When do Marigolds Bloom: How To Make Marigolds Bloom Quicker And Better

Marigolds are beautiful flowers that can add a gorgeous splash of color anywhere they go. But do you know when do marigolds bloom?

In this post, you are going to learn some important things about growing and blooming marigolds.

When Marigolds bloom:

Marigolds begin to bloom when the soil temperature is 70 degrees F, usually in mid-late spring. They often bloom for about 3 months and then start to die off.

Marigold flowers bloom at different times of the year depending on the species and cultivar. The French marigold, for example, blooms in early to midsummer, while Triploid marigolds bloom in early spring.

In most areas of the country, if you start your marigolds early enough in the spring, you will have blooming flowers by mid-summer.

Types of Marigolds

There are several varieties of marigolds available, depending on size and color.

The French marigold (Tagetes patula) grows 6 to 12 inches tall and comes in yellow, gold, or orange shades.

The African marigold (Tagetes erecta) grows 36 inches tall and has large flowers in shades of orange or yellow.

Dwarf varieties such as the Signet marigold (Tagetes tenuifolia) grow 8 to 12 inches tall and have yellow, orange, or white blossoms.

African Marigolds:

The African marigold (Tagetes erecta) also has single or double flowers that are red, orange, or yellow. It grows from 8 inches to 2 feet tall and blooms from summer into fall.

African marigolds grow best where they receive six hours of direct sunlight per day and have well-draining soil. They tolerate partial shade and will survive some drought

French Marigolds:

The French marigold (Tagetes patula) is an annual that grows from 6 inches to 3 feet tall, depending on the cultivar. It has single or double flowers that are usually red, orange, or yellow.

French marigolds bloom in early to midsummer and will continue to bloom until the first frost. They grow best in full sun and in well-drained soil but tolerate partial shade and some drought.

Do Marigolds Bloom All Summer?

Marigolds will bloom from early summer until frost if they are kept well-watered, fertilized, and deadheaded regularly.

If you live in warmer parts of this world protect your plant from direct heat during summers.

With deadheading, they can continue to produce flowers throughout the growing season.

Do Marigolds Bloom In Winter?

Marigolds will not bloom during the winter, this is especially true for people who live in cooler parts of the world.

They need a warm, sunny location with good drainage and regular watering and fertilizing to keep them blooming through the summer season.

They also need to have their spent flowers removed regularly to encourage new blooms.

How Long Do Marigolds Bloom:

Marigold blooms last for about three weeks before the flowers start to wilt and die off.

How Long Does It Take Marigold To Flower?

The average time for marigold blooms to appear depends on the type of marigold and how favorable the conditions are for growing this flower.

Typically, it takes two to three months (60-90 days) after planting to see the first blooms open up. Signet marigolds take longer to reach maturity than French or African species.

Triploid or signet varieties take around 100 days to mature and produce flowers, whereas French and African marigolds take 75 days before they start flowering.

Marigold seeds usually take about 10-12 days to germinate and then another 2-3 months to grow into full-size adult flowering plants.

If you buy marigolds at your local garden center, they will probably be blooming or close to it when you purchase them.

Since these marigolds have already been started from seed and transplanted into a pot, their bloom time is reduced by about 4 weeks compared to planting marigold seeds directly in the garden.

Steps To Speed The Growth Of Your Marigold:

While marigolds are great for instant color in the garden, there are a few things you can do to help speed the growth of your plants and get them flowering sooner:

Use a good quality potting mix that drains well:

A quality potting mix enhances the drainage, and aeration of the soil. This leads to healthy roots and faster blooming.

Feed your plants with nitrogen-rich fertilizers:

This will help your plant to grow healthier and produce more foliage and blooms.

You can use fish emulsion or liquid seaweed, particularly during the vegetative growth phase. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizer during blooming because it will promote leaf growth at the expense of flowers.

Provide a lot of light:

Choose a sunny spot outdoors. Marigolds need at least 6 hours of sun per day.

If you are growing marigolds indoors, place them in a sunny window.

Keep them warm (at least 65°F) & keep them away from cold drafts:

Plant your marigolds outdoors after all danger of frost has passed. Marigolds do not tolerate cold temperatures well.

Wait until nighttime temperatures stay above 60 degrees F before planting them outdoors. Plant your seeds or seedlings about one to two feet apart.

Keep seedlings evenly moist but not overly wet:

Water your plants regularly but do not overwater them. Marigolds need at least an inch of water per week.

A garden hose can be a very helpful tool for watering your plants.

Provide adequate ventilation for your seedlings:

Give your marigold enough space to grow. if they are very crowded the blooming will be far less. It will also cause a lack of ventilation and many diseases.

Deadheading Spent Flowers:

When the petals on a flower turn brown and wilt, it’s time to deadhead it. Deadheading is easy: just remove old blooms as well as any damaged leaves and stems from the plant’s base. Removing spent flowers will encourage new ones to form.

We discussed the deadheading of a marigold flower in our earlier post, read this for a detailed guide.

Conclusion:

Growing marigolds is easy, but making them bloom can be a bit tricky. I hope after reading this post you are more confident about growing marigolds in your home.

If you find the information helpful share it with others also.