When And How To Pick Pot Marigolds? (2024)

FAQs

When should you pick marigolds? ›

The plants then grow rapidly for two months. They form their first flower heads by the end of May… In the beginning of June, they are already in full bloom. And that's the time when you can start picking their flowers!

Calendula and Tagetes are annuals, so they only live for one year. However, if sown early and then deadheaded or regularly cut for the vase, marigolds will flower for months, sometimes from May to November.

Water deeply, then let the soil dry before watering again. Never allow the soil to remain soggy, as wet conditions invite root rot and other moisture-related diseases. Pinch the tips of newly planted marigolds once or twice to encourage bushy plants. Deadhead the plants regularly to trigger new blooms.

Marigolds don't require deadheading, but if dying blossoms are regularly removed, it will encourage the plant to continue blooming profusely.

The first and overwhelmingly large majority will say that, yes, you absolutely should deadhead. This is because marigolds don't respond very positively to fertilizers – they tend to get leggy and flop over – so it is the best and easiest way to ensure strong and consistent blooms.

The popular types of marigolds for garden planting are all annuals, sprouting, flowering – and dying in the same year. But they may come back the following year thanks to self-seeding.

Pinch the stem in between 2 fingers, then snap it off. Snip off the stem with a pair of pruners. If you notice a flower stem is looking a little dead and brown, grab some pruners and make a cut right beneath the dead area. This removes the dying stem as well as the flower, which may be a more effective way to deadhead.

Bring Containers Indoors

If you are growing your pot marigold in containers, you can bring it indoors for the winter months. You'll need to find a bright location with a consistent daytime temperature of 70-75°F for best results. Maintain even moisture with regular watering.

How many seeds are in a pot marigold? ›

To plant marigold seeds, simply scatter them on the surface of moistened potting mix or garden soil. Then, press the seeds lightly into the soil and water gently. Once the seedlings appear, thin them out so that they are spaced about six inches apart. Marigolds prefer full sun and well-drained soil.

Although commonly known as pot marigold, calendula is different from the common marigold (Tagetes spp.). It is, however, part of the Asteraceae family along with daisies and chrysanthemums, and has a daisy-like appearance.

Pot marigolds are upright, bushy annual herbaceous summer flowers. Depending on the variety and location, they grow to up to 7.87 - 24 inches in height and have angular, brachiate stems. The sessile, alternate leaves of the pot marigold are light to medium green, and covered in hair.

When growing marigolds, check soil weekly: When the top inch is dry, it's time to water. (Marigolds growing in containers may need more frequent watering.) Each time you water, be sure to drench the soil, and aim the nozzle or spout of your watering device toward the base of the plants.

Brown Stems

Marigolds do not like to be kept in moist conditions. Allowing your plant to dry out in between waterings can help prevent certain problems from arising such as stem and root rot. If your plant's stems are turning brown, this can be a sign they are rotting.

Marigolds grown in containers can become overcrowded, so be sure to space them accordingly.

Removing spent marigold flowers is a process that should continue as long as the plants are in bloom. If you want to know when to deadhead marigolds, start when you see the first faded blossom and keep on marigold deadheading all summer long.

Pinching helps marigolds bush out, rather than sending only one shoot up. Use your thumb and forefinger to pinch off the top growing tip of the plant. Deadheading is removing the flowers that have died. This forces the plant to keep blooming, rather than focusing on seed production.

Water marigolds at the base of the plant. Avoid a profusion of foliage and fewer flowers by not fertilizing soil after sowing seeds. Deadheading is not necessary. But if you choose to deadhead your marigold blooms, you will keep your plants producing throughout the summer.

Do marigolds keep mosquitoes away? ›

Marigolds, an easy-to-grow annual flower, emit a smell that deters mosquitoes. Grow them in pots and place them near your patio or entrance to your home to keep bugs out. Marigolds are also a popular addition to borders and vegetable gardens.

Very hardy and easily grown outdoors from seed. It has a useful long flowering period, lasting from early summer right into autumn. The flowers usually open at dawn and close at dusk. Taller forms make excellent cut-flowers that last well.

Special characteristics: deer resistant. aggressive - Readily self-seeds. non-invasive.

Marigolds are a wonderful addition to a cut and come again garden, but if you're growing them for cut flowers you'll want to grow the Cracker Jack or Mary Helen varieties.

Collect the pinched off flower heads and dry them on a paper towel indoors for a week to ensure they are fully dry. After that time, place the dried flower heads in a glass jar for storage over winter. When next spring comes, break the dried flower heads open.

One of the best flowers that bloom in winter, pot marigolds grow best in mild winter climates that don't experience frost, like Florida or Southern California. They prefer full sun or light shade and can tolerate many soil types provided they have good drainage.

Annual marigolds are frost-tender, and they'll die in late fall after temperatures drop below freezing. Cut back the marigolds to the ground with clean shears, or simply pull them up roots and all, after they die back completely. Remove the trimmings from the bed so they don't harbor pests over winter.

An African or Mexican marigold typically needs at least a 12-inch pot for enough space to grow a single plant, and an additional 12 inches per plant. The container material isn't as important as it can sometimes be with other types of plants.

