Oregon · Washington · Idaho
When to plant marigolds
Plant in the garden: Portland and Seattle May 15 – Jun 19; Spokane May 20 – Jun 24; Boise May 1 – Jun 5; Bend Jun 9 – Jul 14.
Your dates in
Marigolds are tough annual flowers in the daisy family, native to Mexico and Central America despite the French and African names. They're grown for long-lasting color in beds and pots and as a bright edging around vegetable gardens. In Mexico, orange marigolds are the traditional flower of Día de los Muertos.
Puts marigolds on your free plan, with dates for your town and a spot in your beds.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Sun
- Full sun
- Spacing
- 8 to 12 inches apart (French); 12 to 18 inches (African)
- Planting depth
- ¼ inch deep
- Frost
- Killed by frost
- Flowers
- Blooms about 50 to 60 days after sowing
Tough, bright annuals that bloom from early summer until frost. French marigolds stay compact for edging and pots; African marigolds grow tall with big pompom flowers.
Marigold planting dates
| Towns | Start seeds indoors | Plant in the garden |
|---|---|---|
| Portland, OR, Seattle and Tacoma, WA | Apr 3–17 | May 15 – Jun 19 |
| Spokane, WA, Astoria, OR | Apr 8–22 | May 20 – Jun 24 |
| Boise and Meridian, ID | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | May 1 – Jun 5 |
| Bend and Redmond, OR | Apr 28 – May 12 | Jun 9 – Jul 14 |
Dates for six main cities. For any of the other 80 towns, type it in the box at the top of the page or browse all towns.
| Gresham, OR, Hillsboro and Beaverton, OR, Oregon City and West Linn, OR, Portland, OR, St. Helens and Scappoose, OR, Wilsonville and Canby, OR | Apr 3–17 | May 15 – Jun 19 |
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| Corvallis and Albany, OR, Cottage Grove, OR, Eugene, OR, McMinnville and Newberg, OR, Salem, OR | Apr 3–17 | May 15 – Jun 19 |
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| Ashland and Talent, OR, Grants Pass, OR, Medford, OR, Roseburg, OR | Apr 3–17 | May 15 – Jun 19 |
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| Astoria, OR, Brookings and Gold Beach, OR, Coos Bay and North Bend, OR, Newport and Lincoln City, OR, Tillamook, OR | Apr 8–22 | May 20 – Jun 24 |
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| Bend and Redmond, OR, Klamath Falls, OR | Apr 28 – May 12 | Jun 9 – Jul 14 |
|---|---|---|
| Burns, OR | Apr 30 – May 14 | Jun 11 – Jul 16 |
| Lakeview, OR | Apr 23 – May 7 | Jun 4 – Jul 9 |
| Madras, OR | Apr 13–27 | May 25 – Jun 29 |
| Prineville, OR | Apr 20 – May 4 | Jun 1 – Jul 6 |
| Baker City, OR, Enterprise and Joseph, OR | Apr 13–27 | May 25 – Jun 29 |
|---|---|---|
| Hermiston, OR, Hood River, OR, Ontario, OR, Pendleton, OR, The Dalles, OR | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | May 1 – Jun 5 |
| John Day, OR | Apr 16–30 | May 28 – Jul 2 |
| La Grande, OR | Apr 8–22 | May 20 – Jun 24 |
| Bremerton and Port Orchard, WA, Everett, WA, Kent, Renton and Auburn, WA, Olympia, WA, Seattle and Tacoma, WA, Shelton, WA | Apr 3–17 | May 15 – Jun 19 |
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| Anacortes, WA, Bellingham, WA, Friday Harbor and the San Juans, WA, Mount Vernon and Burlington, WA, Oak Harbor and Whidbey Island, WA | Apr 3–17 | May 15 – Jun 19 |
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| Aberdeen and Hoquiam, WA, Forks, WA, Long Beach and Ilwaco, WA | Apr 8–22 | May 20 – Jun 24 |
|---|---|---|
| Port Angeles, WA, Port Townsend, WA, Sequim, WA | Apr 3–17 | May 15 – Jun 19 |
| Centralia and Chehalis, WA, Longview and Kelso, WA, Vancouver, WA | Apr 3–17 | May 15 – Jun 19 |
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| Chelan, WA, Wenatchee, WA | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | May 1 – Jun 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Leavenworth, WA, Omak and Okanogan, WA, Winthrop and Twisp, WA | Apr 8–22 | May 20 – Jun 24 |
| Ellensburg, WA, Goldendale, WA | Apr 8–22 | May 20 – Jun 24 |
|---|---|---|
| Ephrata and Quincy, WA, Moses Lake, WA, Sunnyside, Grandview and Prosser, WA, Tri-Cities (Pasco, Kennewick, Richland), WA, Walla Walla, WA | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | May 1 – Jun 5 |
| Yakima, WA | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | May 8 – Jun 12 |
| Colville, WA, Pullman, WA, Spokane, WA | Apr 8–22 | May 20 – Jun 24 |
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| Bonners Ferry, ID, Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls, ID, Sandpoint, ID | Apr 8–22 | May 20 – Jun 24 |
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| Lewiston, ID | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | May 1 – Jun 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Moscow, ID | Apr 8–22 | May 20 – Jun 24 |
| Boise and Meridian, ID, Emmett, ID, Nampa and Caldwell, ID | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | May 1 – Jun 5 |
|---|---|---|
| McCall, ID | May 11–25 | Jun 22 – Jul 27 |
| Burley and Rupert, ID, Idaho Falls, ID, Pocatello, ID, Rexburg, ID, Twin Falls, ID | Apr 8–22 | May 20 – Jun 24 |
|---|---|---|
| Salmon, ID | Apr 13–27 | May 25 – Jun 29 |
Marigold year at a glance
| Task | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start indoors | Apr | |||||||||||
| Plant | May | Jun | ||||||||||
| Cut flowers | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct |
Around Portland. Colder towns, especially east of the Cascades, run a few weeks later; the table above has your town's planting dates.
