How to Grow and Use Calendula
Calendula is one of those flowers I look forward to growing every year. The cheerful orange and yellow blooms brighten my cool-season garden, attract beneficial insects, and offer many uses beyond just looking pretty.
It’s also one of the easiest flowers to grow from seed. Once it’s established, calendula often reseeds itself, and you may find new plants popping up in your garden the following season.
Here in Arizona’s low desert, calendula is happiest during the cooler months. I’ve found that planting at the right time and harvesting the flowers regularly makes a big difference in how long it blooms.
If you’re thinking about adding calendula to your garden, here are five tips to help you grow it successfully.
Key Takeaways: Growing and Using Calendula
- Calendula is an easy-to-grow flower that attracts beneficial insects and provides bright blooms.
- To grow calendula successfully, plant it in cool weather, timing your planting for early spring or fall in warmer climates.
- Harvest flowers regularly to encourage new blooms; water consistently, but avoid overwatering.
- Use calendula petals in salads, soups, or teas, and dry them for later use.
- Leave some flowers on the plant to reseed, ensuring that calendula returns in your garden year after year.
Article Index:
1. Plant Calendula Throughout Your Garden as a Companion Plant
I love mixing flowers and vegetables together in my garden, and calendula is one of my favorite flowers to tuck into open spaces. It’s a beautiful addition to the garden and one of my favorite cool-season companion plants.
The bright blooms attract pollinators and beneficial insects like hoverflies, ladybugs, and lacewings. These helpful visitors are one reason I like having flowers throughout my vegetable beds. Learn more about attracting pollinators in this article.
Calendula also looks beautiful in containers and along garden borders. Give it plenty of sunshine during the cooler months. If you live somewhere with warmer weather, a little afternoon shade may help the flowers last longer.
You don’t need a separate flower garden to grow calendula. Find a sunny spot among your vegetables, scatter a few seeds, and enjoy the color it brings.
2. Plant Calendula at the Right Time
Calendula loves cool weather, so getting the planting time right makes a big difference. It’s also called pot marigold, although it’s different from the marigolds (Tagetes) you may be more familiar with. To learn more about growing traditional marigolds, check out this guide.
In cooler climates, plant calendula seeds in early spring, around your last frost. Calendula can tolerate temperatures as low as 25°F (-4°C), so a little cold weather usually isn’t a problem. Here in Arizona’s low desert, it grows best during our mild fall, winter, and spring months. Once temperatures get above about 85°F (29°C), flowering often slows down or stops.
When to plant calendula in Arizona’s low desert:
- Plant seeds or transplants outdoors: September 15 through November
- Blooming season: December through May
Calendula is easy to grow from seed, which is why it makes my list of 10 cool-season flowers to plant from seed. Plant seeds about ¼ inch (6 mm) deep in well-draining soil. Keep the soil moist until the seeds sprout, usually within 1 to 2 weeks.
Once the seedlings are growing, thin them to about 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30 cm) apart. Giving them a little room helps with airflow and makes the flowers easier to harvest.
If you’re starting with transplants, choose smaller plants rather than large, root-bound ones. Smaller transplants usually adjust more easily to their new home in the garden.
Get your own calendula seeds here.
3. Keep Calendula Looking Good
One thing I like about calendula is that it doesn’t need much attention once it’s growing. A little regular care will help keep the plants healthy and producing flowers.
Water consistently. Calendula does best with regular watering, especially while it’s getting established. Keep the soil evenly moist, but avoid overwatering. Well-draining soil is important because calendula doesn’t like sitting in soggy conditions.
Keep the flowers picked. This is one of the easiest ways to encourage more blooms. Remove faded flowers or harvest fresh ones regularly. When you leave old flowers on the plant, it starts putting energy into making seeds instead of producing more flowers.
Calendula isn’t a heavy feeder. If you’re growing it in healthy, compost-amended soil, you may not need to add anything else. If your plants start looking a little tired or leggy, try cutting them back to encourage fresh growth. Calendula often responds well to a trim while the weather is still cool.
