Marigolds in the vegetable garden, offer us so much as gardeners and homesteaders. Do you know why? Let me share the top 6 reasons you should be planting marigolds in the vegetable garden…if you aren’t already.
Marigolds in the Vegetable Garden – Reason 1, Helping & Attracting Bees
As vegetable gardeners we know the importance of bees to the success of garden…aka pollination. Marigolds not only attract bees but they help the to thrive and survive! BUT if you are planting marigolds in the vegetable garden as part of your bee attracting plan there are a few caveats to be aware of (I’ve learned this the hard way). Bees prefer the single-bloom varieties of marigolds over the double. Secondly I highly recommend only planting seeds or flowers grown in organic conditions; the ones purchased at big-box stores contain insecticides that are bad for bees and your garden.
Marigolds in the vegetable garden, offer us so much as gardeners and homesteaders. Do you know why? Let me share the top 6 reasons you should be planting marigolds in the vegetable garden…if you aren’t already.
Marigolds in the Vegetable Garden – Reason 1, Helping & Attracting Bees
As vegetable gardeners we know the importance of bees to the success of garden…aka pollination. Marigolds not only attract bees but they help the to thrive and survive! BUT if you are planting marigolds in the vegetable garden as part of your bee attracting plan there are a few caveats to be aware of (I’ve learned this the hard way). Bees prefer the single-bloom varieties of marigolds over the double. Secondly I highly recommend only planting seeds or flowers grown in organic conditions; the ones purchased at big-box stores contain insecticides that are bad for bees and your garden.
So before reading any of the other reasons to plant marigolds in the vegetable garden please note that I recommend only organically grown seeds and transplants.
Check out these organic varities from Seeds Now
Marigolds in the Vegetable Garden – Reason 2, Protecting Tomatoes
Marigolds and tomatoes are BFFs! The French Marigold is the best choice for tomato protection. Planting French Marigolds near your tomatoes has show to repel nematodes (learn more about nematodes here), slugs, tomato horn worms and other garden pests.
Marigolds in the Vegetable Garden – Reason 3, Companion for Other Vegetables 
Marigolds in the vegetable garden is a companion plant to bush beans, potatoes, Chinese cabbage, broccoli, squash, eggplant and kale. Again the French Marigold is the best bet but the Mexican Marigold and be extremely helpful too. The marigolds will help these veggies deter beetles, slugs leaf hoppers, bean beetles and the dreaded horn worms.
The strong scent of marigolds may be the reason they are such amazing helpers in the garden. Their scent masks the scent of your vegetables so garden pests and predators are not attracted there.
It should be noted that they can attract spider mites and in some areas slugs – though I have never seen this personally.
Marigolds in the Vegetable Garden – Reason 4, They Add Color and Beauty
If being tough little pest fighters isn’t enough of a reason to plant marigolds in the vegetable garden, then let them add some gorgeous color and beauty to it. Now I think my veggies are beautiful, don’t get me wrong; but flowers just add a touch of whimsy and shot of knock-out color that can’t be beat.
Marigolds in the Vegetable Garden – Reason 5, Low Maintenance
Another great thing about marigolds in the vegetable garden is that they are pretty low maintenance. As flowers go, they are easy to care for and will continue to grow for several seasons. They are hardy enough to stand up to droughts and frosts.
Marigolds in the Vegetable Garden – Reason 6, Medicinal Calendula
The medicinal herb calendula is in the marigold family. It has wonderful medicinal benefits when made into Calendula Oil or Calendula Salves; like helping skin conditions, rashes, wounds, bed sores, eczema and varicose veins. It can aid in treating itchiness, sores, inflammation and skin softening.
See the difference between French Marigolds and Pot Marigolds (Calendula) here.
So there you have it, 6 reasons to plant marigolds in the vegetable garden. Are you using marigolds in your garden? What has your experience been with them? Leave me a comment and let me know.
Great knowledge, I can apply for his small vegetable garden to protect my tomatoes. Preventing some species of beetles sabotage. I think this is a safe solution without having to use pesticides for vegetable garden. It helps to make the vegetables cleaner because there are no toxic chemicals. Thank you for your article
This is a great resource! I am looking to add some Marigolds to my garden. I love them!
