OH Those Marigolds...

I don't know about you but I have Marigolds coming out my Wazoo..LOL. If anything has done well this growing season it would have to be my French Marigolds...I got them at Walmart, admittedly not the best place to get your flowers. But...this year it turned out to be a good choice. I have really kept up with dead heading them and regular fertilizing and water....It has certainly paid off.. They are huge...and thriving in a season that hasn't produced to many spectacular tales. Unlike some seasons when the tomatoes were as big as melons...hahah well not quite but you get the drift. I have newspaper after newspaper strategically placed in my garage with drying marigold seeds..I'm surely going to have a bumper crop of seeds to share next year. Here's a bit on Marigolds... I always see them paired with vegetables growing cozy alongside tomatoes and peppers...Let's find out why??


This is the variety I planted this year...Awesome!!

Marigolds as Companion Plants

Marigold Companion Planting

Marigold companion planting enhances the growth of basil, broccoli, cabbage, cucumbers, eggplant, gourds, kale, potatoes, squash and tomatoes. Marigold also makes a good companion plant to melons because it deters beetles.
Beans and cabbage are listed as bad companion plants for marigolds.

Marigolds, Cabbage & Broccoli.

As you might have noticed, I listed cabbage on both the good companions and the bad companions lists. Like so many things in gardening, the experts often have differing opinions. Cabbage and I suspect it’s fellow Brassica broccoli appear to be questionable companions. Since neither of our conflicting sources mentioned why they felt positively or negatively about cabbage as a companion, it might be best to assume the worst and consider both broccoli and cabbage as bad companions for marigolds.

Marigold & Insects

Marigolds have traditionally been used as borders around treasured flower beds and vegetable gardens. Scented varieties of marigold will deter beetles, beet leaf hoppers, Mexican bean beetle and nematodes. Pot marigold repels asparagus beetle and tomato worm and Mexican marigold is thought to repel rabbits.
We found out the hard way that the newer hybrid marigolds have not retained this natural pest controlling scent. We purchased some light yellow plants and the ravenous aphids promptly destroyed them. Of course, I suppose, you could argue that the nasty little things were so busy eating our marigolds that they left our vegetable garden unmolested.
Not all the news about marigold is good though. They do tend to attract spider mites and slugs.

Marigolds as a Natural Pesticide.

The roots of French marigolds produce a chemical that is so strong it is an effective pesticide for years after the plants are gone. Well That's good to know considering that's the type I grew this year. And come to think of it the bugs were low key this year...Hmmmm
Mexican marigolds produce a stronger version of this chemical which has the potential to inhibit the growth of some of the more tender herbs.