Marigolds make an excellent addition to vegetable gardens because they serve multiple functions – deterring pests and pollinators while adding color. Furthermore, their presence repels nematodes while helping enrich soil quality. For optimal results, plant the flowers a few weeks ahead of your vegetables for maximum benefit.
Plant pom-pom and double ruffled marigolds to attract bees and pollinators that help pollinate tomato and squash crops, as well as deter aphids and cabbageworms from harming these vegetables. Marigolds may also deter pests like aphids.
They attract pollinators
Marigolds are an ideal addition to your vegetable garden as they attract pollinating insects such as ladybugs, parasitic wasps, lacewings and dragonflies – not only serving their primary role of pollination but also deterring pests from your vegetables. You can find marigold plants at most garden centers or start your own seeds for planting; simply interplant marigolds among your vegetable rows for maximum effect!
Marigolds flower over an extended period, providing a reliable source of pollen to any crops that need it. Marigolds make an especially great pollinator choice when growing vegetables that produce fruit; such crops require adequate pollination in order to bear fruit successfully. If growing such crops yourself, make sure that marigolds are planted several weeks ahead of the vegetables they will pollinate.
Marigolds attract many beneficial insects that can assist your vegetable garden. Aside from pollinators such as bees and butterflies, they also attract parasitic wasps as well as hoverflies and flies – not forgetting root rot nematodes which they help ward off!
Although it remains unknown how effective marigolds are at controlling nematodes, we know that their roots produce alpha-terthienyl chemicals which seep into the soil to help reduce populations of nematodes in an area. To maximize this effect, plant marigolds in close proximity in one location while choosing varieties specific to that region.
Marigolds provide beneficial insects with food sources while also being effective slug repellents in your vegetable garden. Marigolds have an unpleasant odor which repels slugs; you can find these yellow or orange blooms at garden centers or grow your own from seeds.
They deter pests
Marigolds make an excellent choice for any vegetable garden because their flowers naturally repel insects that threaten them, such as aphids and tomato hornworms. Marigolds contain limonene essential oil which also acts as an effective natural insect repellent. Plus, their sticky coating traps and kills slugs – all this makes marigolds the ideal companion plant.
Marigolds attract beneficial insects that will predate on pests that devour your veggies, making them the perfect partner for crops such as lettuce and spinach that attract aphids as well as broccoli and cauliflower that could benefit from being protected against them. Marigolds may even act as trap crops by drawing in predatory bugs to devour aphids instead of further harming valuable crops.
marigolds provide another advantage to organic growers: repelling glasshouse nematodes by secreting alpha-terthienyl, an inhibitory substance which stops their eggs laying. This makes marigolds ideal for organic farmers looking to avoid chemical pesticides while remaining sustainable and naturalistic in their vegetable garden design; or used as cover crops before sowing other seeds.
Marigolds make an excellent addition to your vegetable garden because they are easy to care for, require little attention, and bring a splash of color during summer months. Marigolds are especially great choices for beginners who lack experience growing plants as they’re easy to transplant and hardy – able to withstand both extremes of temperature, as well as containers or groundbed planting. Plus, their wide variety of colors means there’s sure to be one perfect for your yard or patio space – plus drought tolerance means no frequent watering required!
They hardly need any care
Marigolds are easy-care annual flowers that thrive in many climate zones. Hardy and drought tolerant, these colorful annuals come in an array of colors and heights for versatile vegetable garden companions. Plant single companion plants or scatter them randomly across your vegetable plot in blocks or rows to form borders around your vegetable patch – Marigolds make great companion plants!
Marigold blooms last a long time and attract bees and other pollinators into your garden, which increases chances for successfully pollinating vegetables to produce greater yields. Marigolds may also repel aphids, cabbage moths, tomato hornworms, and spider mites from entering.
When planting marigolds, ensure that your soil is both moderately fertile and well-draining. Marigolds thrive best in full sun but will tolerate some shade in warmer regions. Before sowing any marigold seeds, loosen and remove any stones or debris from the soil, dig 6 to 8 inch holes, spacing seedlings 12-18 inches apart depending on which variety of marigold you select, water the area thoroughly until soaked through about an inch deep.
Once seedlings have sprouted, water them regularly to keep the soil moist. As temperatures cool off, you may need to reduce frequency. Once established after two or three weeks, allow some drying between watering sessions but always make sure that soil feels damp enough when touched at an inch depth.
At the end of each season, marigolds can be chopped and dropped to add organic matter to your soil. Some people suggest this will help with nematode problems; however, others lack evidence to back this claim up. Nematodes will die off, providing more nutrients to other crops in your garden.
Some believe that planting marigolds around vegetable beds will deter deer and rabbits, but this is simply untrue. By planting a circle of sacrificed marigolds around your plots of veggies instead, deer and rabbits may avoid entering those gardens entirely.
They add color
Marigolds add an exuberant splash of vibrant colors to any vegetable garden, from their yellow, orange, and red blooms that add natural cheer to your beds to helping ward off pests. Marigolds are easy to grow and will last throughout summer – simply plant in wild profusion across your garden or as companion plants among vegetables; alternatively they could even serve as cover crop or primary crop rotation in crop rotation plans.
French marigolds (Tagetes patula) are ideal for vegetable gardens as they feature smaller blooms than African varieties with yellow, orange and maroon hues. French marigolds attract bees, butterflies and other pollinators who provide additional help for lettuce, tomatoes, eggplants peppers and squash crops; furthermore their flowers attract beneficial predator insects that help manage pest control in your garden.
If slugs are an issue in your garden, plant a ring of marigolds around the edges of your vegetable bed to draw their attention away from your vegetables and draw in slugs instead. Marigolds also work as effective trap crops against aphids – they attract them much more readily than any other plants as aphids tend to feed on marigolds instead of your vegetables!
Marigolds are hardy flowers that thrive in many conditions, from full sun to shade conditions. Marigolds prefer rich, well-draining soil that drains freely – avoid sandy or clay-based soil and instead opt for loamy soil with organic matter and fertilizer added for maximum success. Regular watering will keep marigolds looking their best as they bloom.
As the season advances, applying mulch around your marigolds may help retain moisture and suppress weeds – particularly important in climates with hot and dry summers.
Marigolds require at least six hours of direct sunlight each day in order to thrive, and can suffer greatly under harsh summer heat, which may cause them to shut down or die altogether. Planting them first in a cool area before planting out can help avoid these issues; alternatively, you could chop and drop marigolds at the end of their growing season to add organic matter into the soil; this may help decrease negative nematode populations but does not guarantee complete elimination.