How to grow pot marigolds
I didn’t know pot marigolds (or calendula officinalis as botanists call them) even exist until I started gardening. And even then, I stumbled upon these beautiful and versatile plant quite accidentally…
As a new gardener, I needed vegetable seeds for my newly acquired garden, so one day I went shopping. While I was choosing vegetable seeds I was well familiar with (such as lettuce, cabbage, cucumbers, beans and peppers), my eyes caught a glimpse of a seed packet with daisy-like flowers picture on it. Since I liked the vivid look of these blooming plants, I decided to give them a try and see how it pans out, even though I knew nothing about them. Well, I’m glad I did it!
Ever since then I really enjoy in cheery bright yellow and orange colors that pot marigolds bring to my garden each year continuously from spring to late fall.
However, I’m not growing them only because of their cheerful colors. They also attract beneficial insects (hoverflies, bees and butterflies), make good companion plants, and you can even use them as a culinary spice (in salads, soups, omlets, rice, potatoes and stews) or as a medicine thanks to their antiseptic, antifungal and antibacterial properties!
As you’re about to discover, pot marigolds are very easy to grow – even for those who have very little to no gardening experience…