How to Grow Marigold
Marigold At a Glance
Difficulty
Easy
Category
Flower
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Frost Tolerance
Frost Tender
Cold Hardiness
Survives to 2°C
Plant Family
Asteraceae
Growing Season
Warm Season
Plant Lifecycle
Annual
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
Sow about a week after your last spring frost, once the soil has warmed. Press the slim seeds 0.5 cm deep, about 20 cm apart, and keep the soil damp: they sprout in 5 to 10 days. This is the easiest way, and they flower about 2 months later.
Marigolds are one of the easiest flowers to grow from seed and bloom nonstop from early summer to frost. Gardeners tuck them between tomatoes, beans and squash because their strong smell is thought to keep some pests away and the flowers bring in helpful insects.
When To Start
First chance to plant
7 Days After Last Frost
Last chance to plant
30 Days Before First Frost
When should you plant Marigold?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Marigold Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
Your Marigold Calendar
Set your location to turn these into exact dates and reminders.
Sow marigolds outdoors now that frost has passed
1 week after your last frost· every year
Pinch off faded marigold flowers to keep them blooming
50 days after your last frost· every year· optional
Did you water your marigold seedlings today? Keep the top of the soil damp until they are up and growing.
About 1 days after you plant it
Time to thin the marigold seedlings: snip the extras at soil level so each one has room to grow.
About 20 days after you plant it
Your marigolds are growing! Pinch off the tip of each young plant to make it bushier.
About 30 days after you plant it
Bloom time is close! Pick off faded flowers to keep new ones coming all season.
About 50 days after you plant it
Picking time may be here: check your marigold.
About 60 days after you plant it
The Journey Ahead
Marigold's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Expect sprouts in 5–10 days
Growing Tips
- 1Plant marigolds in full sun, at least 6 hours a day, since they flower poorly in shade.
- 2They are happy in ordinary soil with a little compost, and too much richness gives you leaves instead of flowers.
- 3Water at the base when the top of the soil is dry, and let it dry out a little between waterings.
- 4Skip extra feeding, apart from a splash of compost tea for plants in pots.
- 5Pick slugs off young seedlings at dusk, and spray off spider mites (tiny specks on dry, dusty leaves) with water in hot spells.
- 6Keep pets from chewing the plants, as they can upset a cat's or dog's stomach.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
~60
Days to Maturity
30 cm
Mature Height
30 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
Harvest Window
30 days
When to Pick
Pick flowers at full color
How to Harvest
- 1Cut flowers for a vase once they are fully open, early in the morning when the stems are full of water.
- 2Snip each stem just above a pair of leaves, so new flower buds grow from there.
- 3Pinch or cut off faded flowers every few days to keep new ones coming until frost.
- 4The petals of French and African marigolds are edible but strong and bitter, so sprinkle only a few on a salad.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
How to Save Seeds
Many marigolds sold today are hybrid F1 types, which will not come true, but open-pollinated ones do. Different varieties can cross, so if you grow more than one, save seed from the variety you like best and expect a few surprises. Leave some flowers on the plant until the heads are brown, dry and crisp. Pull the dry heads apart to find the long, thin black seeds with pale tips. Dry them for a few more days, then store them labelled in a cool, dark, dry place, where they keep 2 to 3 years.
Seed Production
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