When to plant marigolds
Plant marigolds from the last spring frost to 2 weeks after it. Wait until the soil is at least 60°F. That works out to zone 5b (early May to mid May), zone 7a (mid April to late April) and zone 9a (early March to mid March).
Marigolds planting dates by zone
| Zone | Plant outdoors | marigolds ready from |
|---|---|---|
| 4a | May 15 – May 29 | Jul 6 |
| 4b | May 13 – May 27 | Jul 4 |
| 5a | May 11 – May 25 | Jul 2 |
| 5b | May 5 – May 19 | Jun 26 |
| 6a | Apr 30 – May 14 | Jun 21 |
| 6b | Apr 24 – May 8 | Jun 15 |
| 7a | Apr 15 – Apr 29 | Jun 6 |
| 7b | Apr 6 – Apr 20 | May 28 |
| 8a | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | May 18 |
| 8b | Mar 16 – Mar 30 | May 7 |
| 9a | Mar 2 – Mar 16 | Apr 23 |
| 9b | Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Mar 28 |
How to plant marigolds
| Plant as | seeds outdoors or transplants |
|---|---|
| Soil temperature | 60°F or warmer |
| Depth | 1/4 in |
| Spacing | 8–18 in |
| Light | Full sun |
| Time to bloom | 45–60 days |
| Start indoors | 6–8 weeks before the last frost (zone 6a: Mar 5 – Mar 19; zone 8a: Jan 30 – Feb 13) |
Marigolds are among the easiest annuals from seed.
French marigolds are compact; African types grow to 3 feet.
They tolerate heat and poor soil.
Signet marigolds have small, edible flowers; African marigolds have the largest pom-pom blooms.
Many gardeners plant marigolds near tomatoes and beans; some types reduce root-knot nematodes when grown as a dense cover crop.
Save seed from dried flower heads in fall for next year's plants (hybrid varieties may not come true).
When to expect flowers from marigolds
Deadhead to keep flowers coming until frost.
Exact dates for your town: planting calendar · frost dates by state.
More flowers to plant
Begonias · Coleus · Zinnias · Sunflowers · Cosmos · Mums · Lantana · Hydrangeas