Marigolds are quite literally the golden child of gardening. They can be planted in pots, landscaping beds, garden beds {more on that in a bit}. They do need a lot of sunlight, so plant them somewhere nice and bright. They can tolerate some pretty abusive soil conditions, but really do thrive in well-drained soil.
It’s super easy to save your Marigolds seeds from year to year, but to start, I highly recommend:
- Marigold French Lemon Drop Heirloom
- Marigold African Crackerjack Heirloom {the most fickle, but GIANT flowers make them totally worth it}
- Marigold French Favorite Blend {butterflies love this one}
How to Grow Marigolds from Seed:
As I mentioned above, other than choosing a nice sunny location, Marigolds are pretty forgiving. Start seeds indoors about 6 weeks before the last frost, or direct sow them 1 to 2 weeks after the last frost. Plant seeds 1/4″ deep and thin them to one per seedling pot when they are about 1″ tall. If you are direct sowing, follow spacing on the seed packet–varieties vary quite a bit for spacing. Once your flowers are established, it’s best to water them at the base of the plant and not drop water over the actual flower. Don’t over water–they don’t care for soggy feet. Deadhead them often, and they will continue to produce flowers all summer long. Also, avoid the urge to fertilize them. Their leaves will get greener, but they will produce less flowers.
Co-Planting Marigolds for Pest Control:
Marigolds are not only pretty flowers, they are also a silent workhorse in your garden. If you co-plant them right into your garden rows, they will help deter pests naturally–both above and below the soil. Space a couple of marigolds in between the rows of your garden beds. Not only will they deter unwanted garden guests, they will attract bees and butterflies to your garden. I really can’t say one word bad about these guys.
Random Facts that Will Impress No One:
- Marigolds are used to create dyes for the textile industry and food industry.
- Feeding Marigolds to your chickens will boost lutein in their diet {and in your resulting eggs}, which can help with macular degeneration.
- Most varieties of Marigolds are edible. They pack a great nutritional punch. I personally have never tried one–but I think they would be a great way to decorate a summer cake.
- Have I convinced you how awesome Marigolds are yet? Will you be growing them this year?
~Mavis
Julie says
Isn’t it only the French Marigold that are effective as Pest Control? I got mine from Botanical Interests a week ago and they are already growing!
teri says
Marigolds are amazing! I plant them each spring with my students using seeds from my garden the year before. The past three years the marigold seeds are the first to be sewn in my garden and as the summer progresses, the marigolds grow to be 3-4 feet in height and create a vivid hedge in our garden. They are great companions for tomatoes, too! Love them!
RebeccaW says
I tried starting these in seed sponges last year and not one germinated. This year I am trying a different seed supplier and will try some in dirt as well as the sponges. Don’t know if you have every tried these sponges, but they worked really well for everything else I started http://parkseed.com/parks-original-bio-dome-60-cell-seed-starter/p/06529/.
I had almost 100% germination for my tomato seeds.
JessB says
Bees LOVE marigolds. Plus, they are really hardy into the fall, supplying the bees with a late nectar source. I don’t deadhead mine and they still bloom their little guts out. I take the seed heads that form and throw them around in my garden to volunteer the next year. It works great and the plants are super stout and hardy from being sown that way.
Jennifer Meyer says
Mine seem to attract spidermites, which are the major issue in my garden, so I don’t think I will be planting any this year and will pull out any volunteers and just see how it goes without them. The marigolds and the greeen beans seem to be where they start out and then travel to and kill all my other plants.
Randi says
I’m on my first year of growing marigolds from the seeds I saved from last season. I’m having about a 50% germination rate indoors under lights. I may just plant the rest of the seeds outdoors and see what comes up. The slugs LOVE marigolds so I have to be vigilant with the sluggo so the marigolds don’t invite the slugs to a feast they are unwanted at!