How To Grow Marigold From Seed Heads

Growing Marigolds from Seeds Outdoors

• 1

  Gather marigold seeds in late summer once the heads completely dry out and begin falling apart. Grasp the seedhead at the base and snap it off. Rubbing the seedheads between your fingertips loosens the long, slender seeds. Store the seeds in a paper bag until spring.

• 2

  Prepare a bed for the marigold seeds in spring once all danger of frost has passed and the soil has warmed to at least 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Choose a bed with full sun exposure and loamy soil with excellent drainage.

• 3

  Break up and aerate the soil with a cultivator to a depth of 6 inches. Spread a 3-inch thick layer of compost over the bed. Distribute the compost throughout the soil with the soil cultivator.

• 4

  Run water over the soil before sowing the marigold seeds. Spray the water evenly over the bed until the soil feels moist at a depth of 2 inches. Let the bed drain for 15 to 20 minutes before sowing the seeds.

• 5

  Sow the marigold seeds 1 inch apart and 1/8 inch deep. Cover the seeds with loose soil. Gently firm the soil over the seeds. Spray the bed with water to settle the soil.

• 6

  Watch for germination in seven days. Thin the seedlings once they put on a set of permanent leaves. Thin French marigolds to 8 inches apart and American marigolds to 12 inches apart.

Growing Marigolds From Seeds Indoors

• 7

  Gather and store marigold seedheads. Store them until late winter of the following year, approximately four to six weeks before the last forecasted frost.

• 8

  Prepare a growing container for each desired marigold plant. Fill 4-inch plastic pots with a mixture of two parts potting soil and one part compost. Pour 1/4 cup of water into each pot to settle the soil.

• 9

  Sow two marigold seeds in each pot. Lay the seeds on the soil's surface. Spread a 1/8-inch thick layer of potting soil over the seeds to cover them. Pat the surface firm.

• 10

  Set the potted marigold seeds near a bright, sunny window where temperatures stay above 68 F. Ensure the window provides at least five hours of uninterrupted sunshine each day.

• 11

  Mist the marigold seeds whenever the soil's surface feels dry when pressed. Spritz each pot three or four times with a spray bottle.

• 12

  Watch for germination in seven days. Remove the weaker marigold seedling from each pot once they reach 2 inches in height.

• 13

  Transplant the marigold seedlings into a sunny, well-draining garden bed with loamy soil one week after the last forecasted frost in spring.

• 14

  Dig a planting hole for each marigold plant using a garden trowel. Make the holes equal to the volume of the planting container. Space French marigolds at least 8 inches apart and American marigolds 10 to 12 inches apart.