I have a question. Are marigolds good for anything else besides just companion plantings? I planted some seeds this past spring, and they grew into huge plants. I have never seen marigolds get this big...didn't know they could or would. So, I have a ton and bunches of flowers. Just curious if they have any other uses.
They're good in and around veggie plantings. I have seed for some single flower types that get 4-5 ft tall and would be great for a temporary floral hedge. One or two large plants in a couple of large containers would be great accent plants at the front of a driveway or gate/walkway rather than small topiaries.
Not sure if that's the uses you may have been asking about but I gave it a shot:lol:
I've just got so many!! I am currently separating the seeds out, and so far, have about 3 cups of seeds. It takes a while to get the stuff out of the mess of seeds.
I think I will be planting them all over the 1 acre this year, as well as giving them away once they get started as seedlings. I might do some companion plantings with them also. Have been doing some reading up on the topic. Last summer was our first season of gardening on this property. I have a much better idea what grows where,etc......things will be re-arranged considerably this spring.
Maybe donate to a school, volunteer program or senior center with gardening programs.
I remember saving all the marigold seeds possible when I was a kid and running out of places for them to be replanted. Same with cosmos:lol: Dug a long narrow bed in our backyard when I was 14 or so and loaded it with marigold, bachelor buttons and cosmos seeds. My dad fussed the rest of the summer and the next because the cosmos had seed spread all over his lawn:lol:
Hope you can post photos of your plantings! Sounds exciting have new space to garden in=)
Best I could do is send them out in the snail mail. I am miles away from civilization. I just had never seen flowers so happy growing where these were. The marigold plants were monsters! I am going to plant them all around this year.
Happy Birthday !
So how dis your Marigolds come along last year ?
I always plant them (crackerjack variety)
just for fun.
I know it will sound weird, but I love
their " funky "scent"
Mine did terrible last year, but I had planted them in a different area then the year before. Come to find out, cedar trees do not encourage anything to grow under them. So, I had very few marigolds last summer.
I like planting them in pots. They are just as pretty as mums and you can enjoy them earlier than mums. I love the pure yellow ones and the Sofia.
I tossed some of the extra seed out under my bird feeder and the birds ate them.
I buy a lot a bird seed so the idea of being able to buy a little less is attractive. I have several cups of them I saved for this coming year also. I'm going to use them to line some of my flower beds. They are so pretty and easy to grow. I've even looked into some of the fancier ones for this year. I found a tall white and some attractive short red picotee.
Just like any other work of nature, their beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I like their uniue aroma. They have historical value. The petals when grown free of pesticides are edible by humans, fed to chickens to make yolks more yellow, and in other culinary uses. There are al types of heights, bloom colors, sizes and patterns.
Hi moxies,
Marigold is an interesting plant. Not only is it pretty, easy to grow, rather drought tolerant, but it also has positive companion planting. And, yet, you have to be careful which plants you plant for "companions" as some plants do not do well next to marigolds.
Marigolds planted next to cucumbers,asparagus, tomatoes are happy.
Marigolds planted next to beans and cabbage are not happy.
Marigolds are suppose to repel harmful insects like white flies and attract good insects like the sphecid wasp. If you are interested, you should do some research about the marigold and their affects.
French marigolds, Tagetes patula seem to offer the most to other plants.
I agree it's very pretty and the yellow ones are quite showy even from a distance. Bright yellow flowers make your garden seem closer to you.
Marigold seed does not last long. If you keep the same seed year after year, it becomes nonviable.
The blossoms of the tiny 'Gem' series of marigold can be used both as a garnish and an edible addition to salads. Haven't tried eating them myself. I love the 'Yellow Gem' in patio/porch pots to appreciate them up close. I used to get them from Park Seed.
I grew tall white ones this year and well . . I'm not impressed. The flowers looked like they were getting big and I waited for them to open, and I waited, and I waited. They just never really opened up full enough to really enjoy the flowers. They also died back early. Oh well, back to the short ones for me. I hope I get some seed out of the ones I planted, the weather has just been awful here and now everything thinks it's fall because we've gone overcast and cool. I'd like to try the "gem" series, they have some charm.
Domehomedee,
I have grown the white marigolds. They were about 18 inches tall and had big blooms on them. I think you explained in your post why they didn't do well: "the weather was just awful here"
You might want to try to grow the white ones again sometime.
I think you're right about the weather, even my regular marigolds weren't very happy and they don't take near as long to mature. I was so excited about the tall white ones, I thought "easy, tall, and deer resistant" these are going to be good. Only to be disappointed, I should look at the bright side, they did germinate.
I always seem to have better bloom seasons with heat and sun. Several of my annuals have sort of limped along this season.
The gem singles are great in containers.
I always seem to have better bloom seasons with heat and sun. Several of my annuals have sort of limped along this season.
The gem singles are great in containers.
Over the last few years I have really been more into the tall single flower varieties that are sorta shrub like. Moonlight, Cempoalchitl and Pesches Gold.
Wow, those sound like really fun marigolds to experiment with.
Marigold can be a really fun plant that's easy to grow.
I put Cracker Jack marigolds in between my tomatoes this year 'cause my "Gems" didn't grow well from the seed I started. Hubby commented they grew too tall and didn't allow as much air to get to the tomatoes. I was trying to discourage bugs. I have enjoyed them. They're such bright spots among the tomatoes.
dmac. where did you get your Cempoalchitl
from ? I looked all over this spring and couldn't
locate ANY, anywhere !
In Canada we can get them from Salt Spring Seeds.
In USA, Seeds of Change has them.
I think it was on Amazon or possibly ebay. Name on the pkg looks like seeds4change_ny
I had been eyeballing them on the seeds of change site but they stopped carrying them.
I have scoured the net for czempasuchil, and tried all spellings.... nothing.
If any one finds any, PLEASE let me know.
I have seen them growing wild in fields in Mexico,
but for health reasons cant travel & be able to collect seeds
I've been starting tall marigolds indoors to get a head start on blooms, but they don't seem to last past early August. The short French variety seem to last longer. I've tried starting a second crop a month later, but that's the busy time for veggies and I don't have much room under lights then. Are there any tall varieties whose blooms will last the entire summer?
Don, do you mean start inside, then plant outside ?
Or keeping them inside the whole time ?
Start inside, plant outside, yes.
Marigolds appreciate as much heat and sun as they can get.
Don, how tall are you looking for? I wintersow my marigolds (though, I have to start them later....more like late January or February). Those seem to get taller than the other ones. I have no idea what kind mine are, though.
Any height from 15 inches and up is what I'm looking for.
My shorter ones are doing fine.
Bajablue-sent you a dmail.
:)
