Marigolds are popular flowering plants that are used as ornamental plants for small indoor spaces and balconies. They also make great garden plants and are often used in flower beds.
The appearance of the Marigold plant features deep green foliage that looks like ferns and produces bright-colored blooms.
They are fast-growing flowering plants that can achieve full growth from seed to maturity in under a year.
A member of the Asteraceae family, the Marigold flowers are native to North American countries like Mexico and Guatemala and are known to be tough plants that can survive different climates.
| Botanical Name | Tagetes |
| Common Names | Marigold, English Marigold |
| Origin | Mexico and Guatemala |
| Family | Asteraceae |
| Plant Type | Annual flowering plant |
| Full Size | 48 inches tall, 24 inches wide |
| Sun Exposure | Direct or full sunlight |
| Soil Type | Well drained soil that ranges from neutral to a little acidic |
| Toxicity | Toxic to pets and people when ingested |
Marigold Care
Marigolds are easy plants to grow and take care of. Meeting their basic light, water temperature, soil and pruning requirements should be enough to ensure the plant flourishes.
Marigold Light Requirement
Flowering plants like Marigolds require sufficient access to direct or full sunlight to be able to produce perfect blooms and stay flourishing.
Too little sunlight for the elegant plant would lead to its leaves looking leggy and a stunted growth with little flowering.
When growing the Marigold flower indoors, be sure to place the potted plant in a room that has as much access to direct sunlight as possible. Keep it next to an eastward-facing window or on an eastward-facing balcony as Marigolds make excellent balcony plants.
Marigold Water Requirement
How frequently you water your Marigold flower depends on the age of the potted plant. A week-old Marigold would require watering every day to establish a good root system.
Once the root system is well established (which oftentimes, takes a week), you can then limit watering the Marigold flower to once a week.
During hot seasons like the summer or spring, increase watering frequency to once in 4 days, and during the winter and fall seasons, limit watering to once in 2 to 3 weeks.
Use room temperature dechlorinated water so as to avoid stressing the plant’s delicate roots. And ensure you water into the soil, not the Marigold plant.
Marigold Soil Requirement
The Marigold flower is not picky about the soil type being used. Ensure that whatever garden soil is being used is a well-draining soil type.
The soil type used should also possess slight moisture-retaining ability which can hold in a little moisture during dry seasons.
Keep the soil level in the range of neutral to a little acidic. A perfect pH range would be between 6.0 to 7’0.
Adding organic matter to the plant soil is unnecessary as the plant would flourish more when grown in lean soil.
Marigold Temperature and Humidity Requirement
Marigolds are quite sturdy as they can survive most humidity levels. They do better in dry environments.
The USDA zone for the marigold ranges from Zone 2 to Zone 11, this means that the temperatures that are cold and hot.
Marigold Fertilizer Requirement
Feeding your Marigold with fertilizer would be doing more harm than good as the plant’s roots grow better in plain, lean soil.
You can consider deadheading the Marigold flowering plant often to keep it thriving and flourishing.
Marigold Propagation and Potting Requirement
Marigold flowers can be propagated in two ways, these are;
- Through Stem Cuttings
- Through Seed Propagation.
The easiest of the two methods is seed propagation, however, both methods require little effort.
A Marigold plant is small in size and an annual, fast-growing plant, so repotting would not be necessary. Use a small pot that contains enough drainage holes at the base to allow for the easy flow of water out of the pot.
Marigold Pruning Requirement
Regular pruning and deadheading of the Marigold plant would help the plant grow in a proper manner.
It is recommended that you sterilize all tools to be used for pruning and that you wear protective gloves before pruning the potted plant.
Toxicity
The Sap from a Marigold plant is toxic to both pets and people when ingested so it is recommended that you keep the plant away from the reach of children and pets. Be quick in calling a doctor if you notice that a pet or child has eaten from the Marigold flower.
Common Health Problems of the Marigold Flower
- Aphids
- Root rot
- Powdery Mildew
- Overwintering
Frequently Asked Questions
Do marigolds feature deep green stems that are carried by bright colored petals
Marigolds require a warm temperature with access to direct sunlight.
Marigolds can be found growing in North American Countries like Mexico.
A mature plant can grow as tall as 48 inches
Marigolds grow better when planted in the spring season.
