Been meaning to ask this question for ages... Do marigolds become sacrificial plants in the vege plot? Mine don't seem to grow well. The flowers die off without being replaced by new ones. I do trim them off. The plants don't get bushy & just don't grow.
Meanwhile the veges flourish around them so was wondering whether the marigolds were doing the right thing. I keep adding more marigold seedlings to different parts of the vege garden but NONE have grown well at all.
I am not complaining, just curious to know what is happening.
Anna :)
By marigold do you mean calendula? I have only ever grown these once so I don't have much experience to go by. I planted them amongst the brassicas as companion plants.
As companion planting, I think the dead flower heads have some value as insect repellants so we`re supposed to leave them on. Its because thay smell strongly. I grow lots of mixed up varieties and pop them in at the end of veg rows. Sometimes they look weak or don`t do much for a while but at the end of the season they are practically the last plant standing. I also grow Nasturtiums for the same reason. I think that some of this is been shown to be not all true but I like to do it out of tradition and it looks nice if you don`t look too closely. They do crawl with bugs.
Col
I grow them each year and have planted them amongst cabbages this year just because they look so pretty :) I dead head them to keep them repeat flowering. I always sow a new batch each year although they do self seed. Can't think why they won't grow for you - unless of course they like cooler climes :-\
I grew French marigolds in with my cabbages this year and they do seem to have done some good at keeping unwelcome beasties at bay. Have also hear that they suppress some weeds so I am hoping to plant a self seeding border of them right round my allotment.
Marigolds planted among carrots and onions are supposed to help keep carrot & onion fly away.
MikeB
Planting onions and carrots together is supposed to do the same thing, whether it actually works is difficult to be precise, but I don't seem to have a major problem ... Marigolds are attractive though ... and if a few here and there keeps the carrot and onion fly away, I certainly wouldnt complain !
Wardy. I grew them in a border down side of bungalow. However one year they just more of less collapsed and when I pulled them up the roots were almost gone, I had an ant problem for a while down the side of the bungalow could they have caused it?? I had the same trouble with pansies in that border.
Pansies can be a bit disease-prone. I think they get club root or some such disease
Never had a problem with calendula though up to yet
Anna, Marigolds should grow well in Australia. But because you said you have them in your vegetable plot, (what is a good thing to do), I wonder if they are in a spot which contains too much manure??
Marigolds grow best with in soil that has 30- 40% manure, def. not more, otherwise they will have only a few and small flowers. :(
Oh I see Lady Cosmos. My FIL has them growing happily in pots (with No manure). At least they are doing some job in the vege patch.
Thanks
Anna
Are you growing dwarf marigolds? They are bred for speed to first flower, so they can be sold in flower, not for vegetative vigour. I'm not sure why they are repeating though, how old are they? You may get more blooms eventually as there is always a gap between the first flower and subsequent flowers.