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Why do my marigolds stems break?

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Suzie Bolotin

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Sep 11, 1995, 3:00:00 AM9/11/95
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Can anyone tell me why big fat happy marigold plants have stems that
break very easily? On one of them, top-heavy with buds and blooms and
foliage, the plant just fell over with the main stem broken. On
another, listing a bit to the side, several "branches" broke off from
the main stem. It didn't take any more force than watering from a
watering can to do this.

No big deal--these were free unsolicited seeds I got in the mail. But
I'm confused: are healthy-looking plants sometimes not? Did I do or not
do something to make the stems brittle or weak?

Thanks for any ideas.

Sarah.Santitoro

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Sep 12, 1995, 3:00:00 AM9/12/95
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In article <DEr4J...@unx.sas.com>, sas...@springer.unx.sas.com (Suzie Bolotin) writes:
:>
:> Can anyone tell me why big fat happy marigold plants have stems that

:> break very easily? On one of them, top-heavy with buds and blooms and
:> foliage, the plant just fell over with the main stem broken. On
:> another, listing a bit to the side, several "branches" broke off from
:> the main stem. It didn't take any more force than watering from a
:> watering can to do this.
:>

I have no "official" answer except to say that they may be "encouraged"
to break by little night critters. I suspect mine (I've got 5 different
kinds this year) show some suspicious signs of cats/dogs/racoons who must
have suddenly been struck with narcolepsy when they visited my property...

(Congrats on growing them from seed!)
Sarah

... not my employer... (you know the drill...)

Erick Larson

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Sep 14, 1995, 3:00:00 AM9/14/95
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The problem may be the fact that the seeds qualified to be
"unsolicited." Often, breeders will try something that doesn't
work so well such as "big fat happy" flowers on not-so-big
stems. Usually big fat and happy marigolds have stems that are
quite thick. "y' get what you pay for!"

--

EWL


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