10 Reasons Why Marigold Is The Best Flower For Your Garden

When designing a vegetable garden, flowers are probably not included in most people’s designs – probably because they are not vegetables. Although it is not a vegetable, you should consider planting marigolds along with your vegetables, as they provide many benefits that will keep your plants happy and healthy.

Not only will your vegetables benefit from the marigolds planted nearby, but so will the gardener. Marigolds come in bright orange, red, yellow and blends of the three and will illuminate any garden. Marigold is also an edible flower that can be eaten raw or added to dishes such as soups and salads.

Marigolds are one of the favorite flowers among many flower growers for their simple growing needs and beautiful flowers. These flowers require very little attention to cultivation and will grow quickly and bloom about eight weeks after planting. Marigold is a great addition to a flower garden or flowerbed, garden decoration, and as a flower in a pot.

Amazing ideas to intercropping vegetables and flowers together

Another great aspect of marigold flowers is that they can be grown annually almost anywhere. To grow them as a perennial, however, you must be in USDA hard zones of nine, ten or eleven. Marigolds grown in pots can be put in during the cold months to be kept as perennials in zones eight and below.

Marigolds perform best in areas with full sun, but can also tolerate a partially shaded location. They are not very soil-friendly – so you can focus on the soil that is best for your vegetables if you plant them together – and they should need water every few days as soon as the soil starts to dry out. Overall, marigolds are relatively simple flowers to grow and care for and can adapt to the environment of any roommate.

Marigolds are wonderful flowers that not only look great but can benefit other plants planted around them, especially herbaceous plants. Planting marigolds with your vegetables is risk-free and can only be beneficial – why not try them in your own garden.

The reasons why marigold is the best flowerin your garden

Attracts pollinators

The blooms of marigold flowers last throughout the summer and early autumn, and these blooms will bring pollinators like bees and butterflies. These pollinators are essential for plants – and adding more can help your vegetable garden grow.

It attracts predatory insects

In addition to attracting pollinators, marigolds also attract predatory insects that will help protect against pests that damage your plants. The most common beneficial predators they will bring are ladybugs and parasitic mini-wasps, although there are others that can occur as well.

Is it possible growing a vegetable garden in the shade?

Plant Trap

Marigolds can be used as trap plants to protect your vegetable garden. A plant trap is something you plant that attracts certain pests to it to prevent these pests from eating your desired plants – vegetables, in this case. Planting marigolds around your garden can make them hit before your other plants. This is especially true for slugs who love to caramelize marigold flowers.

Protects against nematodes

Another parasite that can be harmful to your plants is nematodes. Nematodes are small organisms that live in the soil and can cause damage to both plants and the human gastrointestinal tract if ingested. Once nematodes infect an area, it is difficult to get rid of them because they live in the soil. A defense against nematodes comes from a chemical produced from marigolds that are nematodes – they kill nematodes.

Repels some parasites

There is evidence that marigold flowers will also deter whiteflies, cabbage moths and Mexican beetles. Marigolds secrete limonene that parasites do not like, keeping them away from flowers and – hopefully – neighboring plants.

They are edible flowers

Marigold flowers are edible and have a unique taste. Some describe them as a spicy flower flavor, while others say they have a citrus flavor. These flowers can be eaten raw, but avoid green parts as they will taste bitter when raw. Some foods that use marigolds include salads, soups, pies and potatoes.

Marigold tea

Another way people use marigold is as a flavoring or coloring for tea. Although the taste of marigolds when diffused into the tea is not very strong, the color of your tea will be! Marigolds in tea are said to provide health benefits such as soothing sore throats and relieving cramps.

Secrets planting ginger in pot and your garden for endless supplies at home

Great Snack for your chickens

Fabric dyeing

For those who like to use natural dyes for works and crafts, you can make a nice yellow color using marigold petals. You can extract color from marigold flowers by simply leaving them in hot water overnight and draining the petals. The water left behind can be used to dye fabrics such as cotton, wool and silk. However, this dye will not stick to most synthetic fabrics.

Pressed oil

Another use for your marigolds is to extract oil from them. These oils can be used for aromatherapy and to provide an aroma in your home or office. To extract the flower oils, you can steam steam fresh flowers that contain some equipment or by extracting with a solvent that contains certain solvent compounds.