prevent unwanted self-seeding.

Blooming inflorescences are harvested in dry weather, choosing only the edge baskets, which have taken a horizontal position. The flowers are dried in the shade to the point where they will disintegrate from light pressing on them with your fingers. It should be noted that collecting calendula is not recommended for people suffering from bronchial asthma, as the pollen of the plant can provoke allergies.

Calendula

Due to their decorative appearance, marigolds are able to decorate not only a garden or a flower garden, they get along well in the beds among numerous vegetable crops and strawberries. They are often planted among flowers: asters, roses, gladioli. They neutralize the soil on which they grow and prevent the development of root rot. Bright calendula sun flowers with a specific aroma attract striped insects and hoverflies, whose larvae eat aphids with pleasure.

Calendula is an undemanding and rather easy-to-care plant that can not only decorate any summer cottage, but also become a folk healer. Calendula is used for medicinal and decorative purposes. The colossal variety of varieties makes it possible to pick up calendula flowers that will improve the appearance of the flower bed and add new colors. You just need to devote a little time to the plant, and then it will delight you for many years.

Types and varieties of calendula

Calendula or marigold is an annual herb that belongs to the Aster family. There are twenty types of plants. The most popular ones are:

• medicinal - the only species that can be grown at home as an ornamental and medicinal plant;
• two-color;
• field.

Calendula varieties are extremely diverse and include low-growing plants - up to 45 cm - medium-sized plants - up to 60 cm, and tall ones - up to 85 cm. What does the calendula of popular varieties among gardeners look like?

• Pigmi is a plant up to 15 cm in height. Small double flowers are colored apricot, golden, cream or orange.
• Calypso is a low-growing variety up to 30 cm in height. The flowers are large, can be bright orange or golden orange.
• The green heart is a plant up to 60 cm in height. Small flowers are yellow, pale orange or bright orange.
• Radio is a plant up to 55 cm in height. Flowers of small diameter, hemispherical. They can be bright orange or golden yellow.
• Pacific Beauty is a tall plant up to 80 cm in height. Flowers are hemispherical in shape with a huge variety of shades.
• Orange Flamingo - a variety up to 60 cm in height. The flowers are small with an orange tint.

Where do you get the seeds?

You can buy seed material in almost every flower shop. In addition, you can order the variety you like in the online store or collect the seeds yourself. This is not a rare plant, so there will be no problems with buying seeds. The price of seeds depends on the distinctive features of the variety.

Choosing a landing site

Calendula loves light, but does not tolerate dry and hot weather. With a lack of light, the flowers will grow small, and the flowering period will be short. The most suitable place for planting calendula in the open field and caring for it in the future is considered a site in partial shade. The soil used to plant the plant should be fertile, nutritious, light and loose. Calendula loves moisture and grows well under optimal conditions. The area in which it will grow should be protected from strong winds, as they can harm and damage the flowers.

When to plant calendula in the ground?

It is best to plant seeds at the very beginning of spring or at the end of autumn - before winter. The main thing is that the soil meets the conditions described above. Sowing in late autumn will delight with early flowering. Calendula seedlings are planted in April, and a month later the seedlings are transplanted to a permanent place. Calendula is a cold-resistant plant that can withstand temperatures down to -5 degrees. It is best to keep the soil loose and crumbly. To check the condition of the soil, a lump of earth should be thrown up, if it disintegrated easily, this means that the seeds can be sown. Before planting seed, the soil is dug up and humus is added at the rate of 4 kg per 1 m² of land. The seeds are deepened into the ground by about one or two centimeters, the distance between the rows is made at least 30 cm. If all conditions are met, shoots will appear in ten days.

Growing marigold seedlings

This method is considered more troublesome, but it makes it possible to get the first flowers much faster. For seedlings, it is possible to use pots, wooden boxes, and containers, but small containers are best. In a flower shop, you can buy a versatile soil that will be saturated with nutrients. The prepared soil is poured into a container, small depressions are made and seeds are sown. Then they are covered with plastic wrap and placed in a room with an air temperature of 14-15 degrees. Seedlings will appear in seven days. As soon as the seedlings get stronger and five leaves appear, you can plant calendula in open ground, and caring for it in this case will not take much time. Before planting, the seedlings are tempered by exposing the container to the street for several hours. When growing undersized varieties, it is best to use the seedling method for faster ripening.

