Mad for marigolds Look through the pages of any seed catalogue. Walk into any garden center in spring. You’ll see dozens and dozens of mangolds in all sorts of different flower types: single flowers, doubles, crested types, carnation-types, even delicate lacy flowers. It’s a wonderful predicament, trying to decide what’s best. For even with the dozens of marigolds to choose from, it’s easy to keep all those different flower types straight. Marigolds are divided into four basic groups; the dwarf French marigolds; the taller African (or American) marigolds; the lacy, fernlike signets; and a new class, the triploids. Each group contains several different flower types: crested, carnation, doubles, singles and others. Each variety, however, has special charac teristics that make it easy to decide what’s best for you. French Marigolds- The French marigolds are dwarf, growing no higher than 12 inches. At one time, along with their small size, they bore small nondescript flowers, Short On Cash... IMM YOU* nii&AW J&SJ LIQUID MANURE EQUIPMENT »*, sf Terms Up To 5 Years MODEL #9OOO LIQUID PUMP (#6OOO GPM) husky front mount soil injectors | HEAVY DUjfY REPLACEMENT BARN CLEANER CHAIN • r *** s(^*- THIS CHAIN WILL REPLACE MOST BRANDS OF CHAINS —I I —II II —\ I —lI —I / —7 — > SALES AND SERVICE 1 I CZ \J V / f(N 501 E Woods Dr, Lititz, PA 17543 _J 1_ f\ K\ CL) 24Hr.Se^ic7<ifSred-Aftlr6 I pMCall BA DM Mervin Nissley RayShenk rAttlYI dELKVIUCi (717)872-4565 (717)626-1152 But plant breeders have worked to develop plants with the same dwarf size and larger, more varied flowers. There are now four types of vivid flowers within the French group; crested, carnation or anemone types, single flowered and single crested. By far the most popular crested marigolds have a mound of petals in the center and long, broad guard petals along the edges. Petals are often attractively quilled or honeycombed. Lt i _ | i t i _ • Liquid Manure Pumps vll LI LL * electromix • Barn Cleaner Chains UIIC US •T» HOOK AND EYE ‘Bonanza’ and ‘Boy’ mangold series are crested types. New for 1984 are ‘Bonanza Harmony’ with orange flowers and maroon collars; and ‘Sunny Boy’, with golden yellow flowers. Companions to the crested marigolds are carnation or anemone types with broad, flat tened petals and solid, bicolor or speckles colorings. ‘Red Cherry’ is a popular car nation type with a red color truer than other marigolds. The ‘Queen’ series is another popular carnation type. ‘Queen Victoria’, the latest addition to the series, has the sam, unique, broadened petals in deep gold, lightly flecked with red. Single French marigolds, such as ‘Dainty Marietta’ are also available with broad, single flowers. ‘Spinwheel’s’ red and yellow stripes radiate out from the center of the flower. Intermediate between single and the double is ‘Tiger Eyes’, a single marigold with just a trace of cresting in the center. French marigolds mentioned are compact and make excellent plants for borders or edgings - as well as fine container plants. African Marigolds- The African (or American) marigolds, are the statuesque plants often used against fences or walls, as back • Bedding Choppers • Silage Carts • Manure Tanks WIDE SPREADING PATTERN LIQUID TANK SPREADERS 6 sizes to choose from 1200 gal to 5000 gal FORAGE LINKS y.j airf Available From DOTTERER & KOLESAR 717-726-3471 drops or focal points for beds or even as small hedges to divide the garden. Lovers of these tall marigolds can choose between two different flower types; the all-doubles and the carnation or anemone types. The all-doubles have full fluffy flowers on plants that grow up to 36 inches tall. Flowers stretch 3-4 inches across and from a distance appear to be soft, fluffy balls of color. They’re attractive clos up, too, where their distinctive doubling and large size really stand out. Some of the most dependable and popular varieties include the ‘lnca’, ‘Jubiliee; and‘Lady’ series. The carnation American marigolds have a more flat topped, broad flowered form with vivid, pure colors. ‘Sunshot’, a sparkling yellow, is early, with big 3-inch blooms. The Signets- Signet marigolds are one of the best kept secrets in gardening. With their unusual, lacy flowers and fem-like foliage, they attract attention wherever they’re planted. The lacy flowers have a very pleasing, delicate feeling to them. Their 10-12 inch size makes them suitable for borders, edgings or containers. Try ‘Tangerine Gem’ for out standing performance. Triploids- Triploid marigolds are crosses between American and Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 2,1984-825 French marigolds. The result is a plant with the bst characteristics of both - the sturdiness and vigor of the Americans with the compact habit of the French kinds. Because the triploids are ‘mules’ they turn all their energy into producing flowers instead of seed ... even in the hottest days of summer. Both crested- and carnation flowered triploids are available. One of the best crested varieties is ‘Encore’, a primrose, almost translucent yellow. AMERICA ON THE GROW Support Vocational Agriculture &FFAJ
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