• Home
  • About Me
  • Plant Questions & Answers
  • Get Yard Help
  • Newsletter Archive
  • Contact

Yard Doc Carol

Marigolds for bright color as the weather changes

March 29, 2021 By Carol Cloud Bailey Leave a Comment

29 Mar
Photo Credit: Carol Cloud Bailey
French marigolds are best planted in full sun or partial shade. Marigolds are tolerant of most soils as long as they are not soggy. The plants are somewhat drought tolerant though regular applications of water are best for good growth and flowering.

The first breath of cooler weather or blast of heat signals the transition times for gardeners in the tropics and sub-tropics. However, these changeover times can be difficult times to plant. The weather can be hot or cold, and there may be frequent heavy rains or days of dry weather, yet the occasional cool front blows through, dropping the temperature and humidity for a while. French Marigolds are an excellent and fun choice to plant as the weather changes.

Many gardeners transplanted to warmer climates remember marigolds as summer annuals in cooler climes. Although marigolds tolerate heat and cold well, they do not perform well in the high humidity, frequent rains of the Florida summer, or the occasional freeze in the winter.

An herbaceous annual grown for showy flowers, French marigolds are generally upright and branching with a small taproot. The leaves are opposite of each other on the lower part of the plant and alternate on the upper part. The leaves elliptical in shape with deep indentations, which make them appear pinnate or feather-like. Velvety to the touch and edged with serrations and oil glands, the leaves are strongly scented. I like the fragrance of marigolds.

Pretty little daisy flowers sit atop tubular stems; they are heads made up of many smaller blooms. There is a row of ray flowers with a large petal ringing the outside of the bloom head and disk flowers with much-reduced petals in the middle in single types of marigolds. Semi-double and double types have larger petals on both ray and disk flowers, making the flowers look like small chrysanthemums. Each bloom is from ½ inch to 2 inches across. Fruits, which follow the flowers, are small black achenes like tiny, thin sunflower seeds topped with brushy bristles which catch on animal fur for distribution.

French marigolds brighten any location where planted. They are suitable for beds, containers, and borders and are small mounding plants usually from 6 to 12 inches tall and 8 to 18 inches wide. Choose a location with full sun and well-drained soil that can be irrigated if the weather turns dry.

Plant them from small plants or seeds; they grow easily from either.  Deadheading or removing old blooms encourages the formation of new flowers. Some landscape professionals prefer not to mulch annual beds to ease the constant changing of the plants. Still, the benefits of weed suppression, cooling of the soil, and water conservation are worth the trouble of pulling back mulch when replanting.

Even with the best care, marigolds are short-lived in the Florida garden. Plant marigolds as the weather changes, deadhead the flowers often and enjoy the plants for about 8 to 12 weeks. If the plants grow and bloom for more extended periods, congratulations!

French marigolds are valuable in the veggie garden. The flowers are edible, and the plants can reduce pesky nematodes. Edible flowers are a delightful and sensual addition to any meal. Treat flowers intended for the table as you would any veggie and use pesticides sparingly, according to the label, or not at all.

Research has shown French marigolds reduce some parasitic root nematode populations, namely root-knot and lesion nematodes. Marigolds must be planted thickly as a cover crop two months before the desired crop is installed to be effective as pest-reducing agents. Turn the marigolds under when the plants and blooms are lush and thick to decompose and turn into beneficial organic matter.

This column first appeared in the Treasure Coast Newspapers.

Filed Under: Plant Questions & Answers Tagged With: edible flowers, Florida gardening, French Marigold, Tagetes patula, transition gardening

Previous Post: « Walter’s Viburnum for the Landscape and Native Gardens
Next Post: Pro-Tips for the Landscape in April »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Follow me!

Recent Posts

  • Yummy turkey is all in the wood and brine
  • Considerations About Pruning Southern Magnolia
  • Work in the garden in the heat; you’re kidding.
  • Silent Firecrackers for the Garden and Others in July
  • Resurrection Fern Thrives When It Rains

Recent Comments

  • Carol Cloud Bailey on Screw pines are worth the mess
  • Sue on Screw pines are worth the mess
  • Carol Cloud Bailey on Invasive Curly-tailed Lizards in Florida
  • victoria on Invasive Curly-tailed Lizards in Florida
  • John on Plant and prune trees right for best results during hurricane season

Monthly Gardening Tips & Garden Articles Archives

Monthly Newsletter – Florida Landscaping Tips

Subscribe

* indicates required

Categories

  • Newsletter Archives (7)
  • Plant Questions & Answers (100)
  • Uncategorized (6)

Monthly Newsletter – Florida Landscaping Tips

Subscribe

* indicates required

Connect With Me!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

Customer Service

  • Online Plant Help

Quick Links

  • Home
  • Contact

Learn More

  • Newsletter Archive
  • Plant Questions & Answers

Copyright © 2025 · Sitemap · Privacy Policy

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT