Tegetes patula

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 French Marigold, Sparky Wildflower Seeds are a great companion plant (they deter bad bugs).Be sure to plant around the vegetable garden! They can also be used as a cover crop for weed suppression.  Very easy to grow. Start indoors 6-8 weeks before first frost, then transplant after threat of frost has passed. Alternately, direct sow outdoors 1 inch apart, then thin to 6 inches apart once seedlings have 1-2 sets of true leaves.  French Marigold, Sparky Wildflower Seeds prefer full sun and moderate water. Remove fading flowers to encourage a longer flowering season.Transplant about 10" apart into an area with full sun.  French Marigold, Sparky Wildflower Seeds can take poor soil but do best in a good soil. Likes ample water. Keep flowers picked off to encourage bushiness and prolong flowering. Full, orange-and-yellow, double blooms cover these short plants. These marigolds work well in containers and they are surprisingly drought resistant, so can be incorporated in xeriscaping schemes. 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. 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 70-75°F. Seeds should germinate in 4-14 days at that temperature. Avoid planting them near beans.

Tips On When And Where To Plant Wildflower Seeds
Sowing wildflower seeds is one of the simplest forms of gardening, fun do do with kids and a rewarding activity for gardeners of all ages. A few simple steps will increase your success in wildflower gardening.

First, find out what your gardening zone is. Take a look at our zoning information. Don't plant wildflowers when frost is still a danger in the early months of the year, or when frost is about to set in near year's end. In most regions, the optimal planting time for wildflowers begins as soon as all danger of frost has past and warmer days are ahead.

Do you live in California, Florida or southern Texas? Times of frost are minimal in your area, and you can plant wildflowers in all but the coldest weeks of the year, or the very hottest part of summer. In California, most gardeners plant their wildflower seed in the early winter, so that it is sitting there ready for the first rains to wake it up! In Florida, however, fall is a better time to plant wildflower seeds.

Are you in a rainy corner of the country? Plant before your local rainy season begins, ensuring that your wildflowers will have plenty of time to germinate and establish themselves before summer heat hits in.

In many parts of the country, both annual and perennial wildflower seeds will become permanent parts of the garden, growing either via reseeding or by living on from year to year on their own roots.

If you aren't sure about your zone or optimal wildflower planting time, you can contact your local Ag Department.

How To Plant Your Wildflower Seeds
To ensure even sowing of wildflower seeds, try mixing sand or vermiculite with 1/2 the amount of seeds you've purchased. Sow by scattering this throughout the desired area, and then go back over the area with the plain seed (not mixed with sand or vermiculite). This will help you to avoid a patchy look.

Don't rake or cover your wildflower seeds with dirt. Instead, after you've finished scattering the wildflower seed, simply walk over the area in your shoes - or barefoot if you're a nature-loving guy or gal! This will gently compress the seeds into the soil without burying them.

If you're expecting rain within a week or so of sowing your wildflower seed, there is no need to water. But, if you live in a dry area or can't count on rain, mist the wildflower seed growing area with a hose or gentle sprinkler. Keep the seed bed moist until the little plants are established or rain is falling on its own without help from your garden hose! Germination times are unique to each variety with some appearing in as little as a week and others taking many weeks to germinate. Be patient - each variety will start growing at the time that is right for it.