What Are the Best Tips for Growing Marigolds?

People who are growing marigolds should keep a few things in mind in order to help these plants thrive and produce plenty of flowers throughout the summer and fall. Marigolds are easy to grow and tolerate neglect well, though they do need to be given plenty of sunlight, water and nutrients in order to thrive. The dead flowers should also be cut off regularly so that the plants continue producing lots of flowers throughout the season.

Making sure marigolds have adequate nutrition is one of the most important things to do to help these plants thrive. Nutrition can be given to marigolds through the use of decent soil or by fertilizing the plants every couple of weeks or so. Marigolds do not require soil rich in nutrients, though they prefer soil with at least a moderate level of nutrients. Though marigolds will grow better when given some fertilizer, giving these plants too much can cause them to spend more energy growing taller and bushier than on the production of more flowers.

Providing enough sunlight and warmth is also important when growing marigolds. With their small leaves, these flowers thrive in full sun and do well in the hot weather of summer. Marigolds prefer hot climates and will die if exposed to cold temperatures. This means that they should be planted once the weather warms and replanted again from seed the next spring.

It is also important to make sure that marigolds are given enough water. Though they enjoy the heat, they will dry out if they aren't watered regularly. When growing marigolds, it is important to make sure that the soil remains moist. Light watering every day or two, depending on the temperature, is best because marigolds can suffer if kept in soggy soil.

Marigolds handle transplant well and can be moved around as needed. When growing marigolds, seeds can be planted in small containers indoors and then moved outside once the weather warms. The roots, leaves and flowers of the Marigold are hardy and resistant to physical damage, making these plants easy to transplant.

One thing that people enjoy about marigolds is that they produce many flowers. When growing marigolds, one thing a person can do to help these plants produce more flowers is to cut dead flowers from the plant. This tricks the plant into behaving as if it hadn't had the opportunity to reproduce yet, forcing it to produce more flowers so that it can have the chance to create next year's seeds.