(Tagetes erecta ‘Spark Mix’)

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Sparky Marigold is an compact annual flower that is native to Mexico but can be commonly found growing on banks and slopes throughout the central and eastern United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 9-12” and features divided green foliage and aromatic orange and yellow flower heads which have wide, wavy petals. This plant can be grown in a container, attracts bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and ladybugs, repels bean beetles, cabbage loopers, and nematodes, is both edible and medicinal, and can be used as a trap crop for aphids. 
  • General Information
  • Germination
  • Seedlings
  • Harvesting
  • Seed Saving
  • Culinary
  • Medicinal Uses
  • Companion Planting
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Family: Asteraceae

Genus: Tagetes

Species: erecta

Variety: Sparky Marigold

Native to: Guatemala, Mexico Central, Mexico Gulf, Mexico Northeast, Mexico Northwest, Mexico Southeast, Mexico Southwest.

Introduced into: Alabama, Andaman Is., Angola, Arkansas, Assam, Austria, Baleares, Baltic States, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bulgaria, California, Cameroon, Canary Is., Cape Verde, Caroline Is., Cayman Is., Chad, Colombia, Connecticut, Cook Is., Costa Rica, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, East Aegean Is., East Himalaya, Ecuador, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Fiji, Florida, France, Galápagos, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Gulf of Guinea Is., Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Illinois, India, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Jawa, Kansas, Kazakhstan, Kentucky, Korea, Krym, Laccadive Is., Laos, Leeward Is., Louisiana, Madeira, Marianas, Marshall Is., Maryland, Massachusetts, Mauritius, Missouri, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, New York, Nicaragua, Nicobar Is., Niue, North Carolina, North Caucasus, Northern Provinces, Norway, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pakistan, Panamá, Pennsylvania, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Primorye, Puerto Rico, Rodrigues, Romania, Réunion, Sicilia, South Carolina, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Tadzhikistan, Taiwan, Thailand, Transcaucasus, Trinidad-Tobago, Tubuai Is., Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Utah, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vermont, Vietnam, Virginia, Windward Is., Wisconsin, Wyoming, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Ease of Growing: Easy.

Grown as: Annual
 
Maturity (Blooms): Summer to Fall

Light: Full Sun

Water: Medium

Soil Moisture: Medium

Attracts Beneficial Insects?: Yes.

Containers?: Yes

Height: 9-12"
 
Spacing: 8-12”

Sow Depth: 1/8"

Produces: divided green foliage and aromatic orange and yellow flower heads which have wide, wavy petals.
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USDA Zone: 3a-9b
Marigold seeds are best started indoors, in a controlled environment for the best success rate. Sow in Soil Blocks, 6 to 8 weeks prior to the last frost. Do not bury the seeds as they will need a bit of direct sunlight to properly Germinate. ​Marigold seeds typically take about 7 to 14 days to germinate if the proper conditions are met. Water the seeds daily with a spray bottle or mist setting until germination has occurred. 
Marigold plants thrive in an area of full sunlight, with temperatures of around 70F or higher. They prefer a dry climate and don't require much moisture. The soil can be average, but should be well drained as well. Transplant entire pots into the garden, or direct sow when the weather is warm and all danger of frost has passed. The plants will grow to a mature height of roughly 12 to 14 inches tall and can be spaced about 8 to 12 inches apart from one another.
Marigold flowers are a delightful addition to any spring time flower arrangement or bouquet. If you'd like to do just that, here's how. Start by preparing yourself with a sharp blade and a container full of moderately warm water. Cut early in the morning just as the blossoms begin to open. Immediately set the stems in your container full of warm water. After two hours, strip the lower end of the stems of the marigold flowers. You do not have to remove all of the leaves; only those that would be submerged in water—potentially fouling the water. Finally, arrange the flowers in a vase with fresh water; they should live for at least a week if properly maintained.
Marigolds produce seed freely (if the faded flowers are left on the plants), though their offspring will be a mix of different characteristics, unless you hand pollinate. The heavy flowering hybrid Marigolds, Triploids are sterile and so don't produce viable seed.

Seed Viability in Years: 2 - 4 years
Edible parts of French Marigold: The flowers are used in refreshing drinks. The leaves are used as a food flavoring. No further details are given. The essential oil is used as a food flavoring, though it is inferior to the oil obtained from T. minuta. The dried flowers are an adulterant of saffron(Crocus sativus), used for coloring foods yellow.

Taste:
Some cultivars have pleasant tasting flowers that are a nice addition to salads. Taste the flowers to see if they are worth eating.

Culinary Use:
The flowers of some types of Marigolds are edible. Basically, if it tastes good, you can use it.
The whole herb is aromatic, digestive, diuretic and sedative. It is used internally in the treatment of indigestion, colic, severe constipation, coughs and dysentery. Externally, it is used to treat sore eyes and rheumatism. The leaves are harvested as required for immediate use during the growing season, whilst the flowering plant can be dried and stored for later use.
Project Purity Seeds can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Allies: Marigolds have acquired a large body of companion gardening lore surrounding their reputed insect repelling qualities. Companion gardeners suggest planting them with cabbage, potatoes, tomatoes, and roses, insisting that the pungently scented plants control aphids, cabbage loopers, imported cabbageworms, Mexican bean beetles, and nematodes. Only a few of the claims are backed up by scientific research, and sometimes the results are contradictory. In addition, marigolds appear to have an allelopathic effect on some neighbors. In one study, French marigolds (Tagetes patula) repelled Mexican bean beetles, but the growth of the beans was stunted, apparently by the presence of the marigolds. One study on cabbageworm counts found that marigolds had no effect; in another, the number of worms was reduced but so was the size of the heads (apparently because of an allelopathic substance from the marigolds). Nematode studies are more definitive, showing a decrease in population in at least five species of nematodes. Early studies focused on the resistance of marigolds to nematodes and found that the plants contain a potent nematocide that controlled meadow and root know nematodes on infested land. Later studies showed that potato root nematodes were unaffected or only slightly reduced by the toxin. Spectacular nematode control resulted when marigolds were interplanted with tomatoes, and similar results were shown with tobacco. Gardeners in India row marigolds between beds of tomato family vegetables such as potatoes, chili peppers, and eggplants, changing the layout year by year so that the whole garden area receives a dose of marigold nematocide.

Companions: Due to the possible allelopathic effects, it’s probably best to plant marigolds and vegetables in separate beds. Grow the marigolds as a cover crop and turn them into the soil at the end of the season. The brightly colored flowers are always welcome in ornamental plantings.

Enemies: Marigolds appear to be allelopathic to beans and vegetables of the cabbage family.

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