Marigold, French, Sparky

Planting Instructions Sparky Mixture marigold is a hardy full sun performer and most commonly sown directly after the last frost but, for earliest blooms, begin seeds 6-8 weeks indoors prior to the frost.  Marigolds will take 7-21 days to germinate in full lighting. Plant 2-3 Sparky Mixture marigold seeds ¼" deep and 6" apart in average, evenly moist, and well-drained soil in full sun.  History Marigolds are happy little flowers. They’re beautiful, colorful, hardy, and have been colonized around the globe. But there’s so much more to marigolds than just a pretty face! Not only are they used for gorgeous garnishes but they have many health benefits as well.   Marigolds originated in Mexico and Guatemala. In the 16th century English explorers discovered them and brought them back to Europe. Their popularity spread and they eventually became a favorite worldwide.  Marigolds are part of the Asteraceae family and directly related to daisies, calendula, and sunflowers and have similar benefits to the ecosystem. The marigold almost became our National Flower but the rose was ultimately chosen instead.   Planting Instructions Sparky Mixture marigold is a hardy full sun performer and most commonly sown directly after the last frost but, for earliest blooms, begin seeds 6-8 weeks indoors prior to the frost.  Marigolds will take 7-21 days to germinate in full lighting. Plant 2-3 Sparky Mixture marigold seeds ¼" deep and 6" apart in average, evenly moist, and well-drained soil in full sun.  Care Sparky Mixture marigold is native to Mexico and known to tolerate gardens prone to heat, drought, and clay soils. Plants must be properly drained and in a ventilated area. The Marigold has no serious pests but monitor regularly for spider mites and thrips. Sparky Mixture marigold seeds mature in 63-77 days as 12 to 14 inch tall shrubby mounds with a 4-6" spread of 2-3" semi-double blooms. APPROX: 300 Seeds Marigolds and that Crazy Chicken Marigolds attract the bugs and insects into the garden that we want, and this helps to keep the insects we don’t want from eating our plants! They are nature’s pest control. Chickens love to eat marigolds, they think they are they’re as delicious as can be! By eating marigolds it makes their eggs healthier, which is also healthy when we eat those eggs! According to current science feeding marigolds to chickens resulted in the lowest levels of egg cholesterol! (1) So marigolds help keep people healthy too!  Let’s talk about chicken poo! Chicken poo is full of minerals that our soil and plants need. If you put chicken poo in the soil, it feeds it. The soil feeds the plants, which feed you and me! So when chickens eat marigolds they are making us healthier too.  So the next time you eat an egg think about the marigolds that helped make it healthy!  Try not to think of the poo! Marigolds and The Garden Ecosystem Marigold help fight nematodes. Their roots release a toxic chemical that inhibits the hatching of nematode eggs and disrupts their life cycle.  They also attract beneficial insects that manage insects we consider pests in the garden. Those insects include hover flies, lady beetles, and parasitic wasps.  It’s long been thought that the smell of marigolds helps to repel damaging pests when planted in the garden. So, it’s often planted with tomatoes and other vegetables in an effort to protect them from those ever irritating insects that thwart our very efforts. However, with lots of scientific study on ‘companion planting’ it’s more likely that the marigold attracts those beneficial insects that control the destructive ones.  So in this setting marigolds play the roll of pest control in our eco-system. For more information, worksheets, and some interesting facts follow this link: