Marigolds As Grub Repellent

Prepare Your Garden to Get the Best Results

• In the fall, when your garden is done for the year, pull up as many plant roots as possible, so the grubs and nematodes will have fewer places to survive the winter. Till the soil once or twice during the winter if possible to expose more grubs and nematodes to the sun and air, which will help reduce their population even more.

Plant 1/2 Vegetables and 1/2 Marigolds

• Even though French marigolds have slightly more thiophene than the African varieties, the choice of which marigolds to plant may be made based on the size of the plant and the color and shape of the flower blossom. Plant one row of vegetables and then one row of marigolds, planting the marigolds approximately 7 inches apart. A properly protected vegetable garden is approximately 50 percent vegetables and 50 percent marigolds.

Choose Vegetables Resistant to Grubs and Nematodes

• Certain vegetables are bred to naturally resist grubs, nematodes and other garden predators. When purchasing seeds or young plants, look for an "N" on the label, indicating they are nematode resistant.

Fertilize for the Best Vegetables

• Marigolds require little in the way of fertilizer, so fertilize your vegetable garden as per the needs of your vegetables, and don't worry about the marigolds. Marigolds also tolerate a wide range of watering conditions and do not mind if the soil dries between waterings. Keep weeds under control, as their roots can also harbor unwanted garden pests.

Till Dead Marigolds Back Into the Soil

• At the end of the growing season, till the dead marigolds back into the soil -- after you collect the seed heads off the marigolds. Save the seeds in a plastic baggie and keep them in a cool and dry place over the winter, so you can plant them again the following spring. Rotate your crops by planting marigolds where you planted vegetables the previous season, and by planting vegetables in the rows where marigolds grew the previous year.