The marigold - hardy or not?

Content

• The marigold - hardy or not?
• The origin of the marigold
• The marigold in the garden and on the balcony
• Marigolds multiply themselves
• Tips

Marigolds do not like deep freezing temperatures

The marigold - hardy or not?

The Calendula (Calendula officinalis) has been a faithful and easy-care flowering and medicinal plant in many gardens in Central Europe for several centuries. Because the plant often enriches the garden with yellow and orange splashes of color at the same location for many years without the gardener's intervention, the winter hardiness sometimes causes confusion.

Early Article The marigold: edible and healthy

The origin of the marigold

The marigold is originally probably from the Mediterranean, but also feral in Central Europe partly on debris and gravel heaps as a result of centuries of forced cultivation in monasteries and private gardens. Since the positive health effects of the calendula were discovered early on, it has long been cultivated as an attractive garden plant for consumption. In the wild, however, the marigold could not survive in Central Europe today, as it is contrary to often contradictory claims to a not hardy in Central Europe plant. Rather, the impression of a winter hardy summer flower is due to the annual return of the plants at the same site, which results from the self-sowing of hardy seeds.

The marigold in the garden and on the balcony

Since the marigold can survive only very light frosts, the cultivation in the field should take place only when no strong late and night frosts are to be expected. The plants can be preferred in the mini greenhouse on the balcony or on the windowsill and planted in May outdoors. So that the calendula can thrive well on the balcony, it should be watered regularly in a sunny place and planted with their tap roots in a sufficiently deep planter. These sturdy plants bloom especially magnificently and enduringly if you regularly remove withered flower heads or even harvest freshly flowered flower heads for use in the kitchen during the summer season.

Marigolds multiply themselves

Marigolds are very easy to multiply themselves. Make sure you do the following:

You can then sow the seeds directly in the field or prefer in the house, they usually germinate quickly and easily. Often also fallen seeds in the pot or in the bed go by themselves, because they are hardy.

Tips

You can also take advantage of the calendula's natural healing properties during the winter months by drying the petals during flowering and brewing them for internal use as tea or preparing them as topical oils and ointments.