Hello, anyone interested in starting a thread for marigolds? Is there one already going? Are you as crazy about maris as I am? I'm posting a pic of a marigold I am growing this year; African First Lady. I have always grown Crackerjack before. I really like this First Lady!

I don't have many marigolds in my garden , but I do use them to repel bugs along the border of the veggies.

Wish I could find the old-fashion tall ones. The ones that get 3 foot or more , my grandmother use to grow them , I had seeds once but forgot to collect one year and lost them

I planted some in a pot on our front step. I will takw a picture tomorrow.

@Gardengus, look for tagetes erecta, African marigold "Crackerjack"; this particular variety has been around a long time, and it is probably the one your grandmother grew.Yes, it does get tall, I stake mine. Some people object to the smell of marigolds. I think the Africans smell a lot better than the French varieties, to me they have a light, sweet smell. My Crackerjacks were planted late this year and are just about to bloom, I will post a pic when they do. Thanks for responding to this new thread!

Probably too late this year but I will make a note for next

I just remembered.

@Hamwild, very pretty! Is that a French mix of some kind?

I'm not sure to be honest! I found them at Home Depot. I suspect so, as they stink?

Yeah, probably so! They appear to be low growers, another indication they are Frenchies.

It didn't occur to me until earlier when we visited my in-laws, but my MIL has the tall ones. I never knew before this post that there are different ones. I just thought she had a special green thumb.

@Hamwild, Yeah, I know, once I started growing them for real, I had no idea there were so many, and more being developed every year! A new one I have and that there is another thread about; Strawberry Blonde. Check out that thread, and also the pics on it. I would post a pic with this reply, but I am using my laptop and my pics are on the I Pad. You don't have to have a green thumb to grow marigolds, they practically grow themselves!

I sure could use a plant like that.

Pic of Strawberry Blonde:

I've never seen one like that! I have a bi-colored one too, but it's your run of the mill one you see at Lowes every year.

Do you buy seeds online?

Yes at Select Seeds, I would highly recommend them. They carry a lot of Heirlooms, too. Reasonable prices, fast delivery. They have Parma violet plants, an antique variety grown back in the 1880s in greenhouses for nosegays. They are very fragrant. I have wanted one for years, didn't get to the website fast enough, they sold out! I will pre order this year!

Ooh. I will look into them then. I've never grown a plant from seed (well, I did try Basil from a packet of seeds I got in a triscuit box, but I overplanted them and they choked each other out). Is there a ideal time of year to plant the seeds?

You bet! Maris are very easily grown from seed.You can usually plant them outside right after the last frost date for your area in the spring. It's ok to overplant; a lot of us do. You just have to thin. Hate throwing away all those little seedlings? Replant them somewhere else, problem solved. Zinnias and cosmos look good planted with maris, they are also very easy to grow, and all three attract butterflies!

Finally, the crackerjack arrives!

beautiful