Hello Tiffany, This is a good resource. I am looking to add some marigold garden. This is also attractive to bees and butterflies that looks awesome. I love your blog very much. I like gardening and planting flowers. Thanks for sharing your lovely blog with us.
Thank you Mike – you made my day! 🙂 Enjoy your marigolds.
I have experimented this concept and it resulted in production of the best butter nuts . I’ve allowed marigolds to grow wildly in my garden and they indeed blend pretty well with my veggies and even with other flowers # try it
I made a raised garden with cement blocks and planted herbs plus marigolds in the holes of blocks. They made it attractive, plus attracted bees for my vegetables. Will be doing this evey planting time.
Did u use cinder blocks… or another kind of cement blocks?
Where did you purchase the cement blocks?
The snails love marigold seedlings How doIsort my snail problem
Have you tried Food-Grade Diatomaceous Earth?
Thanks they sure are adding sparkle to my garden and doing double duty by detering pest and extra by attracting bees
Hi Tiffany 🙂 So glad to see your post! I have been using marigolds in my vegetable and herb gardens for many years. I really can’t remember who gave me the advice a long time ago, but every year I’m so grateful. Having recently moved, and started a new garden this year, my new neighbors have been curious about the marigolds. I’ve passed on the good advice once given to me. I love that I can share my garden produce with family and friends without feeling badly about using chemicals. (Another little thing I did this year was to buy the bright little spinners that children love to hold up into the wind. They work great to keep unwanted rabbits, squirrels, and birds away from my veggie garden. I get them at the Dollar store.) Keep up the great advice! I’ll be watching for more. Happy gardening! Judy
Hi Tiffany,
I’ve been planting marigolds and zinnia’s in my vegetable garden for years. My mother and grandmother were avid gardners and passed on some of their wisdom to me. I swear by the marigolds and zinnia’s keeping pests out. I actually started my marigolds and zinnia’s last week. Thought I’d share the information on zinnia’s too.
You can’t beat grandmother / mother experience! 😉
Wondering how to plant them around the tomatoes…I planted them between my plants last year and still had a few horn worms. Not a lot – probably about 5 total. But they were huge! Can you elaborate on how far apart to space them ?
I don’t really have a specific spacing. I just plant them around the entire box (garden). No pest control is 100% full proof but they sure do keep things down.
Unlike you i have found that slugs and snails actually the marigolds so getting them big enough to help my tomatoes and other veg is something of a problem
They make a great trap crop for slugs & snails. Since they are loved by them they go to marigolds instead of your food crops. I go out in the evenings and pick them off marigolds and give them a beer bath. I swear I can get hundreds in an evening at the start of season, less in time, but my food crops are saved.
Am looking forward to planting marigolds among my tomatoes this year. Usually I used them as a border around my one rose bush in the middle of my yard. Am excited to try this out.
I planted them all around the perimeter of my garden. I have always planting Marigolds in my garden better they work wonders and our beautiful on top of that. Especially when they start blooming really good
Marigolds are a great trap plant for Japanese beetles in your garden. Keeping them away from the edibles. They come in hoards to marigolds here in Va. Making it easy scoop off a bunch with one swipe into soapy water.
I’ve always planted marigolds around my vegetables. It’s a family tradition as a way to help control pests. I’m glad to see that others do this too. I have noticed fewer hornworms when the marigolds are thriving.
They do add beauty as well as pest control.
You have listed Number 1 twice, and there are only 5 reasons, not 6 due to this error in printing. Is there another reason, or are there only 5?
Although #1 is listed twice, there are still six reasons listed, #1 bees, #2 protect tomatoes, #3 companion, #4 color and beauty, #5 low maintenance, #6 medicinal.
I just started my merigolds this weekend indoors. I’m a little late this year but they seem to grow fast so I decided to go for it
I see where it says they may attract slugs bjt never seen that in person. I tried the marigolds around my gardens before even flower garden edges and they were incested in slugs. They ate the marigolds and left slime all over them it was gross . haha. But I hear now its just a tale to put them around gardens. But we all still plant them just for the sake of it and the hopes that itll repel and deter something.
I didn’t know you could eat marigolds. Thanks for the info. WE use them throughout our garden but never considered eating them.
Marigolds have super powers. Beautiful and so helpful to the garden. I haven’t gone for far as to eat them but everything else I am here for
So my marigolds have literally taken over the garden boxes. How do you slow these things down from growing??? They are huge. Can they be dug up and split into smaller plants?
