Marigold Pacific Beauty Apricot

This variety is a beautiful double-flowered Marigold (Calendula officinalis) that grows to a height of 40 to 60 cm. The flowers come in beautiful shades of orange, yellow, apricot, and gold. It is a classic annual that brightens up every garden and is very easy to grow, making it absolutely perfect for complete beginners.

We recommend direct sowing from April to June, and then possibly again in August or September for autumn blooms. Always sow the seeds directly into the garden bed only after the last frosts. It is ideal to sow them at a depth of about 0.5 cm and cover them lightly with soil. To ensure blooming throughout the season, two or three successive sowings spaced 2 to 3 weeks apart have proven very effective. Maintain a spacing of 15 to 20 cm between plants.

Yes, Marigold can be started indoors without any problems. Begin sowing in seed trays or pots roughly 4 to 6 weeks before the expected date of the last spring frosts (usually in February or March). Always transplant the seedlings outdoors into the garden bed only once the risk of ground frost has passed.

Marigold seeds germinate best at a temperature of 18 to 20 degrees Celsius. If you provide these conditions and sufficient moisture in the substrate, you will see the first small plants in just 6 to 12 days after sowing.

Definitely! Given its compact height of 40 to 60 cm, this Marigold is a great choice for growing in containers and window boxes on balconies or terraces. Just make sure the container has drainage holes at the bottom and water the plant regularly, as the substrate in a pot dries out significantly faster than open soil in a garden bed.

Marigold 'Pacific Beauty Apricot' loves full sun, but it also thrives very well in partial shade. It is not at all demanding regarding soil quality and will handle regular garden soil with ease. However, it is important that the soil is well-drained and does not retain too much water, which could lead to root rot.

The plant typically grows to 40–60 cm and, in most cases, does not need support thanks to its naturally sturdy stems. However, if you grow it in a very shady spot, it may stretch toward the sun and develop weaker stems. Also, in areas with strong winds or after very heavy rain, the heavy, double-flowered heads may lean toward the ground. Only in such rare cases do we recommend lightly staking the plant.

No, it is not necessary to pinch back young pot marigold plants during growth. They naturally branch out very nicely on their own. However, if you want to encourage the formation of more and more flower buds throughout the summer, we recommend regularly removing faded flowers so the plant does not exhaust itself by producing seeds.

The most common reason for leaves yellowing immediately after transplanting is temperature shock. If you did not prepare your pre-grown seedlings for outdoor conditions by gradually hardening them off, or if you planted them before the last frost, the plants will struggle. Another cause can be waterlogged soil. Give them time, reduce watering, and if they have not suffered irreversible frost damage, they should recover soon.

This Marigold is perfect for drying. Ideally, harvest the flowers on a sunny, dry day in the late morning, once the morning dew has evaporated but before the sun has drawn out the valuable essential oils. Select fully opened flowers for drying and lay them out in a thin layer in a shaded, well-ventilated area.

You can enjoy the flowers practically all summer long; they usually bloom profusely from May through September. The 'Pacific Beauty Apricot' variety is also ideal for cutting for vases. The flowers on sturdy stems stay fresh for a long time, and their delicate apricot and golden tones will brighten up any interior.

You don't have to worry at all; pot marigold is a completely safe and non-toxic plant. It is not poisonous to humans, dogs, cats, or other pets. On the contrary, extracts from marigold are very often used in cosmetics and healing ointments designed for the care of sensitive skin in both animals and humans.

Yes, the vibrant petals of the marigold are edible and very popular in both modern and traditional cuisine. They have a slightly bitter, pleasantly spicy taste. They are great in summer salads, for decorating desserts and soups, or in herb butters. They are also often used as a cheaper and more accessible substitute for saffron to color rice.

Marigold reproduces very easily via seeds and often self-sows in the garden. If you want to deliberately save seeds, leave several flowers on the plant in the autumn to dry out completely and turn brown. Then, rub out the characteristic crescent-shaped seeds, let them dry further in a paper bag in a dark, dry place, and you can successfully sow them again in the spring.

Marigold is usually very hardy, but it can occasionally be troubled by powdery mildew (a white, powdery coating on the leaves), especially if it is planted densely and lacks air circulation. Regarding insects, it is sometimes attacked by aphids in the summer. Natural prevention includes not letting the flower bed become waterlogged, maintaining a proper spacing of 15 to 20 cm, and in case of aphids, using a strong stream of water or an organic soap-water spray.

It is nicknamed the 'rain barometer' because its flowers react naturally to humidity. Tradition says that if the flowers do not open by seven o'clock in the morning, it will rain that day. It earned the name 'poor man's saffron' in times past, when common people could not afford exotic and expensive saffron and used the profusely blooming Marigold to color their food yellow instead.