Heat Today will be hot in the south of the Netherlands: up to 33 degrees! Check whether your reservoir is still full, whether the mix is still moist, shade vulnerable plants around midday, and wait with sowing until it cools down.
Pot marigolds: sowing, growing and using calendula
Pot marigolds brighten up your raised bed. The plants improve the soil, deter nematodes in the MM-mix and attract beneficial insects. The petals are edible.
What are marigolds?
Maybe marigolds aren't the first thing on the menu, but the petals are edible: great for brightening up your salads or desserts.
You can also use them for tea: marigold tea helps to reduce inflammation and treat stomach aches.
Marigold ointment or oil does wonders for your skin. It helps prevent wrinkles and liver spots. It's antiseptic and helps heal cuts and prevent scarring.
You can also use them for tea: marigold tea helps to reduce inflammation and treat stomach aches.
Marigold ointment or oil does wonders for your skin. It helps prevent wrinkles and liver spots. It's antiseptic and helps heal cuts and prevent scarring.
Using pot marigolds
You may not immediately think of eating pot marigolds, but you can use the petals to brighten up salads or desserts.
You can also use the petals to make herbal tea, which tastes lovely with a sprig of fresh mint.
Pot marigolds are also commonly used to make calendula salves and oils.
What do you need to grow your own marigolds?
Besides the seeds, you'll need:
- one 30 x 30 cm square
- MM-mix or HarvestKit Coco Mix
- a spot with at least 8 hours of sunlight a day
More about our marigold seeds
Pot marigolds brighten up your raised bed. The plants improve the soil, deter harmful insects and troublesome nematodes in the MM-mix, and attract beneficial insects.
In short: pot marigolds belong in every vegetable garden 😀
In short: pot marigolds belong in every vegetable garden 😀
- Variety: Pacific Beauty mixed
- Family: flower
- Plants per square: 2
- Height: up to 50 cm
- Sowing time: March to mid-May and August to September
- Sowing depth: 0.5 to 1 cm
- Germination: 14 to 20 days at 14 to 18°C
- Time to flower: 8 to 10 weeks
- Sunlight: grows in sun or partial shade
Want to buy pot marigold seeds? We sell individual packets, and they're also included in the good-value Basic seed bundle.
How to sow and grow marigold?
Our marigold is included in the free Makkelijke Moestuin app. Use it, and you'll get step-by-step guidance from seed to harvest.
Each vegetable goes through a number of stages - we call them levels. The app tells you exactly what to do at each level and checks in when your plants are ready for the next.
So you don't need to know how to grow marigolds before you start: the app takes you through every step.
But if you'd like to read more about those steps, here's what the process looks like:
Each vegetable goes through a number of stages - we call them levels. The app tells you exactly what to do at each level and checks in when your plants are ready for the next.
So you don't need to know how to grow marigolds before you start: the app takes you through every step.
But if you'd like to read more about those steps, here's what the process looks like:
Level 1: Sowing marigolds
Level 1: Sow pot marigolds
Loosen the MM-mix in an MM-Mini or in a square in the second or third row of your raised bed, then sow as follows:
- make 2 holes in the square, no deeper than 1 cm
- place 2 seeds in each hole
- carefully close the holes
- give them a little more water
Depending on the weather and time of year, you'll see the first green shoots after about three weeks.
Level 2: Marigold seedlings
Level 2: Pot marigold seedlings
As soon as you see the first seedlings, you know things are going well. They probably won't all come up at once, but give it another week.
Then it's time for the next level.
Then it's time for the next level.
Level 3: Thinning marigold seedlings
Level 3: Thin out pot marigold seedlings
When more than 1 seedling comes up in each spot that you sowed, choose the best ones and remove the rest: that's called thinning out. It might sound harsh, but it's necessary. The remaining plants need enough room to grow. You'll be glad you did it.
Level 4: Caring for your marigold plants
Level 4: Care for your pot marigold plants
After a week or 2, your seedlings will become small plants. Choose the 2 best-looking plants and remove the others. Now you have the 2 marigold plants that you'll enjoy for weeks to come.
You hardly need to do anything now: if the weather's dry, give them some water and remove the odd dead or yellow leaf. Easy 🙂
You hardly need to do anything now: if the weather's dry, give them some water and remove the odd dead or yellow leaf. Easy 🙂
Level 5: Flowering marigolds
Level 5: Flowering pot marigolds
About 8 to 9 weeks after sowing, you'll see the first flowers. Cut off any dead flower heads immediately so new buds can take their place.
Marigolds grow fast and can get to be pretty big. If they get too big, just cut back a few stems.
Marigolds grow fast and can get to be pretty big. If they get too big, just cut back a few stems.
What do you use marigold for?
The main reason to grow pot marigolds is that they improve the growing environment for your other plants.
As a bonus, the petals are edible and add a lovely splash of colour to salads, rice and omelettes.
You can also use them to make herbal tea or calendula salve.
The final levels
The final levels
Pot marigolds can stay in place all year. They'll keep flowering until it gets really cold. Remove spent flowers and break off any unattractive or overlong branches, and the plant will refresh itself.
In autumn or damp weather, the plants sometimes develop powdery mildew, which looks like a white coating. Simply remove the affected branches.
In autumn or damp weather, the plants sometimes develop powdery mildew, which looks like a white coating. Simply remove the affected branches.
If the plant becomes really unattractive, remove it completely and tidy the square or MM-Mini for the next crop.
So, what's stopping you from growing your own marigolds?
They are super easy to sow, grow, and maintain and the flowers are beautiful. They're also the best companion plants for your other vegetables.
Plus: with our app and materials, it's almost impossible to fail 😉
Order your marigold seeds here or get started with a complete starter kit:
Plus: with our app and materials, it's almost impossible to fail 😉
Order your marigold seeds here or get started with a complete starter kit:
Enjoy your marigolds!
