ANNUALS > MARIGOLDS > DEADHEADING
By ELIZABETH WADDINGTON Elizabeth Waddington, MA, Dip.Perm.Des. - Garden Designer Elizabeth is a Permaculture Garden Designer, Sustainability Consultant and Professional Writer, working as an advocate for positive change. She graduated from the University of St. Andrews with an MA in English and Philosophy and obtained a Diploma in Applied Permaculture Design from the Permaculture Association. Peter Lickorish, MHort (RHS) - Horticulturist Peter is a Horticulture Lecturer and self-employed Horticulturist, with a passion for diverse areas of the industry - from garden design to the science behind plant growth and propagation. He has completed the Royal Horticultural Society’s Master of Horticulture (MHort) Award and lectures on RHS courses at Bedford College. Emily Cupit, Photographer & Videographer Emily is a Gardening Writer, Photographer and Videographer from Derbyshire, UK. She is the Founder of Emily's Green Diary - a community of more than 75,000 people who share in her gardening journey.
Reviewed By PETER LICKORISH 
Contributions From EMILY CUPIT 
IN THIS GUIDE
- Why Deadhead Marigolds?
- When Not To Deadhead
- How To Deadhead Marigolds
MARIGOLDS GUIDES
Companion PlantingDeadheading
Planting
SowingVarieties
Marigolds will bloom over a long period through summer and into autumn.
These Tagetes species, especially French marigolds, are not only popular as ornamental plants but also prized as companion plants in a kitchen garden.
Marigolds are very easy to grow and care for and are a great choice no matter your level of gardening experience.
However, one job to think about when growing these flowers is deadheading.
Deadheading simply means removing the spent blooms once each one has finished flowering.
Why Deadhead Marigolds?
Deadheading marigolds is not something that is only carried out for aesthetic reasons.
The main reason to deadhead marigolds is to ensure that new blooms continue to be produced.
If you do not deadhead, then the plants will focus on producing seed and the overall flowering period of the plant will be reduced.
Removing the heads before seed formation can spur plants into producing more blooms.
Removing the spent flowers will also prevent self-seeding where this is not desired, though this is rare outdoors in the UK.
Of course, removing the spent heads can also keep your garden looking good and can improve airflow for the flowers and other plants remaining in a growing area.
When Not To Deadhead
The only reason not to deadhead marigolds is if you wish to save the seeds from your marigolds or would like to allow marigolds to self-seed for a low-maintenance planting scheme.
Where you would like the plants to produce seed, you should leave at least some of the flowering heads to develop.
Saving seed from your marigolds is easy, and is a good idea, since of course marigolds are tender annuals and will die when autumn frosts arrive.
Saving your own seeds will allow you to use this to propagate new plants at home next spring and mean that you won’t have to buy in new seeds or plants.
Collect seeds on a dry day, when the seed head has fully turned a light shade of brown.
How To Deadhead Marigolds
If you decide to deadhead marigolds, the process itself is very easy.
Simply take a sharp pair of scissors or secateurs and cut off the dead flower head at the base of its individual stem.
“Sharp tools are a must for deadheading, otherwise blunt tools can crush, rather than cut, growth, which can do more harm than good,” shares Peter Lickorish, a Horticultural Consultant.
Remember, you don’t need to worry about getting every single one, and this job is not an absolute must.
“For plants which are becoming spindly, you can cut back a little harder by up to half their height to achieve the desired look,” says Peter.
“Make sure you do not cut below the lowest few leaves. This will also delay the next blooms a little.”
But doing some deadheading, especially earlier in the season, will help to keep these plants in bloom over a longer period – looking good and attracting beneficial wildlife to your garden.
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