ella4ka
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My Marigold seems to be dying. Please help!

Hello, as I am new to the website I didn’t know where to post this question, but I still hope someone can help me.

So I’ve had this Marigold for a few months so far, and now it seems to be dying. Can I still save it? Shall I replant it? or cut the flowers ?

Any advice could help. I live in Costa Rica central valley, can be sunny half a day and the other half raining. I keep my marigold on the balcony, it gets a few hours of sun, and the rain doesn’t get to it.
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applestar
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Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

The tiny white spots on the leaves to the right and the webbing on the branch to the left indicate severe mite infestation. Cut off the web encased branch and dispose of it — that one is not salvageable.

First thing to do is to wrap the top of the pot with plastic (bag or wrap) so the potting mix doesn’t fall out and dunk and thoroughly swish the plant in a deep bucket of water. You will want to remove the opened flowers before starting because they will be damaged by such treatment. If you want to cut and enjoy the flowers, gently soak them wrapped in paper towels to completely submerge and treat separately, since you don’t want to spread the mites that will be on the flowers elsewhere.

Start with plain water and see how much you can get off. Then change water and use plain soap (not detergent) so the water becomes cloudy, then add a few drops of very light, refined oil like canola/rapeseed oil. Thoroughly swish the plant in this — dunking in and out and side to side, turn upright and allow to drip onto the plastic covering the pot and potting mix. Then remove the plastic and allow to drip down to the potting mix as well. Take the opportunity to thoroughly soap-clean the outside of the pot (don’t forget to clean the surface of the area where the pot was situated). DO NOT PUT THE PLANT IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT.

After 5 minutes, rinse thoroughly in clear plain water. Keep the potting mix from drying out but leave in bright light but only filtered sun, isolated in quarantine from your other plants.

Repeat every 3 days for 2 weeks.


Note that this is a drastic treatment. Your plant may or may not survive it, especially since it is very badly infested. But at the end of it, you will have tried. If you are not up to it, I’m pretty sure the advice would be to chuck the plant, especially an annual like marigold. Since you will be subjecting it to water so much, be careful that it doesn’t get OVERwatered. If secondary fungal/mold infection is a possibility (humid climate), add 1/2 teaspoon per quart of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) or if you can get it potassium bicarbonate to the treatment water. You can also spray with 1:7 milk:water solution between treatments (this will also provide a small amount of nutrients without over feeding the sick plant).

If new buds and shoots start to grow and the plant shows signs of recovery, it will be a good idea to uppot it — the current pot is too small and is likely stressing it, making it vulnerable to infestation and disease.

ella4ka
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Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2018 5:11 pm

applestar,
thank you soo much! it sounds like a drastic treatment, but it is worth trying.

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Gary350
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Location: TN. 50 years of gardening experience.

All the marigolds I had in pots died. Plants that were not in full sun all day died first. All the marigolds I have in the garden are doing good except the plants that get some shade. I moved the shady plants to full sun they are doing better. I think the plants must like a more stable soil moisture they don't get that in pots plus they seem to like 10 hours of full sun all day.

imafan26
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Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

Marigolds can stay in bloom for a long time, but remember they are annuals and they live less than a year.



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