Features of plant care

Calendula, planting and caring for which in the open field does not require much effort, still requires adherence to some rules. For long flowering, you need to devote a little time to the plant:

• remove weeds regularly;
• to give the bushes splendor, the main stem of the plant should be pinched;
• when growing calendula for bouquets and cutting, this manipulation should not be carried out; the flowers will be large if there are few inflorescences.

Calendula, as a rule, rarely gets sick. In damp and cool weather, the plant is affected by powdery mildew, mucus and rot. To combat diseases and pests, the following measures are used:

• remove the diseased plant;
• the soil is treated with a disinfectant, you can use a solution of soda ash (50 g / 10 l of water), copper sulfate (300 g / 10 l of water).

For prophylaxis, the plant must be sprayed with a fungicidal agent, weeds must be removed in a timely manner, do not overfeed with nitrogen and transplanted to a new place every three years.

Top dressing and watering

Calendula, for which planting and maintenance in the open field is quite simple, needs frequent watering.During dry periods, it needs to be watered three to four times, and in normal times, once or twice a week. As a top dressing, you can use any complex fertilizer, which is applied once every fourteen days. Excess nitrogen fertilization causes small inflorescences.

Combination with other plants

The size of the calendula makes it possible to plant it in a living curb or a small fence framing low plants. It looks great up close with evergreen shrubs. The variety of colors will decorate the alpine slide and the Moorish lawn. Calendula can add a bright touch if planted next to dark colored plants. A low-growing calendula looks spectacular in hanging baskets or pots.

And with what plants can you plant calendula? Planting a plant next to vegetable crops will be useful, since calendula is an antiseptic for the soil in which it grows. It disinfects soil from root rot and other parasites, such as ants, raspberry flies, cabbage butterflies and other insects. In addition, calendula helps to increase immunity in plants growing nearby.

Seed collection

Calendula seeds are best harvested in the last month of summer. By this time, the flowering of calendula is coming to an end. To obtain seeds for subsequent planting, brown bolls are plucked, which are in a horizontal position. Collect them in warm, sunny weather. Then the seeds are dried and ventilated for a week in a dry room. They can then be placed in a paper bag and stored until planting.

Rules for the collection, drying and storage of calendula

For medicinal purposes, the entire ground part of the plant is used, and therefore many gardeners are wondering when to collect calendula. Grass and flowers are harvested during the flowering period, that is, from June to the first October frost. Harvesting is carried out in warm, dry and clear weather, preferably at noon. The inflorescences are selected with fully blooming baskets and carefully cut with scissors or cut off by hand. During the whole daylight hours, leaves and stems are collected, which are cut off with a sharp knife or pruner. The collected raw materials are placed in pallets. Calendula is dried outdoors, protecting it from moisture and sun, in the attic or closed balcony. Vegetable raw materials are laid out in a thin layer on the material and periodically stirred up so that it dries well. Store the finished raw materials in cool and dry rooms.

Healing properties

Calendula is a plant that is widely used in folk medicine due to its significant number of medicinal properties. Quite often, calendula is used to treat diseases of the digestive tract, heart pathologies and diseases of the biliary tract. Tincture of calendula is used to rinse the mouth and treat sore throats. Calendula ointment and infusion are used to heal wounds. The tincture can also be used as a sedative. Calendula ointment is excellent for treating damage to the skin and surrounding tissue (eg, bruises, cuts, burns).

In folk cosmetology, the plant is used as a healing, soothing, tonic, and anti-inflammatory agent. In addition, calendula is used to make masks and compresses; they have a beneficial effect on the skin, improving its condition and color.

It is necessary to remember about contraindications. Pregnant women are not allowed to use calendula. Hypertensive patients also should not use medications from this plant, since the pressure can significantly decrease to dangerous values. Calendula should not be used in conjunction with other sedative medications.

