How to Grow Marigolds

Type

Annual

Also Known As

Calendula.

Marigolds are a type of plant in the sunflower family. With many different species, marigolds can vary significantly from one another, with some as small as 10 cm in height and other that grow up to 2.2 meters tall. Flowers naturally occur in gold, orange, yellow, and white, often with darker red or maroon highlights. Marigolds are a great choice for a beginner garden as they are both beautiful to look at and easy to grow. They are tolerant of many different soil conditions as long as there is good drainage.

 

Planting

Grow marigolds in a small, medium or large container. Plant marigold seeds outdoors or indoors in early spring for summer flowers, or early summer for fall flowers. Sow seeds 0.5 cm (¼”) deep, leaving spaces of 15-45 cm (6-18″) between plants.

To eliminate the guesswork in selecting the right size containers for your plants, we’ve put together a list of commonly grown herbs, veggies, fruit and flowers along with the minimum pot sizes required by each.

Starting a container garden? Grab my free guide on choosing the best sized pots for each veggie, fruit, and herb in your container garden – Veggie Garden Potting Guide

Watering

Water marigolds deeply, but let the soil dry out between each watering. Water when the top 1″ of the soil is dry to the touch, watering from the base if you can, to keep leaves dry and prevent disease.

Occasional fertilizing is beneficial for leaf growth but not strictly necessary as marigolds can tolerate poor soil. Marigolds will bloom better in poorer, less fertile soil, so if it’s more blooms you’re after skip the fertilizer.

Where Can I Grow It?

You can grow marigolds both indoors or outdoors in a sunny location. They’ll thrive as long as they are receiving enough light.

Growing Tips

Marigolds are one of the most beginner-friendly flowers to grow, so if you are just getting started with gardening marigolds are a great choice (kids love growing them too)! Marigolds come in many cheery shades from yellow, to orange, to red. They are a great choice as they are known to bloom all summer long and into the autumn.

Because some marigold varieties can get very large and bushy, it’s important to choose the right one for a small space or patio garden. We love the French Marigold as it is one of the smaller varieties, growing only 15 cm – 60 cm (6″ – 24″) tall — perfect for container gardens.

Prune off dead flowers regularly to encourage the plant to continue producing new flowers.

Companion Planting

Marigolds are one of the best plants to have in your garden for repelling a variety of pests. Veteran gardeners will often tell you to plant them everywhere in your garden, as they produce a chemical in their roots that acts as a very strong pesticide. Marigolds are therefore a beneficial companion to most plants, but are especially helpful to tomatoes, peppers, roses, cucumbers, zucchini, potatoes, alliums (such as green onions, garlic and chives), and brassicas (such as broccoli, brussel sprouts and cabbage).