Pakistan Gardening Forum

AoA. I want to plant Marigold from seeds. I believe season for same is already started. My questions are:-

1. Which is (are) most appropriate cultivar to grow in Rawalpindi region. With my basic know-how Inca F1 will give me big blooms?, Any other types for variety which is easy to plant and gives big blooms?
2. Should I grow it now (in Aug)?
3. In Pindi, Is Awan Seeds reliable source to buy seeds from?, Any other source.
4. Soil and Sun requirements for growing from seeds.
Please help.

Just Called Green Impex Isd, they say they haven't yet recieved Inca seeds for this season and likely to get them in a day or two.. Also check Awan seeds, they probably also get from Green Impex, so they don't have them too..Will wait..

If you want a fall display i.e. Mid October type. You are late and it is advisable to go for seedlings.
For a delayed display such as December, You can start from seeds.
marigold may sail through frost/colder months but will require some sort of little protection.
Nothing specific about the soil, they perform better when surface sown, use good media to ward off chances of damping off as it is quite humid these days.
Once dry season starts again. Caution against mites.
Full Sun throughout. Though i have tried them in part sun and full shade as well. Bloom count will reduce if the exposure is less.
Generally Marigold seeds are not an issue and all seed vendors have reasonable varieties.
There is lot of discussion on cultivars on Forum. Its a matter of your choice. See what suits you.

jdashraf wrote:AoA. I want to plant Marigold from seeds. I believe season for same is already started. My questions are:-

1. Which is (are) most appropriate cultivar to grow in Rawalpindi region. With my basic know-how Inca F1 will give me big blooms?, Any other types for variety which is easy to plant and gives big blooms?
2. Should I grow it now (in Aug)?
3. In Pindi, Is Awan Seeds reliable source to buy seeds from?, Any other source.
4. Soil and Sun requirements for growing from seeds.
Please help.

Inca is the best of dwarf African Marigolds available here, vendors in Lahore also carry marvel and discovery series but in my opinion no variety can match the vigor and flower power of Inca's.

Awan seeds Commitee chowk Rawalpindi are the best annual seed supplier, good seed count, upto 100% germination, and very reasonable prices. If you want to buy any seeds they are the best. The vendors in Lahore don't have quality nor good seed count specially Chanan din seeds...No spirit of customer care or service.

You can plant from seeds now...they will start blooming in mid of October if they are provided with full sun with any type of free draining soil i.e. within 2 months. But if you want an early show i would second Farhan bhai's recommendation to go for seedlings. Fathe Muhammad nursery or Makkah nursery in Islamabad, Peshawar mor are best to buy seedlings of all annuals.

As Tahir Sb mentioned,Inca F 1 is the best in African Marigold (Gainda in Urdu).Its colours-Orange, Yellow, Gold & Vanilla White. Most nurseries sell the seedlings of Inca Series. Then there is French Marigold(Jahfri in Urdu)- smaller flowers compared to Inca, but more colours ie 7- four of them in double shade. As Umar also mentioned earlier, you can leave some space-say front row, for later planting of the cuttings taken from the original plants. When the original plants reach a height of about 4",cut the central stems & plant them in shade. After 5-6 days,when they have revived, transfer them in the space left/front row in the bed.Cutting/pinching increases blooming. No need of fertilizing,as it will stimulate foliage at the expence of flowers. Another point to remember is that avoid sprinkling water on the plants/flowers. Happy experience.

Thank you all. Ok then I am trying both as suggested by you all: seedlings from nursery to get bloom in Oct and Inca seeds for bloom from Nov onwards. Thx again.

Sow seeds in October for spring display.

Tahir Khan wrote:Sow seeds in October for spring display.

ok. so i sow seeds twice, now and ten in Oct for bloom from Oct till mid spring..

You can do that

French Marigolds are more hardy and frost tolerant. i.e if you want to over-winter.