Marigolds

With a fork drive Nature out,
She will ever yet return;
Hedge the flowerbed all about,
Pull or stab or cut or burn,
She will ever yet return.

Look: the constant marigold
Springs again from hidden roots.
Baffled gardener, you behold
New beginnings and new shoots
Spring again from hidden roots.
Pull or stab or cut or burn,
They will ever yet return.

Gardener, cursing at the weed,
Ere you curse it further, say:
Who but you planted the seed
In my fertile heart, one day?
Ere you curse me further, say!
New beginnings and new shoots
Spring again from hidden roots.
Pull or stab or cut or burn,
Love must ever yet return.
~Robert Graves (1895–1985). Fairies and Fusiliers: 1918.

Pot marigolds or calendulas were a sacred flower of ancient India and were called “herb of the sun.” They have very pungent leaves and flowers and were used by the Egyptians as a substitute for saffron.

The leaves and flowers were used in salads by the Romans who acquired them from the Greeks .They were also used as a seasoning for meats and medicine.

The Romans called the marigold “calendula” because it bloomed in the calends, or first days of every month of the year. The Christians, who adorned statues of the Virgin with golden calendulas on holy days, called them “Mary’s gold,” thus the name marigold.

Marigolds spread to England and were used by Saxons in lieu of pepper. They were grown in monastery gardens and so the plant acquired the name Calendula officinalis, meaning it was sanctioned by the office of the monastery’s pharmacopoeia.

In the early 1500’s, the Portuguese discovered great golden headed flowers in Brazil which reminded them of the pot marigolds. They were considered a sacred flower of the Aztecs. They called these flowers marigolds and introduced them to Europe and India.

American marigolds supplanted calendulas as a sacred flower of the Hindus. These two types of marigolds are not biologically close.

Dwarf red-and-yellow marigolds were imported from Mexico and grown in the royal gardens of Paris by the end of the 16th century. In England both types were found, and the tall and dwarf plants were distinguished by the names “African marigold” and “French marigold”. The tall ones were from South America and the dwarfs were from Mexico!

In America, Puritans brought calendulas to Massachusetts. They found their way into strict Puritan churches. They were prized as seasoning broth, and preserved cheese and meat with an appealing color and flavor. Some old cookbooks and garden books give the advice:

An infusion of marigolds in wine “soothes a cold stomache” and removes warts and moles.

“Bewitching nosegays worn in the bosem of a maiden is a goodly deployment for the attraction of the male.”

Marigolds require full sun and grow best in a loose garden soil with plenty of organic matter or humus.

Prepare flower beds by adding 3″ – 4″ of pine bark, peat moss, manure or leaf mold. On heavy clay, mixing 1″ of sand will be beneficial. Add a very light application of fertilizer – one pound of 8-8-8 or 10-10-10 per 100 square foot of bed space. For pots or planters use 1/3 soil, 1/3 peat moss or manure, 1/3 sand.

Flower Characteristics

Annual (must be replanted each year)
Bright colors – yellow, gold, multi yellow and red
Bloom all summer
Takes full sun and heat

Buying and Planting Tips

Cell packs of flowers sometimes root bound
Before planting, gently tear roots apart
If possible, buy plants that have not bloomed
If in flower, pinch off bloom to redirect plant’s energy to roots
It will establish itself quicker with healthy roots
In July, or Early August plant a few seeds amid plants for bloom until frost
Caution: slugs and snails love to eat marigolds

Marigolds are a very prolific, easy to grow annual flower. Flowers will bloom from midsummer all the way until frost. They can be used for indoor arrangements, but give off a pungent odor that is sometimes too strong indoors.

Marigolds are considered companion plants that keep insects away. Many gardeners grow them amidst their vegetable crops

Insects largely avoid marigolds as they do not like it’s pungent odor. This is why they make good companion plants. You can even make an insect repellent spray from these plants.

Marigolds and Nasturtiums are commonly grown as companion plants as they keep pests away. Try putting some of the leaves and stems of either or both in your blender with a tiny bit of water. Let them soak for a day, drain, add a spot more water to dilute and apply liberally to your other plants in your garden.

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