In traditional medicine, pot marigold petals have been made into ointments, extracts, and infusions and used for a variety of ailments, including: Fevers. Jaundice. Stomach ulcers.

When & Where to Plant Marigolds. Light: Full sun, to partial shade. Soil: Marigolds prefer fertile soil, preferably loose and loamy with adequate drainage, yet can also tolerate dry conditions.

How do I get more yield in my marigolds? ›

Marigold flowers are plucked when they have attained the full size. Harvesting of flowers is done in the evening, just before the flowers are fully opened. Field should be irrigated before plucking so those flowers keep well for longer period after harvest. Regular picking improves the yield.

Irrigation should be given immediately after planting and life irrigation on third day after planting. Water stagnation should be avoided. Based on the soil moisture condition, irrigation should be done. Thirty days after planting terminal portion should be tipped / removed to encourage the branching.

Sow from March to May and they will flower from summer to autumn.

Place groups of 3 or 4 seeds on the prepared soil, spaced 6-12 inches apart, depending on the mature spread of your chosen variety. You'll need to leave more room between each plant if you are growing larger varieties.

There are several edible marigold varieties, including pot marigolds (Calendula officinalis), French marigolds (Tagetes patula), African marigolds (Tagetes erecta), Mexican mint marigolds (Tagetes Lucida), and lemon marigolds (Tagetes tenuifolia).

The term “pot marigold” apparently comes from the additional use of flower petals in soups and stews (tossed right in the pot). The plant also has a long history in cheese making, as a dye plant and for myriad medicinal uses in ancient Greek, Roman and Middle Eastern regions.

Marigolds (Tagetes species) may cause mild irritation to the gastrointestinal tract when ingested. The sap from the plant may also cause irritation to the skin if dermal exposure occurs. Calendula officinalis (pictured here) may also be referred to as pot marigold and is considered non-toxic following ingestion.

Your marigold plant may wilt with too much water or too little. Keep in mind that a marigold plant that is wilting does not necessarily always need water. Sometimes marigold plants wilt when they have too much water. Always check the soil dryness to determine if you should give the marigold plant some water.

Aster Yellows – When you have marigolds with yellow leaves, your plants may be infected with a disease called aster yellows. Aster yellows is caused by a very small organism known as a phytoplasma. When this phytoplasma gets into the leaves of plants, they are discolored to yellow or red.

Although your marigolds take the brunt of the sun's heat, these hardy flowers prefer direct and reflected sunlight with a moist soil structure. However, some cultivars may need some afternoon shading from hot conditions, such as in a desert region, especially if you do not mulch the soil for moisture retention.

Can you cut marigolds and put them in a vase? ›

Using sharp, cleaned shears or scissors, cut marigolds just as they open from late spring to early fall. Remove all the leaves from the stems before use to limit their strong odor. Keep them out of direct sunlight in a cool area and change the water frequently to extend their vase life.

Most marigolds are annuals, but a few are perennials. Marigolds self-seed so they may appear to be a perennial when in reality, they are just coming back from seed.

The marigold is one of the most well-known insect-repelling plants and with good reason — they have a scent that will keep pests like mosquitoes, nematodes like cabbage worms, and other pests away. Plant marigolds to attract beneficial insects that attack and kill aphids. Ladybugs are especially fond of aphids.

Good Garden Plants

Plants and herbs known to keep mice and other rodents away include: Marigolds. Garlic. Daffodils.

Marigolds

They emit a strong odor that repels snakes, gophers, and moles. They can also reach wherever a snake might be burrowing and hiding in, so the smell will reach deep into the soil.

Dry your edible flowers in a food dehydrator. Spread the flowers so they are not touching, and dry on low heat for a couple of hours, until the petals have no remaining moisture. Once dry, you can store them in airtight containers for several months.

The stems, when cut, should be 24–32 inches long. Place them in water immediately and hold at 36–41˚F. No preservative or conditioning is recommended. Marigolds have a vase life of a week or more.

Pinch back each marigold flower head as it expires to encourage new buds throughout the entire growing season. While marigolds may bloom throughout the year in warm climates, they are annuals and the plants will die back in winter in cool climates and after they have finished flowering in other areas.

When & Where to Plant Marigolds. Light: Full sun, to partial shade. Soil: Marigolds prefer fertile soil, preferably loose and loamy with adequate drainage, yet can also tolerate dry conditions.

Garden marigolds are annuals, which means they germinate, grow, bear flowers and die all in one growing season. Generally, their maximum lifespan is less than a year, even when they're started early in the year indoors instead of starting from seed directly in the garden.

Do marigolds need a lot of water? ›

How to Water Marigolds. When growing marigolds, check soil weekly: When the top inch is dry, it's time to water. (Marigolds growing in containers may need more frequent watering.) Each time you water, be sure to drench the soil, and aim the nozzle or spout of your watering device toward the base of the plants.

Water marigolds once a week down to one-and-a-half inches. Always keep tagetes' soil gently moist by watering them to an inch deep twice per week from late spring to early autumn. If in a pot, check tagetes flowers daily and water if the top half-inch of soil is dry.