Interesting Facts

• Queen of France Marguerite of Valois was very fond of calendula, so her chambers were decorated with bouquets of these beautiful flowers.
• The Queen of Navarre described calendula in her writings, admiring its splendor.
• The Luxembourg Gardens, which is located in Paris, are decorated with a statue of Marguerite with a bouquet of calendula in her hands.
• The Welsh used calendula to determine the weather: if the flowers did not open in the morning, it means that it will be cloudy or rain, and in the sea there will be a storm.
• In China, this plant represents longevity.
• In India, calendula is a sacred plant.
• In the ancient Roman calendar, the calendula marked the first day of the month.
• In ancient Greece, the medicinal properties of the plant were used.
• In the Middle Ages, calendula was used as food. It was used for filling for pies, added to cereals and salads, and also prepared puddings.
• Calendula is considered a substitute for saffron.

Bright flowers of calendula of different colors on a bright green background look very impressive. A flowering plant will look great in a single planting as well as in the center of the composition.

Calendula officinalis (Calendula officinalis) - a well-known plant with flowers that bloom in the early morning and close in the evening. It grows wild only in Mediterranean countries, but it is extremely widely cultivated throughout the world as an ornamental and medicinal plant. This flower received its name, most likely, for the similarity of the shape of the seeds with a claw or nail.

The generic name comes from the Latin colendae - the first day of each month (hence the Russian - calendar). The plant blooms for a long time, the inflorescences open in the morning, as if announcing the beginning of the day, and close at night.

The specific definition is from the Latin officina - pharmacy is associated with the medicinal properties of the plant.
Description: the height of the erect, branched stem is up to 70 cm. The basal leaves are oblong-ovate, petiolar; stem - oblong-lanceolate, sessile, embracing.

Flowers are orange or yellow in large apical baskets up to 5 cm in diameter. Outer flowers in baskets are lingual, female; internal - tubular, bisexual, sterile.

Fruits are bent achenes, located in 2-3 rows, in the outer row they are larger and bent in hiring.

It blooms from June to late autumn, the fruits ripen throughout the summer, as the plant fades. Calendula flowers have a specific scent.

Calendula will decorate any flower garden and also looks elegant in a bouquet, where it stays in water for 5-7 days. Large bright spots of calendula are pleasing to the eye in any weather. Low grades are good on balconies, ridges and mixborders. Calendula is used for planting in groups in variegated flower beds and against the background of lawns, in rows in rabatki. The yellow-orange gamut of calendula goes well with the blue-blue color of plants such as ageratum and lobelia. Calendula is a light-loving cold-resistant plant that tolerates frosts down to -4 ° C. In the heat, the inflorescences become smaller and the flowering ends quickly.

Garden groups are widespread:

Pacific with graceful double inflorescences, in which the ligulate flowers at the ends are twisted into tubes;

 Medallion with original inflorescences, where ligulate flowers are located in 1 row along the edge, and the entire center is occupied by tubular flowers with overgrown corollas. Seeds remain viable for up to five years.

Geographic distribution. The homeland of marigolds is central and southern Europe. Our cultivated ornamental plant is bred in flower beds, lawns. For medicinal needs, they are cultivated in specialized state farms.Compound: calendula flower baskets contain carotenoids (about 3 %), essential oil (0.02 %), resin (up to 3.4 %), mucus (up to 4 %) organic and mineral acids, ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and phytolecides.

Cultivation: calendula is photophilous. In the shade, the plants stretch out, lie down, the inflorescences become smaller. Calendula is unpretentious to soils, but grows best in sufficiently moist areas. Propagated by seeds. Seeds germinate at 8-10 ° C. Self-seeding of plants is possible.

Since autumn, 4-5 kg ​​of organic fertilizers and 20-30 g of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers per 1 m2 are applied for digging on soils with low fertility.

In spring, when loosening the soil, 15–20 g / m2 of nitrogen fertilizers are applied. Calendula is sown at the earliest possible date in open ground. For sowing, it is better to select the smallest central seeds of the flower basket, since they produce plants with a large number of double inflorescences. Sow in grooves to a depth of 2-4 cm. The distance between grooves is 30-40 cm. 1 - 1.5 g of seeds are sown per 1 m2.  Seedlings appear on the 9-15th day.

