Have you planted marigolds in the garden, and they aren’t blooming? This is a common problem that gardeners face. Today you will learn the reasons why you may be having a difficult time getting your marigolds to put on flowers.You will also find some helpful tips that will make growing marigolds easier.
Why Aren’t My Marigolds Blooming?
Normally, marigolds will put on blooms without much help from the grower. However, there are some things that can affect these beautiful plants and keep them from blooming.
Below are a few reasons why your marigold may not be blooming.
Planted Too Late in The Year
If you have waited too long to plant marigolds, they may not have a chance to bloom. When cold weather sets in before marigolds have a chance to bloom, they will go dormant.
Make sure that you plant your marigolds in the spring so that you can enjoy their blooms all summer long.
Lack of Nutrients
The most common reasons why marigolds won’t bloom is that they don’t have enough nutrients. To get your marigolds to bloom, pay close attention to the soil. If your plants are not blooming, you may need to add some fertilizer.
It is best to go with a natural fertilizer like worm castings, to feed your marigolds. If you do have to use chemical fertilizers, make sure you don’t overdo things. Too much chemical fertilizer can harm plants and even kill them.
Too Much Fertilizer
As you learned above,too much fertilizer can harm marigold plants. Giving these plants too much fertilizer can also keep them from blooming. This problem can often go unnoticed if you’re not sure just how much fertilizer you have used.
In the future, make sure to keep a record of how much and how often you have used fertilizer on your plants.
Not Enough Sunlight
Marigolds are sun-loving plants that thrive when they get enough sunlight. If you have planted marigolds in shaded areas, they may never bloom. When planted next to taller growing plants, marigolds may become shaded out, and no blooms will appear.
Make sure that your marigolds are getting enough sunlight to help them thrive.
Lack of Moisture
If you have forgotten to water your marigolds, it could be the reason why they are not flowering for you. While marigolds are resilient plants, they do require moisture in order to grow.
Make sure you are watering your plants during periods of low rainfall.
To make watering your plants easier, you can install drip irrigation. This will take the guesswork out of the task of keeping your marigolds blooming during the growing season.
Too Much Moisture
Just like too much fertilizer can keep marigolds from blooming, so can too much moisture. If you grow marigolds in soil that doesn’t drain well, it could cause the plants to have stunted growth.
This will keep your marigolds from blooming, and it can even kill them if the problem is not dealt with.
Pest Problems
Pests are not normally a problem with marigolds. Most bugs will avoid marigolds because they don’t like the smell the plant gives off.
But in some rare cases, pests can stop marigolds from blooming. Spider mites are one of the few pests that will attack marigolds.
If you suspect spider mites are attacking your plants, spay them with insecticidal soap. This will get rid of any bugs that may be causing your flowers a problem.
How To Keep Your Marigolds Flowering All Summer
If you want to enjoy marigold blooms all summer long, you will need to give the plants a helping hand. Deadheading your marigolds after the blooms have aged, will help the plant produce new growth.
New blooms will soon appear in the place of the old ones. When marigolds are not deadheaded, they think the growing process is over with and will go to seed.
Conclusion
While marigolds are normally hardy plants, you may need to give them a little extra care to help them bloom.
Make sure they have plenty of water and nutrients so that these beautiful plants can put on flowers.
Follow the tips you have learned today to ensure that your marigolds look their best. Also consider planting other flowers such as azalea.
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