Tagetes tenuifolia
Signet marigold
Common names: Mexican marigold, Lemon mint marigold, Spice marigold
At a glance
- Light
- Full sun
- Spacing
- 20 cm, rows 25 cm
- Lifespan
- Annual
- Sowing
- Apr–May
- Harvest
- Jun–Oct
- Hardiness
- Cold damage below 2 °C
- Water need
- Medium
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Description
The spice marigold, botanically Tagetes tenuifolia, is the fine, aromatic relative of the well-known French marigolds. This annual plant grows 20 to 40 cm tall, forms a dense, bushy habit, and bears finely dissected, light green leaves that release a strong citrus-peel scent when touched. From June until the first frost, countless small, single flowers appear. The cultivar 'Lemon Gem' has lemon-yellow flowers, while 'Tangerine Gem' has orange ones. The species originates from Mexico and Central America. In the kitchen, the leaves and flowers are used: they taste lemony and spicy with a slightly bitter undertone. The flowers look attractive on salads, quark, and rice, while the leaves sparingly season fish, poultry, salads, and herb vinegar. In the garden bed, the plant attracts hoverflies and bees.
Care instructions
Plant the spice marigold outdoors in mid-May (calendar week 20), after the Ice Saints, in a full-sun spot with well-drained soil, spacing plants about 20 cm apart. Water regularly but avoid waterlogging, and during dry spells water in the morning directly at the roots. No fertilizer is needed. Young plants are a favorite of slugs, so collect the pests in the evening and keep an eye on the plants during the first few weeks. Harvest leaves and flowers continuously, as younger ones are more tender and mild. When seasoning, use sparingly, as the flavor is strong. Continuous flower harvesting keeps the plant blooming until the first frost. In hot, dry conditions, spider mites may appear; control them by spraying the plants forcefully with water. The most common mistake is a site that is too shady or too wet.
The care notes were machine-translated from German.
Garden year
SowingApr–May
HarvestJun–Oct
FloweringJun–Oct
Germination
- Soil temperature
- from 15 °C, ideally 22 °C
- Days to sprout
- 5 to 10 days
- Light
- Sprouts in light or dark
- Sowing depth
- 0.5 cm
- How to start
- Start indoors, then plant out
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
well-drained, humus-rich, sandy, loamy
Signet marigold grows in any free-draining, humus-rich garden soil, best in sandy loam that warms up quickly in spring. The pH can range from slightly acidic to neutral. On very nutrient-rich soil it forms a lot of foliage and fewer flowers; moderately nutrient-rich soil is what it prefers. It does not tolerate waterlogging; in heavy soils, a handful of sand in the planting hole helps.
Feeding
Light feeder
Signet marigold needs no fertiliser. On well-supplied garden soil it grows bushy on its own; too much food brings a lot of foliage and few flowers. In a container, too, fresh, humus-rich potting compost is enough, and no feeding is done.
Overwintering
Signet marigold is an annual and dies at the first frost, so overwintering is not worthwhile. If you would like some again next year, let a few flowers ripen in autumn and harvest the slender, black seeds as soon as the flower heads are brown and dry. Stored dry and dark, you can sow them again next spring.
Propagation
Methods
- From seed
You propagate signet marigold by seed. From early April, sow it at 18 to 22 °C in trays or pots, cover the seeds thinly with compost and keep them evenly moist. They germinate quickly, usually after a week. Prick the seedlings out into individual pots and keep them bright and not too warm, so they do not grow long and spindly. After the Ice Saints in mid-May (week 20), they go into the bed or container. Direct sowing from mid-May is possible; flowering then begins somewhat later. You can collect your own seed in autumn from the ripe, brown flower heads.
Companion planting
Companion planting is partly traditional gardening lore. Where the reason is known, it is given.
Some of these explanations were machine-translated.
For your garden
Grow Signet marigold yourself
Gartenkern tells you when frost is coming, when to sow and when to harvest, for your location.
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