Spring planting doesn’t start when the air feels warm, It...Read More
Sparky Marigold flowers are well-known for their popularity and beauty in the flower garden. Sparky Marigolds are well adapted to tolerate heat; they are drought resistant and love full sun exposure with typical dry soils. Sparky Marigolds grow to be a compact bushy mound and showcase 2 to 3 inch semi-double blooms ranging from deep yellows to rich reds and vivid orange colors. It matures from seed in as little as 60 days and blooms continuously through the summer and fall. Being nearly maintenance free, this is a good easy-to-grow choice to for borders or walkways, fence lines, containers and pots, flower beds and in areas you want to repel pests and attract pollinators like bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects. Plant these flowers in your butterfly waystation along with Common Milkweed and other flowering plants like Bouquet Dill or Catnip.
NAME: Marigold (Tagetes patula)
VARIETY: French Sparky (Multicolored Mix)
HARDINESS ZONE: Zones 2 – 11
PLANT TYPE: Annual
DAYS TO MATURITY: 60 days
POLLINATION: Open Pollinated
SUNLIGHT: Full Sun / Partial Sun
SOIL: Average soils with a soil pH 6.0 – 7.0
PLANT HEIGHT: 9 – 12 inches
SPACING: 6 – 8 inches
TEMP: 50 – 90 °F
These seeds do not required stratification.
To learn more about Stratification, click here!
Start seeds indoors 4 weeks before your last local frost in cell trays or large pots; the seedlings can remain in larger pots for their entire life if you choose.
Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep in moistened seed-starting soil mix, making sure to water in seeds generously.
Keep the soil moist and a temperature around 70°F and seedlings will sprout in 7 to 15 days.
As soon as the seedlings emerge, provide plenty of light on a sunny windowsill or 3 inches beneath fluorescent/LED plant lights turned on 15 hours, off 9 hours, raising the light up as they get bigger.
Before planting outside make sure soil temps are at least 55°F and temperatures don’t fall below 55°F as Marigolds do not like cold weather.
Transplant into a weed-free garden bed and water in well.
Direct sow seeds outdoors once temps reach 50°F and above consistently.
Sow one seed every 2 inches and cover with 1/4 inch of fine soil, pressing soil down lightly and watering seeds in generously.
It is important to keep the soil continuously moist until the seedlings get to be 3 inches tall. Seedlings will emerge in 7 to 15 days.
Thin seedlings to 8 inches apart when they are 4 inches tall.
Prepare your garden beds by removing weeds, leveling the soil and adding compost if the soil is poor.
Providing a heat mat under your cell trays will germinate the seeds quicker.
Marigolds tolerate average, dry soil types.
Once the plant starts to put on flowers and then die off, pinch off the dead flower heads to promote new flowers to grow.
Sparky Marigold flowers can be harvested for decorative purposes or for use in culinary applications.
Cut the flowers early in the morning when they are fully open and at their peak freshness.
Use sharp scissors or garden shears to snip the flower stems just above a leaf node or branching point.
Place the harvested flowers immediately in a container of water to keep them fresh until ready to use.
Store harvested flowers in a cool location away from direct sunlight until you are ready to arrange or use them.
