The marigolds produce bright orange flowers and yellow. Interleaved among other plants or planted in pots, they add charm and joy to the garden. They are also known as a gold button, market or wonder, and they are edible flowers that also have medicinal uses. They have that intense color because they are rich in carotenoids, an organic pigment that in addition to being a food supplement is used as a natural dye.
With very little effort we can reproduce this small annual plant and avoid having to buy them again next season, since reproducing the marigold from seeds is very easy.
Marigold plants usually appear in nurseries and garden centers in spring. I bought mine a few months ago and planted them in a corner of the garden. They have been blooming nonstop all this time and now the ripe flowers are starting to dry. After the flower withers and loses all the petals, the center grows and takes a brown color. It seems to have dried, but in reality, it is full of seeds and it shows by color and size.
How to collect and sow marigold seeds
Collecting calendula seeds has no complications and it is worth doing to continue enjoying this flower season after season without spending more money. If they are not collected, the seeds fall to the ground and the plant spreads on its own, but erratically. If you like messy terraces, fine; but if you are one of those who like to have control of your plantations, cut the heads before the seeds fall. Do it over the last pair of leaves, because next to them there are buds that will produce new flowers.
The seeds have a color between gray and light brown. They are elongated and curved, like little worms. You can sow them or save them for later, in the fall or next spring.
How to plant marigold seeds
Calendula grows easily from seeds, but there are a couple of things to consider.
- They are quite tolerant plants at low temperatures, but if they are sown in hot weather the plant will be less resistant to cold.
- The seeds are very sensitive to light during germination, they must be buried and covered with the substrate at a depth of between 1 cm and 1.5 cm.
Spring is the best time for the propagation of marigolds through seeds, but they can also be sown in summer to have flowers in autumn. Due to the high temperatures, these plants may be somewhat weaker.
Sow the seeds in a very sunny place and water gently (better spray water on them) until they germinate and reach about 7 cm high. Then you can give them a normal watering.
Save marigold seeds
You can save the harvested seeds until next season. To do this, when you remove the seed heads from the plant, spread the seeds on a sheet of paper inside the house. Let them dry for a few days. Once dry, you put them in a labeled envelope that you will keep in a dark and dry place until next spring.
We hope that these simple tips will be useful for you to enjoy these beautiful plants for a long time without spending a penny on buying new plants.