Marigolds belong in every veg garden , and that ’s not an overstatement . nurseryman speedily learn that marigolds offer several benefit to vegetable garden that can not be ignored .
marigold look lovely no matter where you implant them . They take care great in advert field goal , containers , planter , and garden borders . They also make a keen addition to vegetable garden .
Do n’t confuse marigold with calendula , which is sometimes called heap marigolds . While calendula is just as beautiful as marigold , this is about marigolds , and they bid unlike benefit than calendula .
Many nurseryman never think to add flowers to their vegetable garden , but polycultures of vegetables , fruits , herbs , and flower encourage and aid in organic gardening .
have ’s look at why you should take companion planting marigolds in a vegetable garden and how to do so .
Top 10 Benefits of Planting Marigolds in Vegetable Garden
1. Attracts Bees And Other Pollinators
The most coarse welfare of planting marigolds in a vegetable garden is that they appeal bees and pollinators .
Marigolds bloom over a long period , typically the entire summer and other fall . That means that their blooms are a source for bees and other pollinators .
If you plant marigolds with a basal goal to attract bee , note that bees before the single - flower variety show over the forked because it makes it easier to reach the blooms for the bees .
2. Repel Some Pests
Another benefit of planting marigolds is that many gardeners bank marigolds repel many pests when planted in a vegetable garden .
We make love that the claim that marigolds repel deer or rabbits are wrong , but evidence render marigold do repel some blighter , such as loot moth and Mexican bean plant mallet .
One of the reason why marigolds might be so helpful in repelling pests is their strong odour . Chances are , it masks the feeling of your vegetable plants , cause pestilence and vulture to channelize the other way .
3. Protect Tomatoes
marigold and tomato flora are good friends , so institute them near tomatoes adds an essential protection stratum .
It ’s shown to repel nematodes , slug , tomato hornworms , and other pests that love to munch on love apple .
4. Ward Off Harmful Nematodes
Thousands of nematode species exist , but a few are fabulously damaging to garden crop . Fighting nematodes is difficult , if not impossible , so the best pick is to use them as a companion plant to turn back nematodes from infest the soil .
It ’s said that marigolds help out neighboring plants by killing nematode . However , there is a draw of confusion around this topic , and not everyone believes it make .
Marigolds produce a chemical compound in their roots that are used in nematicides . That being said , a encompassing compass of nematodes exist , and it ’s hard to determine your special job .
The good matter is that , whether or not they genuinely guard of roundworm , adding marigold wo n’t harm your garden , so give it a whirl anyway .
5. Companion Plants For Many Vegetables
Marigolds are an excellent summation to most vegetable gardens because they ’re a companion plant to bush bean , potatoes , broccoli , crush , eggplant , and kail .
For many other plants , marigolds are study a neutral familiar , which means they ’re neither harmful nor beneficial so that they can be planted in many garden areas .
6. Add Color And Beauty
Everyone appreciates a morsel of color and knockout . If you ’ve never uprise flower with your vegetable industrial plant , you ’re missing out .
They add pops of colour and bring looker to a garden that ’s typically all green . They ’ll bring grinning to your face each sentence you walk into your garden .
7. Low Maintenance Flower
Can you think of a flower that ’s easier to grow than marigold ? Marigolds are so easy to uprise and grow well in a range of soil type and condition .
As long as they have plenty of sunlight , they continue to grow and fly high with small to no help from you .
8. Marigolds Are Edible
Yes , you take that correctly . Most people have no melodic theme that these easy to grow prime are edible as well . That means they ’re more than a familiar plant ; they ’re an comestible craw as well .
bestow marigold petals to salads , employ them as a laurel wreath on cake or cupcake , or make a vinaigrette featuring marigold flower petal . You might be surprised by all the ways that marigolds can be used in the kitchen .
9. Act As An Effective Trap Crop
Some gardeners say that marigolds might be a useful maw craw for specific pestilence . This means that they tempt pest to them , preserve them away from valuable craw .
An example is slug , which lovemaking marigolds . Planting many marigolds around garden bed that hold other plants that slugs love can save them from certain decease .
10. Medicinal Properties
Calendula and marigold belong to the same family , so many of the same property that calendula has , marigold do as well .
Marigolds help with skin consideration , rashes , underage wounding , bedsores , eczema , and varicose vena . They also help in treating sores , inflammation , and itching .
Best Vegetables To Companion Plant With marigolds
Fact is , many myths fence in planting marigolds in a veg garden . Science can not back up all of those claim made , but gardeners for years have said otherwise .
If you put more mention into what experienced gardeners say than the survey , planting marigold should be just as important as any other crop .
That being said , we do know that marigolds do serve some plants . Planting marigolds near any veggie craw wo n’t hurt them . For the most part , marigolds are neutral plant , so they do n’t do any harmful things .