Care consists in weeding, loosening, watering.

The seeds ripen 100-110 days after sowing and remain viable for 3-5 years. They are usually harvested in August-September when the achenes are brown. To marigolds begin to bloom early, you can grow seedlings in boxes, greenhouses, sowing seeds in April. The seedling method is especially effective for low-growing varieties of calendula. Seedlings appear in 7-8 days, they dive at a distance of 15-20 cm between plants. Seedlings with 5-6 true leaves are planted in the spring in a permanent place. A feeding area of ​​30 x 40 or 40 x 40 cm ensures normal plant care during the growing season and their good development. In drought, calendula plants are watered. This is important because calendula is not a drought tolerant plant.

In calendula, faded inflorescences should be plucked regularly, this stimulates the formation of new flowers, prolongs the flowering time and retains the decorative effect of the plant for a long time.

To prolong the flowering of the plant and preserve its decorative effect, the faded flowers are cut off as they wither.

In the flower garden and on the windowsill

In specialized farms for the production of medicinal raw materials, mainly the following domestic varieties are grown - Colta, Ryzhik, Sakharovskaya orange. It is believed that these varieties contain the greatest amount of medicinal substances, such as, for example, carotenoids.

However, the decorative qualities of marigolds are not ignored. Mainly tall, low-branching marigold varieties are displayed for cutting: for example, Pacific Beauty (Pacific Beauty) has a stem reaching 45 cm in height. Dwarf terry calendula plants with various colors of inflorescences, for example, the Patio group or the Calypso variety, look surprisingly attractive, therefore they are most often used in landscaping. There are also varieties with variegated inflorescences.

Some varieties of calendula can be grown without much hassle not only in the garden and on the balcony, but even at home on the windowsill. They will enliven and decorate any room.

Calendula is a cold-resistant plant, capable of withstanding sharp fluctuations in night and day temperatures, short-term frosts. It is quite enough for growth and flowering temperatures from +8 to + 12 ° С during the day and from +4 to + 10 ° С at night.

In hot weather, the decorative qualities of marigolds may suffer - the plant grows too vigorously, shortens the flowering time, the flowers become smaller and may lose their doubleness. Therefore, it is important, at least during the budding period, to provide sufficiently cool and humid conditions.

The plant is light-requiring, in a flower garden it will be better in an open place, and at home on a windowsill illuminated by the sun.

Calendula can grow in a wide variety of soils, and yet it prefers fertile ones. Before planting in the garden, the soil is prepared in advance: in the fall it is dug up and 3-4 kg of manure, 40 g of superphosphate and 10 g of ammonium nitrate per 1 sq. m. Instead of manure, you can add 15 g of ammonium nitrate, 10 g of potassium salt and 60 g of superphosphate.

For growing in boxes on the balcony or in flowerpots in the room, you can buy ready-made soil "garden soil" and mix it with an equal amount of simple unfertilized soil. Or prepare the soil mixture yourself: 2 parts of loamy soil and 1 part of sand with the addition of compost.

Sowing on the site is carried out in early April, but you can do this both before winter and during the summer. Seeds begin to germinate at temperatures from +2 to + 4 ° C, but it is still better at temperatures from + 15 to + 20 ° C. Seeds are usually sown directly into the ground, but sometimes seedlings are prepared. Seeds are sown into grooves to a depth of 2-3 cm. The distance between grooves should be 30-40 cm. 1-1.5 g of seeds are used per square meter. Calendula begins to bloom in a month and a half after the emergence of shoots, that is, usually in late June - early July.

At home, marigold seeds are planted in pots with a diameter of 20 cm, filled with ordinary potting soil with good drainage.

Marigolds are not afraid of pests and diseases, on the contrary, they protect other plants on the site from various misfortunes. Sometimes they are sown for this purpose around the perimeter of the site for potatoes.

Collection: flower baskets are collected at the beginning of the flowering period of the plant, cutting them off without pedicels, and dried in well-ventilated warm rooms or dryers at a temperature of 40-45 ° C.