Watch for powdery mildew, which can show up as white, powdery patches on the leaves. Good airflow helps, so avoid overcrowding your plants. Remove affected leaves, and if a plant becomes severely infected, remove it rather than leaving it in the garden.
As Arizona temperatures climb in late spring, calendula naturally starts to decline. Sometimes the best move is to let the season end and make room for warm-season flowers.
4. Don’t Forget to Harvest
If you want calendula to keep blooming, don’t be afraid to pick the flowers! The more you harvest, the more opportunities the plant has to produce new blooms.
Harvest flowers when they’re fresh and fully opened, before the petals begin to fade. I like to pick them regularly rather than letting all the blooms dry on the plant.
If you’re harvesting calendula to dry or use later, choose healthy flowers that haven’t been treated with pesticides.
Want to save seeds for next season?
Leave a few flowers on the plant instead of harvesting them. As the blooms fade, they’ll develop into curled seeds. Wait until the seed heads are completely dry and brown before collecting them.
Calendula is a generous reseeder. If you leave some mature seeds in the garden, you may find new plants coming up on their own as the weather cools again. That’s one of my favorite things about growing calendula. You can save seeds to plant and share, or simply let nature do some of the planting for you. Learn more about saving seeds in this guide.
5. Use Your Calendula
One of the best parts of growing calendula is finding ways to use all those beautiful flowers. Calendula petals are edible and can add a bright pop of color to salads, soups, rice dishes, and other foods. The petals have a slightly peppery flavor and can also be used fresh or dried.
I like knowing exactly where my flowers came from and how they were grown. If you plan to eat calendula, make sure the flowers haven’t been treated with pesticides or other products not approved for edible plants.
How to dry calendula flowers:
Drying calendula is an easy way to save some of your harvest for later. Spread the flowers out in a well-ventilated area away from direct sunlight, or use a dehydrator on a low setting.
Make sure the flowers are completely dry before storing them. Any remaining moisture can cause mold. Once they’re dry, store the flowers in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.
A few ways to use calendula:
- In the kitchen: Sprinkle fresh petals over salads or use dried petals to add color to foods.
- Calendula tea: Use dried calendula flowers to make an herbal tea. Step 1-2 tablespoons (15-30 mL) in 8 ounces (240 mL) of water.
- Infused oils and salves: Calendula flowers are often used to make homemade infused oils and skin-care products.
- For my chickens: I add calendula flowers to my chicken nesting boxes and give my chickens fresh petals to enjoy. They love them!
Even if you grow calendula just for its beautiful blooms, there are plenty of reasons to make room for it in your garden. Learn more about growing and using edible flowers.
Calendula FAQs
Calendula is an annual, but it readily reseeds itself. If you leave a few flowers on the plant to dry and drop their seeds, you may see new calendula plants popping up the following season. That’s one of the things I love about growing it! In Arizona’s low desert, those seeds often sprout when temperatures cool in the fall.
Not quite! Calendula (Calendula officinalis) is sometimes called pot marigold, but it’s different from the common French and African marigolds (Tagetes). Calendula prefers cooler weather, while traditional marigolds generally handle summer heat better. Both add beautiful color to the garden, but they have different growing preferences.
Yes! Calendula petals are edible and have a slightly peppery flavor. Try sprinkling fresh petals over salads, adding them to soups, or using dried petals to add color to rice dishes. Just make sure you’re growing Calendula officinalis and that the flowers haven’t been treated with pesticides or other products not approved for edible plants.
Calendula grows and blooms best in full sun, but it can tolerate some partial shade. In warmer climates, a little afternoon shade can help protect plants from intense heat. In Arizona’s low desert, I grow calendula during the cooler months, when it can enjoy plenty of sunshine without the stress of summer temperatures.
If your calendula isn’t blooming, the weather may be too warm. Calendula prefers cooler temperatures and often slows down or stops flowering during hot weather. Not enough sunlight can also limit blooms. Make sure your plants get plenty of sun, avoid overfertilizing, and remove faded flowers regularly to encourage new ones. Sometimes, especially in Arizona, it’s simply the end of calendula season!
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