While marigolds are not edible, they still have a place in the homestead garden. Marigolds not only look good, they also help reduce pests like nematodes, beetles, cabbage worms, mosquitoes, and spider mites. On top of this, their major susceptibility to aphids also helps attract ladybugs which can reduce aphids in your garden and on your other plants.
Marigold Details
- Family: Asteeraceae
- Growing Season: Spring and summer
- Growing Zones: 3 through 10
- Spacing: 9-12 inches (22-30 cm) apart
- Seed to Bloom time: 50-60 Days
- Indoor Starting: Start in seed trays 4 weeks before last frost
- Earliest Planting: After danger of last frost
- Watering: Water when soil is dry, keeping soil moist, but never wet. Do not over water.
- Sunlight Requirements: Full sun
- Planting: Plant marigold seeds 1 inch deep. Transfer starters to garden keeping spacing in mind.
- Weeding: Marigolds do nor require much weeding, as you are not aiming to grow produce, weed as needed to keep soil clear.
- Management: Marigolds require dead heading regularly. Dead heading is the removal of the spent flowers as they dry back. Regular dead heading will keep your plants healthy much longer.
- Known Pests: Aphids love Marigolds, so if you see them introduce predatory insects or use insecticidal soap. Marigolds are also prone to fungal disease if over watered.
More About Marigolds
Marigolds are often touted for their pest control properties, and while it is true that they deter certain insects, they don’t deter mammals like many people claim. Lots of gardeners swear that marigold keep deer and rabbits away, but in actuality these animals will simply eat the flowers just like anything else in your garden. This old wives tale is so pervasive that you can even find it printed in books about gardening as if it were a solid fact.
If you are looking for plants that deter mammalian pests then you’re going to need to grow something a bit more odor and taste to it. Onions, Chives, Garlic, spearmint, Thyme, and Lavender will do a better job at keeping these animals away, but they are not fool proof. A better defense is spraying the edges of your yard with coyote urine. This will definitely deter pests in ways plants never will.
Should I Grow Marigolds In My Garden?
Marigolds are a great addition to a garden when you are doing companion planting. If you like them for their flowers, you should plant them anyway, but if you’re growing cabbage they can be grown along the beds or nearby to reduce your changes of getting cabbage worms. They also work well at cutting down harmful nematodes that damage plant roots. Nematodes are one of the harder pests to deal with because you cannot see them and the live in the soil, so planting marigolds is an easy way to deal with a bigger problem.
If you’re into flowers, marigolds are a very easy and reliable one to grow. They’re beneficial, they look great, and they might just be the right flower for your garden!