How to grow marigold in your edible garden with marigold growing tips, and how to harvest seed from the edible flowers for your next crop.
How to Grow Marigold – Photo © The Gourmantic Garden
Marigolds are hardy annual flowers that are popular with many gardeners.
There are many varieties available and the one shown above is the French Marigold mix. This is a dwarf plant that grows to 35cm and produces yellow, red and orange flowers. Marigold flowers are edible and great for attracting pollinators and good insects to your garden like lady beetles. they are also known for repelling pests.
How to Grow Marigold
Marigolds are well suited for pots, raised garden beds and garden borders. Sow shallowly about 2-5mm deep and keep the soil moist to encourage germination.
- plant type: annual
- season: spring, early summer and autumn (temperate zone, Australia)
- ethod: direct sow or raise seedlings
- sow depth: 2-5mm
- sow spacing: 30cm
- plant height: 35cm
- position: full sun
- time to germinate: 6 to 10 days
- time to flower: 85-95 days
Marigold Growing Tips
- If you have a raised garden bed, plant marigolds in the corners to attract beneficial insects to the garden.
- The marigold makes a good companion plant to tomatoes and basil.
- Remove the spent flowers to encourage more growth.
How to Harvest Marigold Seeds
Marigold Seed – Photo © The Gourmantic Garden
Marigold seeds remind me of small paint brushes and pulling them out of their dry pods is as much fun as growing the edible flower.
The best time to harvest marigold seeds is when the petals have shrivelled and fallen off the flower and the seed pod has turned brown and dry.
- Snip off the dried flower head from the stem and discard dried petals if there are any left.
- To retrieve the seeds, gently pull them out from the pod and leave them to dry on a paper towel for about a week.
- Place the seeds in a plain paper envelope, label it with the name of the plant and the date harvested.
- Store the envelope in a cool, dry place.
Each marigold flower produces many seeds so once you have collected them, you don’t have to buy marigold seeds again.
Want to Know More about Marigold?
You’ll find more information on how to grow marigold, which varieties to try, how to pair it with food and spirits, and how to use marigold in cocktails including a full recipe in my 260+ page digital book GROW YOUR OWN COCKTAIL GARDEN available now.
