French Marigold

French Marigold

Tagetes patula

Plant out 1 week after your last spring frost. Space plants 6 in (15 cm) apart.

Photo: George Chernilevsky, Public domain · source

When to plant

Timed from your frost dates, so it holds wherever you garden. Give yours and every step below becomes a date.

See the dates for your garden

Enter your average last spring frost and first fall frost. Every timing on this site turns into a calendar date. Not sure of yours? Your local extension service or a search for “last frost date” and your town will tell you; the app finds them from your location.

Last spring frost
First fall frost

Saved in this browser only. Nothing is sent anywhere.

Optimal Transplant Purchased Seedling

From a plantRecommended from a plant
  1. Plant out1 week after your last spring frost
  2. First harvestabout 50 days after planting out

Optimal Indoor Start

From seedRecommended from seed
  1. Start indoors5 weeks before your last spring frost
  2. Begin hardening offaround your last spring frost
  3. Plant out1 week after your last spring frost
  4. First harvestabout 55 days after sowing

Optimal Transplant

From seed
  1. Plant out1 week after your last spring frost
  2. First harvestabout 55 days after planting out

Optimal Direct Sow

From seed
  1. Sow outdoors2 weeks after your last spring frost
  2. First harvestabout 55 days after sowing

Growing french marigold

Spacing in the row
6 in (15 cm)
Between rows
12 in (30 cm)
Planting depth
1/4 inch
Sun
Full Sun
Soil
Well-drained, adaptable to various soil types, pH balanced.
Germination
5-10 days at 70-75°F
Harvest season
Summer to Fall
Mature height
6-18 inches
Life cycle
Annual

Sow seeds shallowly, cover lightly, maintain consistent moisture for germination.

Watering. Keep consistently moist until established, then allow soil to dry slightly between waterings. Avoid overhead watering to prevent mildew.

Neighbours

The companion chart →

Grows well beside

Feeding

Seedlings
Light liquid feed once true leaves appear, at half strength.
Growing
Low to moderate, balanced liquid fertilizer every 4-6 weeks.
Flowering and fruiting
Balanced fertilizer, slightly higher in phosphorus, to encourage continuous blooming.
How often
Every 4-6 weeks once established for granular; every 2-3 weeks for liquid.
Note
Over-fertilization can reduce flower production and promote excessive leafy growth.

Your french marigold, planned to the day.

Canopy turns these timings into dates from your own frost data, places every plant at its spacing on your garden map, and tracks it all the way to harvest.

Add french marigold to your planting calendar →

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