Sowing hardy annuals - marigolds

Sowing Hardy Annuals

Hardy annuals should be sown in early to mid-spring – from the end of February or early March onwards.

'Hardy' means they are tolerant of frost and can be planted out in the garden from mid-April onwards – you don't need to wait until after the last frosts.

Marigolds are an Easy Hardy Annual

Marigolds germinate very quickly and easily, so are one of the easiest things you can grow and a good flower to start with if you are new to growing from seed.

There are different sowing processes for different sizes of seed. Marigolds are quite a large seed that is easy to handle, so this is the process I use.

• I'm sowing marigold (Calendula officinalis) 'Touch of Red Buff'

How to Sow Marigolds

I sow some marigolds in a rubber modular seed tray and some outside. Sowing some seeds indoors doubles your chances of success, as these provide a backup.

I use peat-free multipurpose compost (SylvaGrow with added John Innes, which means added loam). It's not too light so doesn't dry out too quickly.

1. If using a multipurpose compost, sieve or sift through it and remove any large pieces.

• You want a fine compost to allow seed to remove any obstructions for emerging shoots and roots.

1. Fill the seed tray to the top with compost and scrape off any excess with a flat pot tamper to even the surface.

1. Very gently firm down each module to remove any large air pockets and ensure seed stays in place.

• As I'm using a modular tray, I'm using my tiny square tamper.

1. Water the compost using a small watering can with fine rose.

• It's best to water before you put the seeds in so as not to dislodge the seeds.

1. Place the seeds on the surface of the compost. I sow two seeds into each module.

• If they both sprout you can move the weaker one and let the stronger one develop, if one germinates that's fine, and if neither germinates, you have two in another module and can transplant one across.

1. Cover the seeds with a thin (a few millimetres deep) layer of compost.

• It doesn't need to be exact; there's no need to measure.

1. Gently firm down with the modular pot tamper again.

• Avoid being forceful as that will then remove too much air, which is needed for germination.

1. Label with the plant name and sowing date.

1. Put the propagator lid on and place your seeds somewhere that is around 18 degrees.

1. They should germinate within 3-4 days; then bring them back out into a brighter, cooler place, in my case back out into the greenhouse.