You can divide them.
whenever I plant Marigolds in the garden the earwigs eat them up til there is nothing left
Janet this article has great tips for getting rid of earwigs – https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-i-get-rid-of-earwigs-1402695
Any remedies for white flies on peppers?
Thanks
Predator insects, such as parasitic wasps and ladybugs, yellow sticky traps to catch flies or insecticidal soap and oil sprays.
Great information I will try it.
Do they yellow marigolds work for the gardens as well or only the red/orange French marigolds? I’m hoping I didn’t buy a whole flat of yellow marigolds for no reason.
I’ve used both! You should be ok!!!
I use to plant them in my garden for their color and beauty. Now, I have more reasons for planting them! Thank you for sharing this article!
These are beautiful flowers.
Can I intercrop Marigolds with Cabbages?
I do!
Seems I can easily apply this vegetable garden to protect my tomatoes and other veggies. It helps to protect & make the vegetables more cleaner as there are no toxic chemicals involved in this process. Thank you for your article
Marigolds. Also are good to attract praying mantis.
I can undoubtedly apply this vegetable nursery to ensure my different veggies. It assists with ensuring and make the vegetables more cleaner as there are no poisonous synthetics associated with this cycle. Much obliged to you for your article.
I’m so glad you found it helpful.
Loved this article! I have a terrace garden that is 100 feet long by 12 feet wide. I have always planted marigolds on the outer edge of the terrace wall for more than 20 years now. I rarely have any bug problems in this garden and I know it is because of the marigolds. The other important thing that marigolds do is self propagate at the end of the season. When the flower heads start withering and shrink up into a tight seed head, that is when I get excited. Wait until the seed head is totally dry and brown before you pick it if you can. This last year our northern weather closed in really fast and I only got half of the marigold seeds gathered. So, this coming spring, I will gather any seed pods that have not been beaten off of the plants by the wind and snow and I will gather even those lying on the ground. When I plant them, I only remove about a 1/3″ of soil and rub the seed pods between my hands to free the individual seeds and sprinkle them on the soil and cover with the soil you removed. You need to know and remember that seeds you gather yourself will not have as high a germination rate as seeds you buy at the store. I don’t really know why this is true, but it is. Even with that downside to saving your own seeds, it is still a wonderful, money saving practice.
Is it true they keep SNAKES AWAY?
I don’t have any personal experience with that and I don’t think I would rely on it.
My grandmother and mother always planted mm arigolds throughout the garden. At 74 I still do. Yes they are protective and beautiful. I grow calendula as well for making salves. The simplest is perhaps t he best… I just add the flower petels to coconut oil and let it sit on a kitchen counter so its warm enough to keep the oil not soild. Once its well infused getting solid by being cooler actually makes it easier to use. It is so soothing to the skin I’d grow then if they weren’t bright and pretty.
Another hint if you keep chickens is feed then marigolds and calendula with their regular feed. You get darker yolks with a higher vitamin A content.
Sounds like you had an amazing grandmother and mother! Love all your tips Mary!
Thanks for your post!
I love marigolds!
I always dead head the flowers & save the seeds for the next season! I always find new areas to plant them. They’re great for gardens and are hardy plants to grow around the yard. I live in a rural area so I have many acres so I can’t water everything. Marigolds are easy to grow & add color to dull hard to reach (with a hose) areas.
This year I planted marigold seeds on tree stumps! They are growing not only on top of the stump (I added soil on top w/ bark to hold it in place) but seeds fell onto open spots on the sides of the stump, yes they’re growing out of the sides! I also planted seeds on the ground around the stump!
Talk about a stunning piece of art!
So natural and very beautiful!
Thank You!
My garden is on a terrace about 100 ft long and 12 ft wide. I have been planting marigolds on the outer edge of this garden for over 20 years. I have very few problems with pests of any kind and I am attributing that to the marigolds. I harvest the seed from the marigolds in the fall every year so I never have to buy seeds. If you are going to harvest your own seeds, you must wait until the flowers turn into pods – the flower has just tightly closed itself. Wait until the pods are brown if you can before you pick them. Remember, that seeds you harvest from any kind of plant will not have as high a germination rate as store bought seeds. Marigolds Rule!
Janet – I couldn’t agree more!!! <3