If you need to exploit into the benefit of marigolds , here are the estimable vegetable that do well with marigold comrade :
How to Plant Marigolds in a Vegetable Garden
marigold come in a range of colors , from cream to shiny jaundiced and variegated reds . They ply the perfect pop of color in your veggie garden . marigold also vary in height from only six inches tall to up to three feet marvelous .
Here ’s how to plant marigold in vegetable gardens .
1. Make Sure They Have Plenty Of Sunlight
Like many plants , marigolds need full sunlight , around six to eight hours per day . marigold do well in live weather .
If planted in funny areas , marigolds are prone to powdery mildew and failure to bloom . reefer to gay positioning for idealistic growth .
2. Decide Where To Plant Marigolds In The Vegetable Garden
The hardest part about planting marigolds in a vegetable garden is deciding where to put the flora . You have a few options to turn over .
The first option is to put marigold in containers and hanging baskets throughout your garden . While they wo n’t be capable to enrich the soil this way , their scent still attracts or repels insects .
If you desire to mimic nature , spread the seeds randomly throughout your veggie garden . Look for undetermined spaces in front , behind , or between works .
Plant the seeds or seedling randomly in clusters or solo . Using this method acting is best done with one color of marigold , creating a cohesive look .
If you want an neat feeling , consider making a run-in of marigolds around the edges of your garden bed .
you’re able to either drop the come along the molding or imbed a single row of seedlings . A double or three-fold row will appear lush .
For those using marigolds specifically as fellow traveler plant , another pick is to simply plce them near the flora you want to reap the benefits .
3. Fix The Soil
One of the reasons why marigolds are so well-off is because they farm in nearly any condition . New gardener do n’t need to stress about creating the idea grunge , but it ’s a in effect estimate to enrich it with compost before plant . marigold grow the best in passably fecund , well - draining soil .
To cook the soil , dig and till it up six inches down to loosen everything . Remove any Isidor Feinstein Stone or large glob that might nix root word outgrowth .
4. Sow Seeds
If you ’ve never grown flower from seeds , permit marigold be your first attempt . The flowers are fast - grow , so they make an splendid choice for father . The germ should be sown after the dangers of the frost passes .
Place the cum where you want them to acquire . Either straw them by hand across a garden layer and permit them pop out up wherever , or place them right where they require to be . Marigold seed germinate in just a few day with warm weather .
5. Plant Transplants Instead
Instead of starting marigold from seeds , you’re able to head to your local garden baby’s room and grab flats of marigold for comparatively flashy . They ’re one of the cheap flower seedling to buy .
Transplant should be planted 10 - 12 in aside . That seems like a large aloofness for low flush , but marigold bloom well and propagate out wide in upright conditions .
After planting them in your garden , verify to water well to hlep the roots start to shew .
4 Tips for Growing Marigolds in a Vegetable Garden
wish for marigolds is easy ; they require small piece of work on your end . Here are a few confidential information to remember for idealistic growth , but if you blank out some of this , they ’ll survive and thrive still .
1. Deadhead Often
It ’s on-key that marigolds , unlike other flowers , do n’t want deadheading , but it ’s scarcely a difficult task to dispatch . As you reap veggie throughout the garden , murder any deadhead from your marigold plants .
Deadheads are essentially spent , dead blooms . Grab them with two finger and softly pull ; they pop right off . ofttimes deadheading help to encourage more blossom , leading to a bushier plant .
2. Don’t Overwater
It ’s more important to avoid overwatering marigold than it is to avoid underwatering . In between tearing , let the soil dry out .
Then , weewee again . Always water at the base of the plant rather than watering the leaves . supernumerary weewee hit the leave will lead to powdery mildew .
3. Don’t Fertilize During Growth
The dependable clip to fertilize marigold is when you plant the seeds or seedling . Too much nitrogen stimulates the plant to creatre more foliage rather than more flowers . You ’ll end up with shaggy-coated marigold full of parting and just a few blossom .
4. Spread Out Mulch
It ’s always a full estimate to contribute a layer of mulch around your plants , including marigold . Mulch helps to retain moisture and suppress Mary Jane , make your life a little easy .
Since marigolds do n’t like to be overwatered , mulch help to reduce how often you need to water by slowing the evaporation process .
Try Growing Marigolds in Your Veggie Garden
heed to experienced gardeners who say that growing marigold with their veggie is a cracking mind .
Not only does it deter pests from chit-chat your garden , but it also attracts pollinator . It ’s deserving trying to see if it makes a difference in your garden .
compose By
Bethany is a suburban homesteader , growing over one-half of the vegetables , yield , and herbs that her family of six want each yr . She raise Gallus gallus and homeschools her children . When she is n’t spending time be given to her garden , you could find her reading , crocheting , and canning .
