7 Causes of Dying Marigolds and How to Fix Them?

If you wish to add some pop of color to your landscape, marigolds (Tagetes spp.) are the perfect choice. It adapts to most soil types and requires only moderate watering, making marigolds a fairly low-maintenance plant. Even the low-maintenance marigold can run into problems on occasion, so there are certain reasons you should closely observe if you want to maintain your plant’s health and appearance.

7 Causes of Dying Marigolds

A dying marigold may exhibit various symptoms, such as leaf discoloration, leaf shape changes (wilting, drooping), slow or stunted growth, and root surfacing. These are the common causes of dying marigolds and the remedies that may help revive them.

Due to Overwatering

Water can sometimes hinder the growth of marigolds and make them flounder rather than flourish. Soil’s excess moisture can cause root rot when overwatered. You can eliminate this problem by ensuring your soil drains properly before planting the marigolds. Plants suffering from root rot show signs of wilting, yellowing, and eventually collapsing when they become wilted.

Providing good soil, checking for signs of root rot, and not overwatering your plants are all ways to prevent root rot. Regular watering is necessary for your marigold plant, especially during summer. Plants cannot survive drought conditions, even though they are hardy. Don’t let them dry out.

Due to Incorrect Sunlight Exposure

Here’s another example of how too much of something good can be harmful. Marigolds can die off if they are exposed to too much sunlight, especially if it is direct sunlight. Plants can be dehydrated by prolonged exposure to sunlight and suffer leaf scorching or burns at the tips of their leaves.

Generally, Marigolds prefer a full day of direct sunlight to ensure proper growth. On the other hand, lack of adequate sunlight can also lead to the plant’s death since it inhibits its ability to photosynthesize and produce energy. Remember this when the days start to get shorter and the nights get longer. If so, it may be beneficial to reposition the plant in a location with more sunlight to remedy the problem.

Soil and Drainage

It is also important to consider the soil’s state in this context. Some soils have drainage problems, for example, which would cause overwatering problems even if you only poured a small amount of water onto them. The marigold can be grown in a wide range of soil types and adapted to various soil conditions. For French (Dwarf) marigolds, light soil is best, while for African (Tall) marigolds, rich, well-drained, moist soil is best. Marigolds do best in sandy loam soil with good aeration and drainage.

Lack of Nutrients in the Soil

A healthy balance of nutrients is also necessary for plants like marigolds to thrive. The soil doesn’t contain an infinite amount of nutrients. Occasionally, you will need to replenish the nutrient. Many visual symptoms will appear when marigolds start to die because of nutrient deficiencies. A fertilizer’s or plant food’s NPK ratio (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) is usually considered when selecting a fertilizer.

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It is recommended that marigolds be given an NPK ratio of 15-15-15. Various factors, such as the soil medium and the plant’s maturity, will determine how frequently you fertilize the soil. It’s important to note that over-fertilizing can be harmful and may indirectly lead to the death of a plant. Testing the soil with a testing kit could help you learn more about its current condition.

Due to Iron or Manganese Toxicity

If your soil’s pH level is too low, your Marigold leaves may turn brown. It is recommended that marigold seeds be planted in loamy soil with a pH level of 6.2 to 6.5. Below this level, the leaves will begin developing speckles that indicate iron or manganese toxicity. Manganese and iron toxicity, also known as iron speckling, appears as small brown spots on the leaves of marigolds.

Overly acidic soil conditions are directly responsible for it. If you don’t act quickly and treat this deficiency, your marigolds will die. Monitor the plant’s foliage for signs of iron and manganese toxicity as part of your regular watering and maintenance. To make your soil more suited for marigolds, reduce acidity and increase pH by adding a liming agent.

Due to Damage from Pests

Aphids: Plants with infected leaves should be pruned and destroyed. Get rid of the aphids by spraying the plants with water. Ladybugs feed on aphids, so introducing them into your garden will eliminate your problem.

Leafhoppers: You can prevent these insects from hatching or reaching adulthood by washing the eggs or larvae off the leaves with insecticidal soaps before they hatch or reach adulthood. Cover the plants with garden fleece to prevent adult leafhoppers from attacking marigold flowers, preventing them from getting to the flowers.

Slugs: Protect your marigold plants by digging around their roots and removing slugs. There are many at-home remedies for preventing slugs from eating plants, including luring and trapping them with small shallow cornmeal dishes.

Due to Infected by Plant Diseases

You could be losing your plants due to some sort of fungus or plant disease that has infected the plant. A plant suffering from root rot, for example, is very dangerous, and it is very hard to revive it if the roots are affected. In addition to powdery mildew, rust, and black spots, other diseases can affect your marigolds. To get rid of mildew naturally on your plants, spray them with neem oil and water, rub mildew off of them once visible, or simply cut off the damaged leaves and stems and destroy them.

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Conclusion

If the conditions are right, marigolds are hardy plants and will usually grow anywhere. Even though they do not suffer from many pests, a few are attracted to the lovely marigold plant and will attempt to harm it. A marigold plant makes a great addition to your garden, and it can be planted as a border to repel and deter bugs from attacking your other plants. By keeping your marigold plant free from pests and diseases, you can ensure it lives a long, colorful, and productive life.

7 Causes of Dying Marigolds and How to Fix Them?