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African Marigold 'Crackerjack'

Tagetes erecta

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'Crackerjack' is a African Marigold variety in the Tagetes genus with a scientific name of Tagetes erecta. Crackerjack is a variety of heirloom OP African Marigold . Blooms appear in these approximate colours: Painter yellow and School bus yellow and Orange. When mature, they grow to 10.0 cm (3.9 inches imperial) in diameter.The mature flowers are of a Double form. Leaves appear approximately as a Napier green colour.

Big, bold double flowers in orange, gold and lemon borne well above the foliage. A very early and free flowering strain.

This is a mixed seed packet featuring different colours offered by West Coast Seeds.

It is an Flower and is treated mainly as a Annual, This means that it grows best over the course of a single year. Crackerjack is known for growing to a height of approximately 91.0 cm (2.96 feet). This variety tends to bloom in mid summer.

Mexico is believed to be where Crackerjack originates from.

This plant info is provided by the myfolia gardener's wiki. All details about African Marigold 'Crackerjack' have been kindly provided by our members.

How to grow African Marigold 'Crackerjack'

Full Sun
+
Medium

Deadhead.

Position in a full sun location and remember to water moderately. Keep in mind when planting that Crackerjack is thought of as half hardy, so it will require protection in frosts and low temperatures. Use USDA Hardiness Zone 9 - 11 as your guideline for the appropriate climate for this plant.

Growing Crackerjack from seed

Sow the seed thinly in pots or trays on a windowsill or in a greenhouse in a good quality, finely sieved, moist compost.

Sow at a depth of approx. 0.23 inches (0.6 cm) and aim for a distance of at least 1.95 inches (5.0 cm) between African Marigold plants. Soil temperature should be kept higher than 15°C / 59°F to ensure good germination.

By our calculations, you should look at sowing Crackerjack about 49 days before your last frost date.

Transplanting Crackerjack

Transplant seedlings spacing them 5cm apart in trays and grow on. Acclimatise the plants to outside conditions and then plant 15 – 23cm apart in a sunny place.

Ensure that temperatures are mild and all chance of frost has passed before planting out, as Crackerjack is a half hardy plant.

Harvesting Crackerjack

African Marigold 'Crackerjack' information

Lifecycle The lifecycle that Crackerjack exhibits. Annual Category The category for the Crackerjack plant. Flower
Hardiness Is Crackerjack frost hardy? Half Hardy Country of Origin Where does Crackerjack come from? Mexico
Bloom Time When does Crackerjack bloom? Mid Summer
Mature Height How tall does Crackerjack grow? 91.0 cm / 2.96 feet Mature Spread How wide does Crackerjack grow? 30.0 cm / 11.7 inches
USDA Zone Range What zones does Crackerjack grow best in? Zone 9 - Zone 11
Sun How much sunlight does Crackerjack need to grow? Full Sun
Water Requirements How much water does Crackerjack require? Medium
Ideal Germination Temperature Range What temperatures does Crackerjack need in order to germinate? 15°C / 59°F to 20°C / 68°F Growing Temperatures What temperatures are best to grow Crackerjack in? Help build our wiki! to Help build our wiki!
Can Sow Direct? Can Crackerjack seeds be sown directly? Yes Sowing Depth How deep to plant Crackerjack? 0.6 cm / 0.23 inches
Sowing Distance Apart How far apart to sow Crackerjack 5.0 cm / 1.95 inches
Planting Distance Apart How far apart to plant Crackerjack seedlings? 30.5 cm / 11.89 inches

How long does Crackerjack take to grow?

These estimates for how long African Marigold 'Crackerjack' takes to sprout, grow and harvest are from real observations from real gardeners, right around the world. Start logging and journaling your observations to participate!

Days to Germination How long does it take Crackerjack to germinate? 5 days Average 5 days | Min 1 days | Max 16 days (55)
Days to Transplant How long until I can plant out Crackerjack? + 24 days Average 24 days | Min 24 days | Max 24 days (1)
Days to Maturity How long until Crackerjack is ready for harvest / bloom? + 80 days Average 80 days | Min days | Max days (0)
Total Growing Days How long does it take to grow Crackerjack? = 109 days