Greetings, welcome to the Forums.
Pot-marigolds (Calendula officinalis) will usually germinate readily in the cooler days of Spring. You could try to plant some seed now outdoors and see how well they come up, as Spring arrives. However, I recommend that you also start some plants indoors in seed pots, so as to avoid any disappointment due to the vagaries of nature. They can often survive light frosts, but do err on the side of caution in this regard, especially for the ones started indoors. They may continue to bloom into Summer, but they often slow down in hot weather. Still, you may very likely get a second flowering in Fall.
In my garden, Pot-marigolds (Calendula officinalis) mostly come up by themselves in the beds and paths, some over-winter and bloom for several years. I leave them, unless they are competing with a choicer plant. With irrigation, they may bloom to some degree year-round, but Winter and Spring is usually the best show. The name 'Calendula' refers to the calendar, probably due to how the flowers may possibly bloom any month of the year, in a suitable climate.
