Do you want to prevent pests from attacking your flowers and vegetables? Plant tagetes (marigolds) in the garden and in the vegetable patch
Tagetes (marigolds) are small plants, with really generous flowers and are capable of growing quickly in many different habitats, which makes them really easy to cultivate. Another useful feature they have is that they also function as a deterrent for parasitic and harmful insects that can harm other plants. For this reason, they are often placed in gardens and vegetable patches just to protect various vegetables and other plants that are particularly targeted by various insects and parasites.
Therefore, these plants are known and used all over the world (from Latin America to Asia) and are used not just for traditional decorations of many important holidays (especially in Mexico and India), but are also allies for our gardens and vegetable patches. Find out more about marigolds by reading further:
How do marigolds repel parasites? It is thanks to their roots: these, in fact, release chemicals into the soil that kill nematodes - a species of worm that causes so-called "galls", spherical protuberances that grow on the roots and often lead to the premature death of the plant (especially in young plants). The substance produced by marigolds are also toxic to other types of nematodes.
The most effective in this area seem to be the so-called "Indian carnations" or "French marigolds".
How to take advantage of marigolds? Just plant them around the flower beds or the garden plants that you want to protect from nematodes. By the end of winter, they will have had plenty of time to take root. When these plants wither, you will notice that a sort of needle-shaped tuft of seeds remains on the stem, which are easily detached with your hands. It is with these that the marigolds propagate themselves so easily, and it will be easy for you to collect these seeds at the end of the summer (or during the autumn). Keep them aside in a dry and dark place until the end of winter and then you can safely sprinkle them on the ground, covering them with a finger of earth.
Marigolds flower from spring to early autumn, and can grow even in the cracks between bricks and other challenging places - proof of their great resilience and robustness. In short, marigolds are really beautiful and useful plants!
