Can I plant many marigolds in one medium pot and split them when transplanting?

Joined
Jan 12, 2024
Messages
7
Reaction score
3
Location
desert
Country
United States
Simple question! Can I plant many marigolds in one medium pot and split them when transplanting? I'm asking because my little pots are full.... And I don't have room for more... But the garden my dad left me is big so I want to plant a lot of marigolds. Are the roots so tender if I separate various plants in the same pot when I put them in the ground, will they die?

Thank you for your time! Good luck in your gardens!

EDIT: I just saw a video by a youtuber called "Organic Gardening Enthusiast" that showed him doing exactly what I described. I guess a lot of gardening, you just try things out! So I'll give it a shot. What can go wrong? I lose 50 cents of seeds? Lol!
 
Last edited:
Joined
Mar 22, 2017
Messages
4,319
Reaction score
3,305
Location
Kent
Country
United Kingdom
Although I have always sown marigolds directly into the soil, if I were to use containers at any point I would sow them into a seed tray rather than a pot. When they have their first true leaves (after the cotyledons) I would thin them out into other trays to give them more space to develop the roots, always handling seedlings by the leaves and never by the stems. Seeds can go into compost without feed, but transplanted seedlings need a weak feed or slow release fertiliser like Osmocote added to help them grow strong.
The thing is, when gardening - if not sure, do whatever your instinct is, and that is usually the best way to learn - as long as you're not working for a boss that is.
Don't be tempted to over water your seedlings as damping off can be a problem!
 
Joined
Feb 13, 2021
Messages
3,995
Reaction score
2,519
Country
United Kingdom
Yes, I usually do. Common names can be deceptive, there are two different plants with very similar flowers both called 'marigolds', I have never found one superior to the other.
I'll give it a shot. What can go wrong? I lose 50 cents of seeds? Lol!
That is an excellent attitude which will get you a long way, most seed is really cheap. I often say to beginners go for cheap plants, it is not quality that determines price, but how hard they are to grow, and you want the easy ones, they are usually just as good, or better.

Welcome to the forum.
 
Joined
Jan 12, 2024
Messages
7
Reaction score
3
Location
desert
Country
United States
Although I have always sown marigolds directly into the soil, if I were to use containers at any point I would sow them into a seed tray rather than a pot. When they have their first true leaves (after the cotyledons) I would thin them out into other trays to give them more space to develop the roots, always handling seedlings by the leaves and never by the stems. Seeds can go into compost without feed, but transplanted seedlings need a weak feed or slow release fertiliser like Osmocote added to help them grow strong.
The thing is, when gardening - if not sure, do whatever your instinct is, and that is usually the best way to learn - as long as you're not working for a boss that is.
Don't be tempted to over water your seedlings as damping off can be a problem!
Right! Thank you for the watering tip, I had trouble starting seeds indoors last season, but I wanted to give it another shot! Our winters are very very short here and rather mild. I actually didn't know about damping off. A good reminder to take off the humidity dome now that my basil is sprouting, I suppose.
I also didn't know you were supposed to fertilize seedlings until recently! Fortunately I have a fertilizer on hand at the moment, 2 2 2 if I recall. I was afraid that it would make them rot (?????).
I am lucky that I have a lot of wiggle room to mess up in! If it doesn't work, we'll get 'em next time!

Yes, I usually do. Common names can be deceptive, there are two different plants with very similar flowers both called 'marigolds', I have never found one superior to the other.

That is an excellent attitude which will get you a long way, most seed is really cheap. I often say to beginners go for cheap plants, it is not quality that determines price, but how hard they are to grow, and you want the easy ones, they are usually just as good, or better.

Welcome to the forum.
Thank you for the advice Oliver! To clarify I'm planting dwarf French marigolds. My fiance picked them out for me! Marigolds do well here and they're the first thing I've grown. They're a fast favorite of mine!
Seed definitely is pretty cheap. I was surprised at a few packets being a little sparse though. Should have checked the amounts before I brought them home. Good advice about picking easy plants! It's a little tricky knowing which are easy here, because the sun can be crazy and it's so dry outside of winter and monsoon. Luckily there's a lot of desert specific resources and also I just met an experienced garden locally!
 
Joined
Feb 13, 2021
Messages
3,995
Reaction score
2,519
Country
United Kingdom
and also I just met an experienced garden locally!

Experienced and local, that's golden. I am a long way off in a different climate, keep your eyes open and see what people around you are doing, and if people are about and praised for their choices or skill they are usually very happy to chat and pass on tips. Some ways you do gardening all alone, but we also share the experience of managing and creating.


"
 
Joined
Jul 5, 2019
Messages
146
Reaction score
55
Location
Detroit
Hardiness Zone
6a
Country
United States
I usually don't know where I'll transplant them, so I plant a bunch of seeds from the previous year in each of a few pots early in the spring. We get a whole bunch of little plants in each pot, so, I separate them at planting time. It seems to work out well.

What does not work out well is that folklore says that marigolds deter rabbits. Every sunrise, I can go outside and watch the little guys chewing away on the marigolds! They enjoy it, so why not?
 

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
28,002
Messages
265,721
Members
14,745
Latest member
modernrugs

Latest Threads

Top