Here are some older pics of the french marigolds (Tagetes patula) that I have planted around the garden this year. These were taken about a week after planting them. I used a root stimulator at the time of planting so they didn't really seem to suffer too much from transplant shock. Part 2 will be pics I take tomorrow so you can see what they actually look like now.
I still like to use these in the garden even though there's some debate as to their actual effectiveness in repelling pest insects. They're said to attract spider mites, but I haven't actually had any problems with that. They do seem to attract Japanese Beetles, however that has actually been a good thing in the garden I manage, as they have actually served as an attractant that keeps the Japanese Beetles out of the vegetables. They also seem to be fairly attractive to soldier beetles and bees. If you look closely in the next pic you can see a soldier beetle hanging out. I've actually seen them swarming all over marigolds before.
Marigold seeds are really easy to save and regrow from saved seed each year, and they add a nice splash of color to the garden. I personally really like these multi-colored varieties.
Thanks for visiting my post. Hope you enjoyed the pics. Keep an eye out tomorrow for Part 2 if you want to see what they look like now that they're substantially bigger. (I actually thought I had the pics already when I started this post, but nooooo, that would have been far too convenient lol hence the two parter.)
If you have marigold pics of your own that you'd like to share, I'd love to see them. Drop the pics or links in the comments and I'll check them out.
I've been using marigolds around my tomato and pepper plants for several years now. They do seem to help protect the tomato plants from bad bugs. Most of my marigolds are just starting to flower now. I started them myself, and I started them kind of late in the pre-season.
Nice! Did you use seed you saved yourself, or did you buy seed? I've had to buy the plants the last two years due to spacing constraints in the greenhouses late winter through mid spring.
My mom has actually used marigolds around her tomato plants to help prevent cutworms for decades, which is where I originally got the idea to use them at work. I personally think they are effective at least somewhat based on personal observations. And I've seen claims that planting them around tomatoes actually helps to protect the marigolds from some of the pests that they actually attract. Something about how they both produce very strong scents, and the marigold scent repels common tomato pests, while the tomato scent repels common marigold pests.
In the past, I've used seeds that I saved, but I didn't have any seeds this year so I bought them.
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