Flower (annual)
Marigold
Tagetes patula / erecta
A tough, pungent-scented bedding plant widely interplanted with vegetables, though its pest-repelling reputation is stronger in folklore than in controlled trials.
| Light | Full sun |
|---|---|
| Water | Low to moderate; drought-tolerant once established |
| Spacing | 15-30 cm |
| Zones | Annual everywhere; frost-tender |
| Harvest | N/A — deadhead to prolong bloom |
| Difficulty | Easy |
The companion-planting claim, honestly
Marigolds are often planted next to tomatoes and beans to repel pests. Some marigold species do suppress soil nematodes when grown as a dense cover crop over a season, but scattering a few plants around a vegetable bed has little proven effect on above-ground pests — plant them because they're easy and colourful first.
Deadhead for continuous bloom
Spent flower heads left on the plant push it toward seed production and slow new bud formation; regular deadheading keeps a marigold flowering from late spring to frost.
More plant profiles
- SunflowerA fast, tall annual that tracks the sun as a seedling and stops moving once flowering begins — the classic beginner flower with a real taproot to respect.
- ZinniaOne of the most reliable cut-and-come-again annuals, let down almost only by powdery mildew from overhead watering in humid weather.