Variety field guide
What to expect from Crackerjack Mixed Marigold
Crackerjack Mixed African marigold seeds produce mixed bloom on 31–36 in upright/erect plants. Annual growth and Summer/Fall bloom make it useful for borders, containers, cutting, warm-season color, and seed saving.
Read the complete product descriptionTraits, flavor, garden use, variety notes, and the full catalog record
Crackerjack Mixed African marigold seeds produce mixed bloom on 31–36 in upright/erect plants. Annual growth and Summer/Fall bloom make it useful for borders, containers, cutting, warm-season color, and seed saving.
About Crackerjack Mixed
Crackerjack Mixed is an annual african marigold with mixed color, 31–36 in mature height or spread, and an upright/erect habit. Harvest form or size: Flower or head form characteristic of Crackerjack Mixed; mature plant 31–36 in. Botanically it is Tagetes erecta. Maturity or first bloom: 70-79 Days; germination: 5-10 Days at 70–85 °F. Best for borders, containers, cutting, warm-season color, and seed saving. Grown for ornamental or habitat use rather than as a food crop.
History and provenance
Tagetes species were domesticated and cultivated in Mexico and Central America long before becoming international bedding flowers. French and African marigolds are horticultural groups rather than statements of botanical origin. Tagetes patula and Tagetes erecta are kept distinct, and their common group names are not treated as proof of geographic provenance. A complete public breeder or release record for the named Crackerjack Mixed strain has not been located. The cultivar name is retained, but no person, community, date, or place of origin is assigned without reliable documentation. Crackerjack Mixed African Marigold Seeds grow tall, upright plants with large double blooms in orange, gold, and yellow shades. The mix is useful when height and substantial flower heads matter more than a low border habit. Crackerjack is a long-running tall mixed African marigold in the seed trade. The current Alliance record supports its open-pollinated status and mixed flower colors but does not establish one unbroken commercial seed lineage.
Growing facts
| Scientific name | Tagetes erecta |
|---|---|
| Life cycle | Annual |
| Maturity / first bloom | 70-79 Days |
| Germination | 5-10 Days at 70–85 °F |
| Seed depth | 1/4 in |
| Plant height / spread | 31–36 in |
| Growth habit | Upright/Erect |
| Spacing | 12 in between plants; 18 in between rows |
| Sunlight | Full sun |
| Soil | Loamy; pH 6.0–6.5 |
| Water | Moderate |
| Support | No-Support |
Starting Crackerjack Mixed from seed
How to grow Crackerjack Mixed African marigold
Botanical identity: Tagetes erecta. Life cycle: Annual.
Sow 1/4 in and use a seed-zone temperature near 70–85 °F. Expected emergence: 5-10 Days. Use clean seed-starting conditions, the listed depth and temperature, and steady moisture without saturation.
Plant during Late Spring. Space plants 12 in apart with 18 in between rows or planting bands.
Provide Full sun, moderate water, and loamy near pH 6.0–6.5. Support: No-Support.
Garden performance and care
For a longer display of Crackerjack Mixed, remove spent blooms unless seed is being saved. Give the plant its listed spacing, cut flowers with clean tools, and leave selected heads to mature fully for seed. Expected emergence is 5-10 Days; the listed maturity or bloom timing is 70-79 Days.
Harvest, bloom, and uses
Crackerjack Mixed is suited to borders, containers, cutting, warm-season color, and seed saving. Its mixed flowers and 31–36 in stature help determine whether it belongs in a border, cutting row, container, meadow edge, or restoration-style planting. Grown for ornamental or habitat use rather than as a food crop.
Saving seed
Crackerjack Mixed contains more than one genetic line or species. Seed collected from the planting will not reproduce the original packet proportions. If saving seed, identify species separately, prevent unwanted crossing where possible, harvest only fully mature seed, dry thoroughly, and label each lot by species, year, and source.
Common problems
Common concerns: damping-off from saturated media; poor emergence from wrong temperature or depth; leggy seedlings from weak light; crowding and weak airflow; lodging in wind or rain; feeding damage from slugs, caterpillars, beetles, or mammals; foliar disease under prolonged leaf wetness. Management: use clean media, the sowing depth and temperature, strong light, appropriate thinning, and morning irrigation at soil level. Match support to plant height before wind becomes a problem. Inspect regularly and use the least disruptive control appropriate to the pest, plant, and pollinator setting. Remove diseased debris and rotate annual flower beds where recurring disease is severe.
Frequently asked questions
When is Crackerjack Mixed ready?
70-79 Days from sowing to the primary bloom or market stage used for the listed maturity range
How long does germination take?
Expect 5-10 Days near 70–85 °F; actual emergence changes with moisture, seed condition, and soil temperature.
How large does it grow?
About 31–36 in with an upright/erect habit. Support: No-Support.
Can it grow in a container?
Possible in a large container, raised bed, or in-ground planting with room for the mature plant
How is it used?
Primary role: Borders, containers, cutting, warm-season color, and seed saving. Grown for ornamental or habitat use rather than as a food crop.
Can I save seed?
Yes where the crop biology allows, but keep compatible varieties isolated, use several healthy plants, wait for full seed maturity, dry thoroughly, and label the lot.
Minimum Seed Count:150 seeds
