One day your Marigolds are in full, glorious bloom, and the next? They’re looking limp, blackened, and totally defeated by the frost. It’s a heartbreaking sight for any gardener when the calendar flips from fall to winter, but don’t worry—it’s not actually a reason to despair. Here’s the lowdown on why this happens and how you can keep the magic going.
Marigolds and Frost Just Don’t Mix
The wild ancestors of our beloved Marigolds (or *Tagetes*) hail from the mountainous regions of South America, where temperatures stay comfortably above freezing year-round. Because of those tropical roots, they just aren’t built for the cold. This is why we usually wait until the danger of frost has passed in mid-May to get them in the ground. As long as the sun is shining and the air is warm, they’ll show off their vibrant colors at your favorite sunny spot, while doing double duty as a slug deterrent and cleaning up nematodes in your soil.
Are Marigolds Perennials? Technically, Yes!
Believe it or not, Marigolds are actually perennials by nature. If they lived in a perfect, warm climate, they’d keep growing for years. However, for most of us, trying to overwinter them indoors isn’t usually worth the hassle—unless you’ve got a particularly rare variety or a delicious edible cultivar with an amazing aroma that you just can’t live without.
How to Overwinter Your Marigolds
If you have a special plant you want to save, timing is everything. If it’s in a pot, bring it inside before the first frost hits. If it’s in a garden bed, carefully dig it up and transplant it into a pot with some standard potting soil. To keep it happy through the winter, find a spot that is:
- Bright and sunny
- Frost-free but not too hot
- Ideally between 60°F and 68°F (15–20°C)
During their indoor “winter nap,” give them just a little bit of water regularly. Hold off on the fertilizer until spring rolls around. Once mid-May hits, you can move them back outside or replant them in your garden beds.
The Easy Way: Starting from Seed
The simplest (and cheapest!) way to ensure you have a garden full of Marigolds every year is to let a few of those gorgeous flowers go to seed. During the long blooming season, just leave a few spent heads on the plant so you can harvest the seeds in the fall. You can grow your own new plants easily by direct-sowing them in late April or starting them indoors as early as late February.
Pro Tip:
Marigold seeds are light germinators. This means they need light to sprout! Just press them gently into the soil or cover them with a paper-thin layer of dirt. If you bury them too deep, they won’t wake up.