Collect fully blossoming flower baskets during the period of horizontal arrangement of reed flowers. They are plucked and peduncles removed. With systematic frequent harvesting, new inflorescences are formed, and flowering continues until frost, which increases the yield.

Medicinal raw materials. Finished raw material - marigold flowers - Flores Calendulae consists of flower baskets with a diameter of 6-18 mm or more without peduncles or with a small remainder of their length up to 3 cm. Receptacle is flat, naked. In the baskets of non-double marigolds, ligulate flowers are located in 2-3 rows, and in double ones there are up to 15. These flowers are orange, red-orange or bright yellow. Tubular sterile flowers, yellow or brownish. The leaves are gray-green.

The smell is weak, fragrant. The taste is bitter with a slimy sensation.

GOST 6717-53 allows: moisture not more than 14%; flower baskets with the remains of peduncles more than 3 cm long, but no longer than 5 cm, no more than 7%; baskets with completely crumbling flowers no more than 20%; stems, leaves and brownish baskets no more than 3%; organic impurity no more than 0.5%; mineral - no more than 0.1%.

Chemical composition. Marigold flowers contain about 3% carotenoids (carotene, lycopene, violaxanthin, citraxanthin, rubixanthin, flavochrom), flavonoids (narcissin, isoquercitrin, rhamnetin and isoramnetin-3-triglucoside, isoquercitrin), there are about 0.02% saponins (essential oil) oleanolic and glucuronic acids), the bitter substance Calenden, up to 3.44% resinous substances, up to 2.5% mucus, inulin, organic acids, unexplored alkaloids (especially in seeds), triterpendiols (arnidiol and faraciol), phytosterols, enzymes, a little tannins.

Action and application. Biologically active substances of marigolds have anti-inflammatory and bactericidal effects (especially against staphylococci and streptococci), promote the regeneration of damaged tissues. Therefore, an infusion of 40 g per 200 ml of water and a tincture (Tinctura Calendulae) are used to treat wounds with amputations, bruises, burns, frostbites, furunculosis, sycosis, eczema, for wounds, to prevent scarring during wound healing, with skin rashes, lichen , inflammation of the veins of the extremities, with angina, in obstetric practice - for douching, tampons and lotions in the treatment of inflammatory diseases of the genital organs, with angina and stomatitis .. Inside is prescribed for the treatment of gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer, gastritis and as a choleretic agent. The Calendula ointment produced by the industry with marigold tincture is used externally for lubrication in case of cuts, burns, etc.

In cosmetic practice, flowers are used for acne and oily skin, to strengthen and grow hair. Calendula is also used as a symptomatic agent for inoperable forms of cancer.Under the influence of the drug calendula, intoxication decreases in cancer patients, dyspeptic symptoms disappear, appetite and sleep improve. Calendula has a bactericidal effect, especially against staphylococci and streptococci. Included in tea blends as an "aesthetic additive"

The ancients used calendula for insect bites, and even snakes. Healers and sorcerers used the plant for ulcers, cracks in the mucous tissue, for lichen, frostbite, calluses, growths on the skin. In the old days, ointments, essences, lotions, rinses, enemas, douching, and plasters were prepared from calendula. Avicenna advised diluting the ashes of the marigold with vinegar and with such a composition to treat inflammation of the sciatic nerve. Calendula was used by Ibn Sina to treat sciatica.

Calendula can be used both internally and externally. And when used correctly, the plant will undoubtedly give a positive result. But that's not all. It turns out that calendula can be simply contemplated - and at the same time healed! In the old days, it was believed that if you look at its flowers for a few minutes every day, you can prevent many eye diseases. Our ancestors were sure that marigolds bring joy, heal and soothe, help relieve the stress accumulated during the day. This flower, so loving the sun, is also the most reliable remedy for insomnia.

The selection of calendula is usually carried out in two directions - medical and decorative. In our country, the healing properties of this plant are mainly used. In specialized farms for the production of medicinal raw materials, mainly the following domestic varieties are grown - Kalta, Ryzhik, Sakharovskaya orange. It is believed that these varieties contain the greatest amount of medicinal substances, such as, for example, carotenoids.

