The plot we inherited at the community garden boasted lovely golden and orange marigolds taking up 1/4 of the plot. We left them as they deter bugs, but then they started dropping seed pods.
Seed pod.
So we brought them home, dried them out, and broke them open. There were literally billions of seeds. I’ve decided to wrap them in a tiny piece of white paper and staple them to my business cards.
Lord forbid they go to waste! I might have to take some of them to the local green house down the street and ask if they can use them. The seed pods have been drying on the back porch for almost 2 months now. They may be duds. But, they may not! Wouldn’t that be a hoot? A lovely yellow and orange hoot.
In the spring, we plan on planting dozens of them all around the house and in the raised beds that are too shady to grow veggies. Marigolds are lovely when they bloom in abundance, and if they drop their seeds, they may just sprout up the following year, once we’re gone, leaving a reminder that we were here.
Any other ideas on what I can do with the seeds, to keep from wasting them?
Related articles
- How to Save Seeds (angelbabe432.wordpress.com)
- How Do Tulips Disperse Their Seeds? (proflowers.com)
- When to pick blooms for larger veggie crops (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
Attempting zero waste lifestyle in a military household 
Looks like you will have plenty of marigolds this spring…..save me some…I will plant them all around my house.
Always for you Donna! You’ll have them coming out your ears!
No clue, as I am a city girl without a green thumb; they are really colorful and pretty. I like that!
Thanks Marcia. I picked some today in the garden. Most of them are beginning the final wilt count down, but they smell lovely, so I brought some bright orange ones home and put them in a jar. They are colorful and pretty. I like them too. I do hate to see them go. But I have plenty to plant in the spring, right? 🙂
marigold seeds ground down make a good homeopathic remedy for aches and pains. I think that you have to mix it with pure body cream, not perfumed stuff.
This is what I have heard but I have never tried it…also I have been told that they are good for insomnia but again never tried.
Maybe look it up on the internet..you mat find some thing there.
Marigolds spread like wildfire…we had loads this year and decided to use them as border plants..by the time they were fully grown they covered the whole of the path and there was no room for feet to walk.
A remedy for aches and pains. I’ve never heard that. We have enough to give it a go.
Do I grind them up and drink them for insomnia? I’ll have to look into that. I can never go to sleep!
And yes! They do seem to take over!
I think you can eat the flowers in salads. And what do you mean? “once we’re gone” are you only staying there a year?
I had no idea you could eat the flowers in salads. My gosh, wouldn’t that be a pretty salad? Alison, you’re always full of such good information.
Yes, we will only be here a year and a half. I’ll have to say good-bye to my massive garden and fruit trees. But we sure are getting some good eatin’ right now!