When to Plant: Marigolds love the heat and hate the cold. Avoid planting outdoors until after danger of frost has passed at the least. You may consider waiting until May for planting to ensure strong establishment.

Click here to find your last frost date.

Light: Full Sun

Soil: Marigolds do well in our Kansas soils and actually prefer soils that are slightly nutrient poor.

Marigolds can tolerate dry down and wilt, but should be regularly watered to encourage full flowering. Avoid over-watering to avoid leggy plants. Water when the soil is dry 2” deep or you notice leaf wilt.

All-purpose fertilizer works well. If planted in a container, fertilize once per month. Fertilize rarely if at all when planted in ground.

Marigolds may be a skunky plant to most gardeners, but it is actually edible! The flowers are often dried and included in teas.

Be careful to only consume marigolds that have been marketed as edible. Consuming plants from retail centers marketing plants as ornamental may have sprayed chemicals that are not rated for consumption. My plants are readily edible!

Deadheading is a necessity where marigolds are concerned. “Deadheading” is the process of removing the flower head after it is spent. For marigolds this can be accomplished by a quick snap, leaving a hollow stem and a flowerless plant. This process is important to ensure more flowers.

Marigolds thrive off of heat, but they also need moisture support. If you notice that the bottom leaves are dying off, you may need to water more frequently.