Marigolds are absolutely a gardeners best friend, the slugs and aphids love them so a lot of gardeners will plant marigolds as a companion plant or a trap crop. Find out how!

About

Marigolds are part of the Tagetes family which are half-hardy annuals, for which there are many different types such as the African and French marigold. Depending on the type of marigold used there is a change of repelling beetles and mites; this is mainly due to the heavy scent that the flowers produce but they also attract aphids and slugs, so are an exception trap crop to keep the pests off your plants. 

Marigolds flower for months of the year, germinate and flower quickly from seed, keep flowering into the autumn and are very attractive and scented.

Another species of marigold is a pot marigold, called a Calendula, these are hardy annual crops that are not only beneficial but also edible so make an attractive addition to dishes.

Planting

When to plant

Plant marigolds once the risk of frost has passed in your area. Around the midlands where we are based this is March time no earlier than the end of February.

If you want to get a head start with marigolds you can plant them in early spring indoors for earlier flowering. They need light and warmth just like your crops.

How to plant

They can be planted directly into the ground, bed or pots. Just make sure that the soil is in a sunny spot and has good drainage.

What type can I use?

There are two families of marigolds, which cover a range of hundreds of different types. These are Calendula - designed for pot planting and Tagetes which are less forgiving - designed for in ground planting.

Where to plant

Marigolds are a flower, so need full sun to be able to bloom as you would require. If you go for larger flowers then you will also need to consider shelter from harsh winds or you will have damaged flower heads once you have had a storm.

How to care for   

Pruning

There isn't much care required for marigolds, just make sure to prune off any dead flower heads as it will encourage more growth and extend the life of your plant. 

Watering

Tagetes will need watering regularly during dry spells to ensure that they do not dry out, with the addition of feed when in full bloom.

Calendula on the other hand do not need as much attention, you can just water them as and when you water your other less demanding crops.

Problem solving

Why isn't my marigold bushing?

If you want a bushier marigold then you're best treating it the same as basil, pinch out the shoots and it will encourage sideways shoots - in turn creating a bushier plant.

FAQs

What is companion planting?

Companion planting can be beneficial in a number of ways, merely meaning to plant different crops side by side to benefit the other. In the case of marigolds you would be using marigolds as a trap crop to keep aphids and slugs off your tomatoes and beans for example. 

Products we recommend

	Soil blocker
	Pruning knife