Tagetes patula## HOW TO GROW MARIGOLD PATULA Start indoors 4-6 weeks before last frost, plant out 4 weeks before frost. Direct sow after last frost a group of three seeds every 6–8”. When 2” tall, thin to 1 seedling every 6–8”. Not very frost resistant, hardy to zone 9. Soil pH 6.0–6.2. Hardiness zones 9–11. Annual.Usual seed life: 2–4 years.Planting Depth 1/4"Soil Temp. Germ. 75–80˚FDays to Germ. 7–14Plant Spacing 6–8”Row Spacing 12–18”Days To Maturity 85Full Sun, Moist Well Drained Soil Sparky Mix Seed Count 1 Ounce ≈ 7,461 seeds.25 Pound ≈ 29,842 seeds1 Pound ≈ 119m seeds##This French Marigold has medium sized flowers with wavy petals. Flowers are a mix of gold, orange, red, yellow or bi-colored. Plants grow to 14” tall and are long-blooming. Recommended for containers, beds & borders, and the pollinator garden. Also useful for control of insect pests in the vegetable garden. Tags: Color: Bi-Colored, Specialty: Deer Resistant, Season: Summer.In its native habitat of the highlands of central Mexico, blooms are produced from September to killing frost. Tagetes patula florets are grown and harvested annually to add to poultry feed to help give the yolks a golden color. The florets can also be used to color foods.The dried and ground flower petals are a popular spice in the Republic of Georgia in the Caucasus, where they are known as imeruli shaphrani or 'Imeretian Saffron' from their pungency and golden color. The spice has a unique, rather earthy flavor to Georgian cuisine, in which it is considered especially compatible with cinnamon and cloves. It is also a essential ingredient in the spice mixture khmeli-suneli, which is to Georgian cookery what garam masala is to the cookery of North India, with which Georgia shares elements of the Mughlai cuisine.