However, the decorative qualities of marigolds are not ignored. Mainly, tall, low-branching marigold varieties are displayed for cutting: Pacific Beauty and the tall Pacific Beauty marigold variety, reaching 45 cm in height. Dwarf terry calendula plants with various colors of inflorescences look amazingly attractive - for example, the Patio group or the Calypso variety, therefore they are most often used in landscaping. By the way, these varieties can be grown even at home on a windowsill. They will liven up and decorate any room.

Today there is a wide variety of decorative varieties of calendula. And to decorate your garden or home, you can choose any variety that you like. There is a lot of information about these flowers in special reference books for plant growing or home floriculture. All you have to do is purchase the seeds.

Calendula officinalis L. Compositae family The generic name comes from the Latin calendae - the first day of each month (hence the Russian - calendar). The plant blooms for a long time, the inflorescences open in the morning, as if announcing the beginning of the day, and close at night. The genus of calendula has about twenty species, but only two are used in culture: the little-known in our country, the field calendula and the calendula, which is very popular in our country.

Calendula officinalis is an annual herb 40-60 cm high. The stem is branched, ribbed, softly pubescent with sticky glandular hairs. The leaves are alternate, covering the stem, the lower ones are broad-footed, the upper ones are oblong.

The flowers range in color from cream, apricot and creamy yellow to dark orange. At the tops of the stems, basket-like inflorescences with a diameter of 4-5 cm are collected. The smell is fragrant. The fruit is a bent achene. There are varieties with variegated inflorescences.

The flowering of calendula officinalis is abundant and long: from June to severe frosts. Calendula is a good honey plant.

Calendula was widely used and applied in cooking.The flower is added to dishes - meat, fish, cottage cheese, vegetables, and is included in sauces and spices. By the way, in cooking, not only the flower cups of the marigold are used, but also the leaves, which are quite juicy in this plant. Flower baskets are dried and added to drinks, included in herbal teas. Calendula is used to flavor and color cheeses, butter and its substitutes. Festive dishes are decorated with flowers.

Fresh and dried leaves and inflorescences of calendula are used in the preparation of soups, added to salads, sauces, for additional flavoring of meat dishes. The petals are used as a substitute for saffron to color various dishes.

Calendula salad

2 cucumbers, 2 tbsp. l. finely chopped green onions and chopped calendula inflorescences, 1 hard-boiled egg, 2 tbsp. l. sour cream, 1 tbsp. l. finely chopped dill, salt

Peel the cucumbers, cut into thin slices, add calendula, onion, dill, sour cream, mix everything. Decorate the salad with an egg.

Interesting

If a flower is not only beautiful, but also useful, it will definitely find its place in the garden. It is possible to grow the well-known calendula from seeds by choosing the right planting time. It is also important to create conditions for the plant in which it will bloom profusely and for a long time.

Description of the plant

Calendula officinalis (or marigold) is widespread and cultivated throughout the temperate zone. It is light-requiring, cold-resistant and unpretentious to conditions. The plant is an annual, erect, in different varieties the height ranges from 20 to 70 cm. The medicinal raw materials are inflorescences - baskets. They are yellow or orange in color. Along with the usual form of flowers, there is a terry calendula. The plant blooms from June to autumn frosts. The fruits ripen in late summer - early autumn. Propagated by seeds only.

Dates of planting calendula seeds

You can grow calendula from seeds by sowing in open ground or for seedlings. In the second case, it will bloom earlier. Seeds of marigolds are sown in open ground in two terms: in spring, when the soil thaws and dries up, and in autumn, before the onset of stable frosts.

In the middle lane, the optimal dates for spring planting are the second and third decades of April. The soil is considered ready if the thrown clod of earth crumbles.

Autumn planting of calendula in the ground is carried out when night frosts become regular, the soil has not frozen yet, but warm days are no longer expected.

If you sow calendula before the onset of cold weather, the seeds will have time to hatch and then the seedlings will freeze. In order not to be mistaken in the timing, you can sow into the prepared grooves after freezing the upper layer, filling it with earth, which was prepared in advance and kept in a warm place.

