Marigold Pot Seeds

110 Seeds.

Other Names - English Marigold…

Pot marigold make excellent companion plants in the vegetable garden as the brightly coloured golden - orange blooms attract bees and other beneficial aphid munching insects such as hoverflies into the garden. The daisy - like flowers are fast growing and very easy to grow and maintain. The attractive blooms make excellent long lasting bedding plants and superb cut flowers. The pepper flavoured edible petals are delicious in salads and for adding colour to rice dishes etc.

• Brighten up the summer salad with bright orange edible pepper flavoured petals!
• Easy and quick to grow, ideal for children.
• Makes excellent companion plants in the vegetable garden.

Suitable For - Containers, vegetable plot, raised beds, flower borders, wildlife gardens, patio's, coastal gardens, bedding plants, flowers for cutting, companion plants in the vegetable garden

Sowing Months - March - September

Harvest - June - early October

Uses - Edible petals, add to salads etc. Flowers for cutting, bedding plants

Soil Preperation

Add a little well rotted manure or compost to the soil a few weeks before sowing. If the soil is heavy clay or the drainage is poor mix in a generous amount of sand and gravel to the soil also. Remove any weeds from the area.

Sowing Guide

Early Sowing/Module Sowing

Sow the seeds thinly on the surface of moist compost in trays, modules or pots from March - September. Cover with a thin layer of vermiculite or compost.
Place in a propagator or clear plastic bag and seal. Germinate at the temperature suggested above.
Once germination has started remove from the propagator or bag and place in a cooler but not cold location. Protect from frost.
When the calendula seedlings are large enough to handle transplant into 7 - 10 cm pots.
Grow on in a frost free greenhouse or cold frame.
August - September sowings will be for early spring flowers the following year and will need to be overwintered in a cool frost free greenhouse, cold frame or conservatory. Pot on into larger pots if necessary.
Plant out after all risk of frost has passed, harden off over 7 - 10 days before planting out.

Direct Sowing

Sow the seeds thinly in a well prepared seed bed from April - early July in rows 30 cm wide at the depth suggested above. The soil should be a fine tilth.
Water the newly sown seeds well. Keep the soil moist especially in dry weather.
When the pot marigold seedlings are large enough to handle thin to 30 cm apart.
Stronger thinning's can be used to fill gaps or transplanted elsewhere.

Growing On

Water the young plants regularly until established.
Calendula will self seed very easily and can be easily mistaken as a perennial with new seedlings appearing every spring.
If self seeding is not desired, remove fading blooms regularly.
Water established plants frequently in dry conditions.

Harvesting

The plants will produce flowers from June - early October.
The flower petals are edible. Simply remove the flower head from the plant. Lightly pull on the petals to release them from the centre before sprinkling onto salads and stir-fries etc.