Calendula Mix

Calendula officinalis
Also known as pot marigold, common marigold, ruddles, Mary’s gold, Scotch marigold

$5.00

In stock

Description

Calendula is an easy to grow annual flower that rewards gardeners with beautiful blooms, medicinal benefits, protection from pests, and food for pollinators. It’s no wonder calendula has a long, rich history of cultivation! The first calendula I grew came from a common, unnamed calendula that grew at Camp Joy Gardens. Unlike more ornamental varieties, these humble calendula are diminutive, had just one layer of petals in a bright orange color, and grew prolifically all over the garden like a wild weed. I have fond memories picking calendula petals by hand from these tiny, cheerful blooms to make salve (imagine how many petals you need to fill a quart jar!).

In recent years, calendula has become a popular florist flower coming in a wide range of colors from pale buff to deep orange. As a flower gardener, I couldn’t resist the gorgeous diversity of colors and blooms and I quickly became enamored with the Flashback Mix from Wild Garden Seeds. Described as the “Mother of Gene Pools,” I thought this was an ideal mix to grow and select from. I grew this mix along with the original calendula seeds I started with and saved seeds from my favorite plants. Since we use calendula in a variety of ways – eating the petals in spring rolls, salads, and soups, making salve, filling in border beds, and cutting stems for arrangements – propagating our own mix with all of these qualities has been a real joy!

Details

Lifecycle: Annual
Hardiness zones: 2-11 (USDA)
Habitats: Cultivated gardens and roadsides, commonly found in Europe
Plant size: 2 ft tall x 2 ft wide
Light: Full sun to part shade
Soil: Well-drained soil and poor soil
Water: Moderate water once established
Seeds per packet: 50 seeds

Seed Starting

Direct sow in early spring about 3 weeks before the last frost. Calendula can also be started indoors late winter for transplanting after last frost. Press seed firmly into soil, do not cover. Germination occurs in about 6-14 days.

Cultivation

Calendula does very well in herb beds, flower beds, and along borders. It prefers the milder temperatures of early summer and fall, when it will bloom profusely, but wanes during the hottest months of summer. In hot, dry locations, the plant tends to be short and bushy. Grown in the shade of taller plants, they will be more robust, with long stems and big flowers.

Harvest

Harvest methods vary depending on usage. For flower arranging, cut when the flower is half open. Cut close to the ground to encourage longer stems. For medicinal uses, harvest when flowers are fully open. Calendula’s sticky resin (found on leaves and flower calyx) is prized in Western remedies and the whole plant can be used in various applications from tinctures to oils. Calendula’s bright, cheerful flowers are harvested to make salves and hair rinses as well as an edible dye and saffron alternative. For fresh eating, most people prefer the mild flavor of the petals, which are rich in vitamins but do not have the bitterness from the resin.

Propagation

Calendula reseeds easily so the simplest way to encourage more plants is to leave blossoms on the plant and wait for them to develop into seeds. Once the seed head is fully dry, let them drop in place to spread more in the same area, or collect the seeds to sow in other places.

Seed Saving

Wait until seeds are fully dried and brown in summer/fall. Pull the seeds off the stems into a bucket or snip off the whole seed head. Thresh seeds from seedheads simply by removing them with your fingers. Screen seeds from dried petals using colanders/screens. Both the large outer seeds and the small inner seeds are viable.

Additional information

Weight0.007 lbs
Dimensions4.5 × 3.25 × .05 in

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