Marigolds are cheerful, compact yellow, orange and burgundy annuals with flower shapes that can resemble daisies, coreopsis, and even carnations. Although native to Mexico, you can grow marigold plants virtually anywhere. They are widely adaptable and extremely low maintenance.

Marigolds are one of the few garden flowers that are true annuals. We all have to replant them every year.

Marigolds don’t tend to get particularly tall, but there is a good amount of variety among the different types. You can find short bedding marigolds that only grow 4-6 inches tall and taller varieties that can reach 18 inches tall and make nice cutting flowers.

Marigolds can bloom almost non-stop and will keep going all summer, until frost. To achieve that non-stop flowering, keep your marigolds deadheaded.

Marigolds are very low maintenance, once they are established. When you first plant them, make sure they get regular water. Don’t leave them in dry soil for more than a couple of days. If it is particularly hot and sunny, water them every day.

Once they have had a few weeks to establish a good root system, they will be more drought tolerant, but they will still bloom best if given weekly water.

Unless your soil is extremely poor, your marigolds won’t need any supplemental fertilizer. The best thing you can do to keep them in flower is to deadhead regularly.