CALENDULA ALPHA

Clear bright orange blooms not unlike Gerbera and a popular choice for brightening up a salad mixture. 24-30”. HA.

Calendula, sometimes called Pot Marigolds, brighten up your garden with zingy yellows, bright oranges and calming creams. Calendula is a member of the same family as daisies and chrysanthemums. The petals are edible and have a lightly bitter flavour, although the flowers have no fragrance.

Calendula add colour to borders and grows well in containers. As well as attracting beneficial pollinators and looking cheerful in a vase, Calendula is used in herbal medicine and as a dye plant.

Calendula is easy to grow from seed. It can be direct sown in the spring or autumn, or started indoors for transplanting in spring.

Rake the soil to a fine, crumbly texture and make drills 12mm deep and 30cm apart. Thinly scatter the seed into the drills and cover over with soil. Keep moist without over-wetting until established. Thin out the seedlings to about 30 cm apart. Rich soil and a full sun location will keep your Calendula blooming happily.