Marigolds, the miracle flower!

[pecan]

For years I hated marigolds... But then because of the wise insite from my elderly neighbor who has been farming this land for 60 years I discovered their true purpose!

Marigolds have two great purposes in life...

1. they keep inescts away from other plants
2. they keep weeds from growing in their immidiate area

The first one being the most important especially for us ponders who dread the idea of spraying bug killing chemicals around our ponds. Marigolds put of a smell or chemical or something that insects do not like and will avoid areas where they are planted.

I first started using them in our food garden. planted in various places to keep the insects away. It worked so well I started placing them throughout my tropicalesque beds. I did not have near the insect problem last year when I did this as I had in previous years. This year I am going to place some in the bed around my pond.

Plus, you can harvest the seeds from the dead flowers and re-plant them in the spring. I did this one year by just sprinkling the seeds of the area and lightly raking them in with a hand rake. They came back like crazy. And if you don't want to do that, they are one of the cheepest annuals to buy

A big Thanks! To the marigold.

 

[j.w]

Pecan.................dudette.............what a great idea! I have used them before in my veggie garden but never thought of using near the pond and yes once you have them you have an abundant supply of seeds for ever and ever Amen! I'm doing that this Spring and I even think I have some old seeds in the old fridge in the garage that I saved from the flowers...........if they are still good. If not they are so,so cheap to buy! Thank you Pecan for that neat idea!

 

[addy1]

Deer don't like them either. I am going to try some in the veggie garden to see if it will keep those darn stink bugs away.

 

[Jeremy]

Deer don't like them either. I am going to try some in the veggie garden to see if it will keep those darn stink bugs away.

LOL, I hate stink bugs, I was using my mulching leaf vac a couple months ago, and I must've sucked up a whole extended family of them.
:grumble:

 

[Sunshine]

I also heard that they keep rabbits out of your veggie garden. Don't know if it's true. I have always planted Marigolds in the front yard just because I like them.