Marigolds are a favorite, no-fuss annual that can bring the color of sunshine to your garden, as well as butterflies, bees, ladybugs, and other beneficial insects. Give them full sun and some well-draining soil and watch them bloom from late spring until fall.

Marigold seeds germinate quickly, within just a few days, and bloom in about 8 weeks. This quick sense of satisfaction makes them a great first-time gardening project for kids and garden newbies. Not to mention, marigolds are a great companion in your vegetable garden and can help protect your veggies from predators and pests.

Growing Tips

Marigolds are a garden essential. They tolerate heat, drought and pests making them one of the more reliable flowers to grow in your backyard or flower bed!

The beauty about planting your own seeds is that you decide when they should sprout, and in what soil or lights. You can also grow them indoors during winter months if needed!

How would you like to have a bouquet of fresh flowers in your backyard? They are one of the best choices for free-spirited gardeners, as they don’t require much maintenance.

Marigolds look great with just about any planting style and sun exposure – so it isn’t hard to find an area to plant them!

These marigolds are perfect for your garden and offer a variety of benefits! From deterring pests, attracting pollinators & insects-to improving soil quality – they’re sure not going anywhere anytime soon.

Water Requirements

When cultivating these guys, it’s best to soak the soil thoroughly. Not only does this give your new plant a nice drink and settle any disturbed earth for you, but also ensures that nutrients are more easily accessible which will help them grow strong!

Established plants don’t need much in the way of watering. In fact, unless it’s unusually dry and hot out, these tough flowers only require a good soaking once per week. Or if a rain is on the forecast, this will usually be enough for them!

A container plant is just like any other houseplant – it needs to be watered when the top few inches of soil become dry. If you notice that the leaves are drooping, this means they need a drink sooner than later!

Be mindful of not watering marigolds from the top. If their blooms get too wet, they will often turn into a mushy brown mess with no fragrance whatsoever – in addition to being an aesthetic disaster!

Root rot can also occur if you over-water these pretty flowers; so check twice before filling up on hydration.

Sun Requirements

Tagetes are a type of flower native to the sunny and warm climates, like California. They prefer rich soil with moderate sunlight exposure but can withstand full sun when grown in areas that receive less illumination (less than 6 hours per day). However, they will show signs of stress if the weather is increasingly hot, humid, or dry.

This makes the marigold plant a perfect companion to many herbs and plants.

Despite being able to grow well in part-sun conditions, marigolds will never shine as brightly when grown under such lighting.

They develop weaker and less prolific blooms because of it; not only that, but if you grow them shaded they become susceptible to powdery mildew and a host of other rots which affect buds or stems on the plants.

If growing marigolds in pots, give your marigolds some shade this summer by moving the pots to a more shaded area during the hottest part of the day. They will thank you for it later!

Keep an eye out for the little webs that indicate spider mites when it’s hot and dry. You can also identify them by noticing weblike buildups on plants.

Marigolds, like many plants in the family Asteraceae are susceptible to yellow aster. Unfortunately, there isn’t much you can do if your garden is infested with this nasty ailment other than dispose of infected marigold flowers and seeds immediately!

Planting Tips

Marigolds germinate quickly, sprouting within a few days and blooming in about 8 weeks, making them easy to grow from seed. Sow seeds directly outside after all danger of frost has passed and the soil has begun to warm up. Sow seeds 1 inch apart and water thoroughly after planting. After the seeds sprout, they should be thinned to the following guidelines: French or Signet varieties 8 to 10 inches apart, and African varieties 10 to 12 inches apart. Use landscape scissors or small garden shears to cut the seedlings out, as pulling them out can disturb the roots of the seedlings left behind. Seeds can be started earlier indoors, but with their fast germination time, this really isn’t necessary. Seedlings can be transplanted when 2 inches tall.

When transplanting marigolds purchased at a nursery, dig and loosen the soil about 6 inches down, with the final planting hole just slightly larger than the rootball. Backfill with soil and press firmly into place. Water thoroughly. Adding a 1 to 2-inch layer of mulch between the plants will help keep the soil moist and discourage weeds.

How To Deadhead Marigolds

Marigold plants don’t usually require deadheading but by regularly removing dying blossoms, the plants are more likely to bloom profusely.

No fancy tools or training are necessary to deadhead marigolds. In fact, it can easily be done just with your fingers.

You can either use pruners or your fingers to pinch off the dying flower heads. When doing so, make sure that you snip the flower pods that have started developing behind the flower off too. Continue to remove dead or wilted marigolds as they appear to encourage new flowers to bloom.