Family:  Aster (Asteraceae)

Annual.  50 days to flowers.

A mixed strain of small, bushy plants as pictured–flowers are cheerily orange, yellow and/or mottled with red.  Native to Mexico and Guatemala.  Protect from frost.   Foliage and flowers are potently aromatic.  Herbal usage (TWM): digestive, diuretic, sedative, common cold, rheumatic pain.  French Marigolds are a great companion plant in the garden, as their roots secrete nematocidal  thiophenes into the soil.  Due to this antiseptic activity, French Marigolds deter mycorrhizal associations, and thus are poor companions for leguminous crops (Astragalus, Beans, Clover) but are excellent companions for root crops such as Radishes, Beets, Onions, and Carrots.  Marigolds do well in regular garden soil and tolerate poor soil and clay.  They are easy to start indoors in pots, 6 to 8 weeks prior to the last frost.  Once transplanted to larger pots or to the garden, they will quickly flower, and the spent flower heads may be picked off to extend the blossoming period.  The seeds may also be effectively sown in the spring garden.  Germination is usually rapid.  Thin or transplant to 1 foot apart.  We normally set these at the start of our rows.  They are small enough not to compete for resources, but big enough to exert their insecticidal influence.

30 seeds/pkt, Certified Organically Grown