How to Grow Marigolds in Your Garden

Purchase seedling plants from the garden center in the spring that meet your height and color requirements. They vary in height from 10 inches to 3 feet. Their colors include many shades of yellow, orange, red, white and bi-colors. Check the tags that come with the plants for height and spacing information. Because marigolds are tender annuals, wait until your last frost has occurred to purchase them. You can also purchase seeds and sow them indoors in pots in late winter, but because marigolds are inexpensive and readily available in the garden centers, most gardeners do not start them from seed.

Clear a location that gets direct sun at least five hours a day. It should have well-drained soil. Marigolds are not particular about soil type, but they do not tolerate wet soil.

Dig a small hole with a trowel to loosen the soil just slightly larger than the pot. Remove the seedling from its pot and, if the plant is root bound, gently tease apart the roots with your fingers before setting it in the soil. Place it in the soil the same depth as it was in the container. Pack the loosened soil around the roots and firm lightly with your hands. Water well to settle the soil.

Plant the rest of your marigolds in the same manner following the spacing recommendations on the tag. They look best when planted in irregular clusters rather than straight rows.

Apply a solution of water-soluble fertilizer designed for blooming plants every two to three weeks. Do not over fertilize. Follow the package directions.

Water weekly the first two to three weeks while the plants are getting established. Throughout the season, they only need additional water during prolonged periods of drought.

Pinch off spent blooms as they form. The sooner you do this, the sooner the plant starts to make new blooms.

Discard the plants at the end of the season. Marigolds are annuals, which mean they live and die in one year.