Marvellous Marigolds

If it’s warm colours you are after then marigolds are for you. Just a few years back they were considered by some to be old fashioned, but with breeders hard at work, the modern hybrids have made them very hip. Their colourful flowers come in shades of orange, yellow, red, and bi-colour with many flower forms in both single and double to choose from. African marigolds are tall with large flowers, while the dwarf French varieties produce masses of smaller blooms.

If you have lots of sun and well-drained soil, you can grow these easy to care for and ultra rewarding bedding plants. The modern hybrids are very uniform in growth and stay compact so they make great border plants.

Plant marigolds in full sun in a well composted bed. To ensure continuous blooms, deadhead the plants regularly. Interplant marigolds with your vegetable seedlings as they help deter pesky insects.


Information supplied by the Bedding Plant Growers Association. Go to www.lifeisagarden.co.za for more.