plant

French marigold

Tagetes patula

Updated 8 Jul 2026 · AI-parsed entry

French marigold (Tagetes patula) — a plant, for Full sun, Medium water. Companions: Tomato, Brussels sprouts.

What it needs & gives back

↓ Needs

Sunlightfull sun to partial shade
Watermoderate

↑ Gives back

Biomassmedium

Companions

Through the year

Emergence

Seeds germinate after the last spring frost when soil temperatures are consistently warm.

Flowering

Flowering typically begins about 60 days after emergence and continues through summer.

Senescence

Plants die back with the first autumn frost.

Timing is relative to your local season (temperate Northern Hemisphere).

Soil interactions

Drainagewell-drained
Nitrogen fixingNo
MycorrhizalNo
Soil textureloam, sandy_loam
Organic matterMedium
Compaction toleranceMedium

Propagation

Methodsseed
Difficulty1 / 5
Establishes in~0 yr
Self-seedingModerate

Wildlife & pests

Attractspollinators, beneficial insects
Repelsnematodes, whiteflies, aphids, cabbage worms