Excellent as a bee attracting border and cut flower and with edible petals that can take your party cake game to the next level, calendula is one of the first flowers planned for the veggie patch. Its double blooms create a quilled effect to the central petals that come in shades of gold and orange.
Most importantly for your other productive plant, planting a floral and herbaceous perimeter will help to attract friendly predators and pollinators into the veggie patch. This isn’t the kind of wall that keeps things out. Rather, it is an invitation to foster diversity and prosperity in your patch. Creating a balanced ecosystem helps plants get on with their jobs, because if trouble strikes, there’s extra support to get things back on track.
If pollination of plants such as zucchini and cucumber prove troublesome in your garden, adding calendula to the mix will bring a greater strike rate than Dustin Martin in grand finals.
Easy to grow, so ideal for the beginner gardener.
PLANTING
Sow directly into your patch when daytime temperatures regularly surpass 18-20 degrees. If still too cold, propagate in seed trays and transplant when conditions have improved.
WATERING
In ground: Water daily for the first 4 weeks and 3-4 times a week in the absence of rainfall thereafter. Watering frequency may need to be elevated during hot weather.
In Pots: Water daily, in the absence of rainfall, for the entirety of its lifecycle. The best practice is to water in the morning, however on extremely warm days a late afternoon water may also be necessary.
MAINTENANCE
Snails and slugs do love feasting on young plants so it’s best to protect them with some copper tape or snail and slug traps. Keep the seedlings moist while it is being established.
Mulch with an organic mulch such as lucerne, pea straw or sugar cane at a depth of 3-5cm.
HARVESTING
Time until first harvest: 75-90 days
How to harvest: use scissors to cut down the stem or use sharp fingernails, bracing the plant as you pick.
TIP