The timing of planting calendula for outdoor cultivation may vary from region to region. An inexperienced gardener can check them with neighbors in a summer cottage.

Marigolds are sown on seedlings from late February to early April. After planting, the containers are watered with settled water and covered so that the earth does not dry out. Several times a day, the shelter is removed to ventilate. After the emergence of shoots, the shelter is removed. Seedlings require bright lighting and moderate watering. A few days before planting in open ground, the seedlings begin to harden - they are taken out into the street at a temperature of 12-16 degrees. Despite the fact that the plant is cold-resistant, hardened seedlings will grow faster and will hurt less after transplanting.

Rules for planting calendula in the ground

If an inexperienced summer resident has questions - how to plant calendula seeds in open ground - then these rules are no different from planting other cold-resistant annuals - asters, marigolds, cornflowers, sweet peas. To decorate flower beds with annuals, they can be sown at the same time.

For better flowering, marigolds should be allocated the most illuminated places.

Before planting calendula, it is advisable to fertilize the soil. In autumn, they are introduced into the ground per square meter:

• 3-4 kg of compost;
• a tablespoon of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers;
• coarse sand for heavy clay soils.

Potash fertilizers can be replaced with ash.

Seeds are sown in the grooves to decorate the ridges and point-to-point for flower beds. In flower beds, the distance between seeds should be 8-10 cm; for single plantings in flower beds, one plant requires an area of ​​20-30 cm2. Seeds are sown to a depth of 2-3 cm. From a greater depth, it will be more difficult for seeds to germinate. Spring plantings are watered with warm water, in autumn the seeds are left in dry ground. The first shoots appear in 5-7 days, and after a month the seedlings can be thinned out if necessary. The ripped seedlings are transplanted to a new place. Calendula easily tolerates a transplant even during flowering.

In any photo with calendula flowers, you can see that healthy plants grow freely, not thickened, each is illuminated by the sun's rays. You also need to cut the weeds on time.

Thickened planting, over-feeding and long-term cultivation in one place increase the risk of black leg disease, spotting and powdery mildew.

Plant care

Since the plant is unpretentious, after planting calendula, care in the open field consists only in periodic watering, weeding and feeding. If fertilizers were introduced into the soil in advance, then you need to feed with caution, not exceeding the amount. At the beginning of the season, you can fertilize the marigolds with nitrogen to build up green mass. It is introduced in the form of a liquid urea solution for spraying or watered at the root. You can use a diluted 1 in 10 solution of mullein, bird droppings, or nettle infusion.

At the beginning of flowering, plants can be sprayed with a complex fertilizer containing boron. This trace mineral contributes to longer and more luxuriant flowering.

Collection of medicinal raw materials and seeds

Marigolds will bloom longer if fading inflorescences are removed in a timely manner. But, if calendula is planted as a medicinal plant, then you need to pick off the flowers in the phase of full disclosure of the flower. It is best to do this in dry weather.

Calendula seeds ripen in late summer. They are large, gray-brown in color, resembling the letter "C" in appearance. Peduncles with seeds are cut off and laid out to dry in a dark place with good ventilation. After drying, they are winded and kept in cloth or paper bags in a dry room.

What are the benefits of calendula in the garden

The whole plant secretes phytoncides, which, if they do not destroy the pest, then scare it away. So, planting marigolds can clear strawberry beds from nematodes. Also, calendula in the garden helps against pests such as:

• bear,
• asparagus rattle fly,
• caterpillars of a hawk moth butterfly.

The green mass of the plant can be plowed into the soil, using it as a green manure. This operation heals the earth from late blight nightshade and nematodes. When growing calendula from seed for green manure, the best planting times are early spring and August.

In spring, calendula is sown on green mass before winter plantings of garlic, onions, carrots, and at the end of summer - to prepare the soil for the next season.

If you follow these simple recommendations, bright sunny calendula flowers will delight you all summer and will undoubtedly bring many benefits.

Planting calendula seedlings in the ground - video