🏵️Marigold Wins & Fails in My NC Garden (Marigolds for Southern Growers)

Here are the marigold varieties that thrived — and the ones that totally flopped — in my North Carolina garden this year.

✅ SUCCESS #1: FRENCH MARIGOLD (Tagetes patula)
First win: FRENCH MARIGOLD / Tagetes patula. These tried-and-true beauties handle heat, humidity, and clay soil. Blooming prolifically June through October, these vibrant edible ornamentals repel pests and attract pollinators to the vegetable garden. Rolly polies were really bad this year and mowed down all the French Marigolds I direct seeded in spring, so I had to start some indoors to transplant outside. But French Marigolds are quick to bloom, and so reliable I haven’t had to purchase seeds in years because I always have plenty to save.

✅ SUCCESS #2: LEMON GEM SIGNET MARIGOLD (Tagetes tenuifolia)
Second win: LEMON GEM SIGNET MARIGOLD / Tagetes tenuifolia. This gorgeous edible ornamental has delicate fern-like foliage covered in tons of sunny little flowers in constant bloom June to October. Powerfully scented petals and leaves have a unique flavor and can be used as a warm-weather parsley substitute. These heat- and humidity-tolerant groundcovers make excellent companions for cucumbers and tomatoes.

❌ FAIL #1: DUNE YELLOW MARIGOLD (Tagetes erecta)
First fail: Dune Yellow Marigold / Tagetes erecta. I was excited to taste their lemon-yellow petals, said to have a citrusy zing. But they only bloomed for a short window in June & July, and I didn’t even get to try them because there were too few blooms and they looked ragged after the rain.

❌ FAIL #2: MEXICAN MINT MARIGOLD (Tagetes lucida)
Second fail: MEXICAN MINT MARIGOLD, Tagetes lucida. These took too long to mature and didn’t bloom until October. The flowers are somewhat unremarkable, and I have plenty of other anise-flavored plants in my garden like French Tarragon, Anise Hyssop, and Agastache that I find preferable overall.

So if you’re gardening in the Southeast, I’d chose French or Signet Marigolds — they can actually handle our weather.

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