Rather than buying home decor flowers to sit there and be pretty… What if your blooms did something too: salve skin, ward off bugs, pollinate other stuff, and the yard light, turned on like sunshine after bloom? Calendula is where it’s at.
Calendula is a multi-purpose wonder of gold, and far more than just an ornamental wonder for your garden. The upshot? Even if your thumbs aren’t green, it grows like crazy. Learn everything about how to grow calendula from seed–so you can have a continuous bloom throughout the season, and find out all of the unexpected ways this plant can serve your garden, your health, and your kitchen.
Why You Should Grow Calendula
Calendula is not just pretty, but a useful plant that does its bit in several ways. Why should it be in your garden?
Bright, Long-Lasting Blooms
If you can get the calendula dead-headed regularly, you can keep these flowers fresh for months with their bright, lasting blooms.
Attracts Pollinators
Calendulas are a favourite of bees, butterflies as well and hummingbirds. The planting of them can help to grow your garden in the healthiest way as they bring in useful insects.
Natural Pest Control
Calendula can help stop aphids, whiteflies, and other nasties from attacking your other crops, because it acts like a “trap crop” or diversion. Situate it in tomatillos, lettuce or beans to help your crops.
Medicinal Properties
Calendula is an ancient herb in natural medicine. You can turn the petals into salves, oils, and teas to combat inflamed skin, rashes, and more.
Edible & Decorative
The petals are edible and great as a beautiful addition to salads, pasta, and baked goods. They are sometimes called “poor mans saffron” too, as they can dye foods naturally. Calendula is truly such a great garden plant for a hundred and one reasons.
Choosing the Best Spot for Your Calendula
Calendula will do its best to thrive when given a good space and will stay in bloom longer because of it. Landscaping to the perfect spot is all this will take.
Full Sun is Ideal
Calendula is a sun lover! Six hours of sun per day is a minimum. If you have hot afternoon sun where you live, provide it some shade during that time.
Well-Drained, Fertile Soil
Calendula does best in soils that are not overly rich, as they like it well draining. It dislikes to be left wet. If you have clayey soil, dig in compost or aged manure to aid texture, and also add some nutrients for the roots.
Good Air Circulation
Ensure plants have some breathing space. Ventilation, by opening windows or using a fan, especially in humid areas, helps combat the common diseases, such as powdery mildew.
Calendula can be planted in garden beds, raised beds, or even containers. It gets on well in any setting as long as it gets light and nice soil.
Should You Start from Seeds or Buy Seedlings?
Calendula is one of the easiest flowering plants to grow from seeds. Garden them either indoors or sow them directly outside.
Starting Indoors
If you want a head start, here is how to grow calendula from seed, indoors:
- Start 6 – 8 weeks before your last frost date.
- Fill seed trays or small pots with light potting mix.
- Plant seeds about ¼ inch deep.
- Water the soil and moderate the temperature (65–70°F/18-24°C).
- You will germinate them quickly in 5-10 days.
- Transplant seedlings when they have two sets of leaves, and it is warm outdoors.
Starting seeds indoors gives you earlier blooms and more robust seedlings.
Sowing Seeds Outdoors
If you want to plant seeds in the ground instead:
- Wait for the frost date to pass.
- Take out your garden fork and turn over any soil that will loosen and remove weeds or rocks.
- Sow seeds ¼ inch deep, about every 8-12 inches.
- Water the soil evenly, at most, until those little roots begin to pop out of the ground.
- As they sprout, thin them out so the strongest of the bunch have room to last.
Calendula reseeds easily. You plant it and it will look after itself, possibly reappearing next season in your garden.
Daily Care Tips for Healthy Calendula
Calendula is a pretty low-maintenance plant, but you will be amazed how long it will bloom if you give it some love.
Watering
- Water well, especially during the heat of summer
- You are trying to avoid wetting the leaves, because it will lead to disease. Water at the base of the plant,
- No excessive watering. Allow the top inch of soil to dry before watering.
Feeding
- Calendula is an all-around light hog.
- So, plant with compost or use a light organic fertilizer when you first put it in the ground
- High-nitrogen fertilizers will do leaves instead of flowers.
Deadheading
- Deadhead the spent flowers (Remove spent blossoms) every few days.
- Planting tells the plant to start making new growth rather than seeds.
Mulching
- Mulch is great at retaining soil moisture and stopping weed growth
- Go for organic mulch such as shredded leaves or straw, but set it a few inches from the stem to prevent rot.
Common Problems and How to Solve Them
Calendula is not a delicate flower, but with just a few precautions most issues can be resolved:
Aphids
These are little sap-sucking pests from your plant.
Fix: Hose in with a strong spray of water or insecticidal soap.
Slugs and Snails
Young and tender seedlings of calendula are sort of an easy crop for slugs and snails.
Fix: Eggshells, copper tape, or snail repellent using a natural plant nearest the root zone of your plants.
Powdery Mildew
Leaves being covered by white powder, typically (Mildew)
Fix: Increase air circulation, never water from above, and remove infected leaves.
Harvesting Your Calendula Flowers
And the real fun starts when it comes time for harvest!
When to Harvest
- Wait for the flowers to be fully open and the day is sunny.
- Last but not least — Harvest: Late morning (once the dew evaporates).
How to Harvest
- Either snip the blooms with scissors or fingers.
- Pull a bit of the stem to keep the plant healthy
The Drying of Petals
- Use calendula in tea or skincare like so:
- Pull the petals off the flower head.
- On a mesh tray or clean screen in the shade, dry them out.
- Hang and allow them to air dry (about a week), then store in air-tight containers.
All the Ways You Can Use Calendula
Not just pretty, calendula is also useful. These are how you should consume your produce or use it.
- Make Skincare Products
Calendula can be made into homemade salves, lip balms, or lotions with the use of dried petals. The petals are used for soothing skin rashes, as well as reducing inflammation.
- Try Herbal Tea
Calendula makes a great herbal tea, it has a mild earthy taste, and is used to relieve indigestion, sore throat, or menstrual cramps.
- Add to Food
Give fresh ones a whirl in salads, soups, or muffins. They are edible and will up the tone of your dish.
- Art Great Crafts
Use dried flowers in the candles or soaps to create an organic look for your wreaths.
Expert Tips for Even Better Results
How to take your calendula gardening to the next level? Use these tricks:
- Plant in succession to ensure a consistent supply of blooming plants all growing season.
- Pick often for more growth.
- Plant in pots or containers if you don’t have room–put a few holes in the pots for drainage.
- Complements vegetables as a companion plant for organic pest repellent and plant health in the garden.
Final Thoughts
Calendula is easy enough to grow in your garden and the rewards are huge. With enchanting flowers to healing power full of natural goodness, and even edible petals, calendula is one of the best plants you can grow in your garden.
It beautifies you, supports your health, and is even beneficial for your garden plants in general. Begin with little, and in no time, you will be able to grow a bunch of glowing blooms that stand out in looks and also do something good.
