Calendula Growing Guide

Calendula officinalis

Crop Rotation Group

Miscellaneous ●

Soil

Rich soil that retains moisture well.

Position

A sunny spot that is easily accessed for cutting.

Frost tolerant

Seedlings tolerate light frosts. Established plants may rebloom in late autumn if protected from damaging hard freezes.

Feeding

Not usually required.

Spacing

Single Plants: 30cm (11") each way (minimum)
Rows: 25cm (9") with 60cm (1' 11") row gap (minimum)

Sow and Plant

Plant the curled seeds in your garden from early spring onward, or start them indoors and set out the sturdy seedlings. Allow some plants to produce mature seeds to scatter where you want to see calendula seedlings in subsequent seasons.
Our Garden Planner can produce a personalised calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area.

Notes

Calendula blossoms are edible and can be used to bring orange colour to rice or potato dishes, or snip them onto soups or salads for extra flavour and nutrition. Use clean scissors to snip off petal tips, and compost the rest.

Harvesting

Cut flowers as soon as they fully open, preferably in late morning, and promptly dry them. Calendulas make marginal cut flowers because they partially close at night. For medicinal use harvest and dry entire calendula flowers. Infuse them in vegetable oil to make a medicinal oil with a long history of use for healing burned or abraded skin.

Planting and Harvesting Calendar

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Pests which Affect Calendula

Aphids (General)

Slug

Snail