What I Learned About Growing Marigolds From Seeds
Over the last couple of months, I’ve fallen in love with marigolds. I was having a huge problem with ladybugs and aphids destroying my kale and spinach plantations, but I didn’t want to contaminate my organic greens with pesticides. That’s when I learned about the bug-repelling qualities of marigold. Spoiler alert: it works!
It took some time but I ended up growing a large amount of marigolds from seeds. I kid you not, it was all over my garden. Even my neighbors wanted some so I helped to plant a dozen or more along the front wall of their property, which is what you can see in the featured image above.
I’m really proud of them and so I decided to put together this little article about what I learned about growing marigolds from seeds. I’m going to answer some common questions about marigolds and I’ll share some valuable tips on how to grow them at home with ease.
Interesting Facts About Marigolds
- Marigolds are also known by the name Tagetes.
- They’re one of the most popular flowers, especially in Asian countries like India.
- There are many varieties of marigolds but the two most popular are French (tagetes patula) and African marigolds (tagetes erecta).
- Marigold flowers are edible and can be used in salad or as decorative petals on desserts.
- They have a unique and strong scent which has been reported to repel bugs and insects.
- Marigolds have been reported to possess antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties.
- These flowers tend to exhibit all the colors of the sun through its cycle of life and death.
- Marigolds are easy to grow and prefer full sun exposure.
Planting Marigolds To Keep Bugs Away
After doing some research, I was surprised to learn that marigolds repel bugs, which is why it’s recommended to plant them between vegetable patches. This can be attributed to its strong odor or more specifically, thiophene. What we know about thiophene is that it’s a chemical with a potent smell that can repel bugs like aphids.
This method of repelling bugs is only effective for small areas of growth, as the scent doesn’t cover a wide surface area.
As an experiment, I planted marigolds in a box with tomato plants. Both the marigolds and cherry tomatoes blossomed around the same time without any sign of diseases or bugs.
Conversely, I planted two or three marigolds along a stretch of land where I was growing kale. It wasn’t as effective at preventing bugs from feeding on the kale.
The variety of marigold will determine the potency of the scent, and it has been reported that French marigolds tend to be more effective at repelling bugs compared to other varieties.
Are Marigolds Poisonous To Animals?
It’s hard to say that marigolds are terribly poisonous to all animals, but it has definitely been reported that dogs and cats tend to experience some adverse effects from the consumption of marigold flowers.
Most gardeners and pet enthusiasts report that marigolds haven’t been life threatening in any way to their pets.
As someone who has a ton of cats, I can say that they’ve never had issues with the marigolds in my garden. Rarely do I see them around these flowers, let alone consuming them.
How To Grow Marigolds From Seeds
You can sprout marigold seeds in a container or directly plant them in the soil. Space them out by 5 to 8 inches per plant to avoid overcrowding. I would say that both French and African marigolds thrive in well-drained soil.
Water frequently, depending on the season and temperature. It should take about a week for your marigold seeds to sprout, and then up to 8 weeks until they fully blossom.
In that time, make sure that your marigold sprouts get adequate sunshine and water. You can use some potting soil or fertilizer to improve the growth, but don’t overwhelm your sprouts.
Are Marigolds Perennial Or Biennial?
Marigolds are actually annual by nature, which means that they grow, flower, self-seed, and die all within the same year.
This allows marigolds to grow and spread with little maintenance or intervention for most of the year.
How Long Do Marigolds Take To Flower?
From sprouting to blooming, it takes about 8 weeks for marigolds to flower. But, that time can be sped up depending on the climate, quality of soil, and environmental exposure.
What I’ve also noted is that once marigold flowers, they last much longer than other flowers like sweetpea.
That brings us to the end of this article on growing marigolds from seeds. I hope that you found it easy to follow. If you decide to grow marigolds, please come back and share your progress updates with me in the comment section below.
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