Lavender2
Garden Addicted
Many gardeners have luck with just throwing them in the garden and lightly covering with soil.obsessed said:
I like to start them early inside, 6-8 weeks before last frost. Optimum germination temp for Marigold seeds is 75-80*F... I don't think my soil gets that warm until June sometime. By starting them early, I have blooms in May.
This is what works for me, and how I start almost all my seeds - (warning - probably more than you wanted to know...
)Moisten seed starting soil in a bucket (just moist, like a sponge, not soggy so water runs when you squeeze it)
Fill trays or pots, pack soil firmly, but don't like jump on it...
I tend to sow everything sparingly so as not to disturb seedlings as much as possible (some like to sow by sprinkling seed in open flats and then transplant to small pots or cell packs) I find this is more work.
Marigolds - I place 2 seeds per cell in 4 or 6 pack cell trays. Cover seeds with about 1/4 inch soil. Cover flat with plastic lid or wrap. Put somewhere as close to the opt. temp. (75-80F).
I set the trays on top of my shop lights and leave them on 24-7. The room temp will be warmer than the temp of moist soil, a sunny window in a warm climate may reach over 90*F and will cook your seeds.
With a plastic cover, you should not have to water until seeds germinate, but check every few days.
Germination should be 5-10 days... remove plastic immediately.
One thing that I have figured out in my many years of starting seeds is... never let them totally dry out and never keep them soggy.
I like to use the poke and lift method. Poke your finger in the soil and lift the tray... if the soil feels dry and the tray is light, water thoroughly... if not, leave it and check the next day. If flats are outside (when I'm hardening things off), they need to be checked twice a day.
I do not use fertilizer or soil with fertilizer in it.
I prefer to grow all my seedlings under lights, but Marigolds and other fast growing annuals that don't mind the heat may do OK in a sunny window as long as they get very bright light at least 10-12 hours a day.
If you have unpredictable spring weather (heavy rains), poor soil for starting seeds outside, etc ... you may want to try some inside and sow some in the garden.
Here are my Janies last spring ... best of luck!!!