How to grow marigolds
- Start seeds indoors on your city's dates in trays or small pots under a grow light or in your sunniest window. Or skip this step and buy young plants (starts) at a garden center.
- Harden off the young plants: about a week before planting, set them outside for a few hours a day, a little longer each day.
- Plant them in the garden on your city's dates, 8 to 12 inches apart (French); 12 to 18 inches (African). If you plant seeds instead, sow them ¼ inch deep.
- Water deeply once or twice a week rather than a little every day, and mulch once the soil is warm.
- Harvest: Deadhead spent flowers to keep new ones coming. For cutting, pick when blooms are fully open; they last about a week in water.
Growing marigolds in your part of the Northwest
The same plant behaves differently on the wet west side, the foggy coast and the dry, colder east side.
West-side valleys
Willamette Valley, Puget Sound, southern Oregon
Marigolds need warm weather and are a slug favorite when young. Plant out in late May or June.
Coast
Oregon and Washington coast
Marigolds bloom in cool summers but grow more slowly than inland.
East of the Cascades
Columbia Basin, Yakima, Boise, Spokane, north Idaho
Marigolds thrive in the heat. Watch for spider mites in hot, dry weather.
High desert and mountain towns
Central Oregon, high eastern Oregon valleys, McCall, Salmon
Marigolds are frost tender. Plant after the last frost.
More marigold varieties
More widely sold picks that do well somewhere in the Northwest. The tag says which part of the Northwest suits each one best.
Durango
Large, double flowers on compact plants about 10 inches tall. Early and long-blooming.
Both sides
Crackerjack
Big pompom flowers in orange and yellow on 2- to 3-foot plants. Good for cutting and the back of beds.
Both sides
Lemon Gem
Mounds of tiny lemon-yellow flowers with lacy, citrus-scented leaves. The petals are edible.
Both sides
Janie
Very compact, about 8 inches tall, for edging and containers. Blooms early and keeps going.
Both sides
How much to grow
How many to plant
Plant in groups of 5 to 10 along bed edges.
In the vase
Cut marigolds last about a week in the vase.
Key numbers
- 70–80°FSoil to sprout
- 50–60Days to bloom
- 4–6 weeks before frostStart indoors
- Slugs on seedlingsBiggest risk
Top care tip: Deadhead spent flowers every week and protect young plants from slugs.
Growing notes
What makes the difference in Northwest gardens, in plain language.
Which marigold
French marigolds are compact, 8 to 12 inches tall, with small single or double flowers, ideal for edges and pots. African marigolds grow 2 to 3 feet with big pompom flowers. Signet marigolds have small, lemony, edible flowers and lacy leaves.
All are summer annuals killed by frost. Their scented leaves make them less appealing to deer than many flowers, though no plant is deer-proof.
Planting
Start seeds indoors four to six weeks before your last frost, or buy young plants. They sprout fast in warm soil. Plant out once the soil warms, a little later than tomatoes are fine.
Give them full sun and average soil. Too much fertilizer means fewer flowers.
Keeping them blooming
Deadhead spent flowers every week or so to keep plants flowering until frost. African types may need a stake in wind or rain.
Slugs are the biggest problem in damp spring weather and can eat young plants overnight. In late-summer rain, big double flowers can rot from gray mold; remove them and give plants room.
Good neighbors
Good neighbors
- Tomatoes and peppers. Same warm-season timing and full sun. The well-known nematode benefit only comes from growing them densely for a whole season and tilling them in.
Pests and problems
What most often goes wrong with marigolds in Northwest gardens, how to spot it and what to do.
Slugs
Signs: Young plants eaten overnight.
What to do: Plant out once the soil warms and use slug bait.
Gray mold
Signs: Rotting big blooms in rain.
What to do: Space for airflow.
Saving marigold seed
Will it come true?
Many marigolds sold as plants are hybrids that won't come true. Open-pollinated varieties do.
How to save it
Pull off faded flowers once they are brown and dry, then pull the thin seeds from the base. Store dry seed in a labeled paper envelope in a cool, dry place.
Common questions about growing marigolds
When should I plant marigolds in Oregon, Washington and Idaho?
Plant in the garden: May 15 – Jun 19 in Portland and Seattle, May 20 – Jun 24 in Spokane, May 1 – Jun 5 in Boise and Jun 9 – Jul 14 in Bend. Pick your town at the top of the page for your own dates.
Do marigolds keep pests away?
The evidence is mixed. French marigolds grown as a dense cover crop can reduce some root-knot nematodes, but a few plants scattered in a bed won't repel most garden pests.
When should I plant marigolds?
After your last frost, once the soil is warm. Start seeds indoors four to six weeks earlier for earlier flowers.
Are marigolds edible?
Signet marigolds and calendula (pot marigold) have edible petals. Use common French and African marigolds for show, not food.
See what else to plant in April, May or June.
Dahlias
Sunflowers
Zinnias
Sweet peas
Tulips
Daffodils
Peonies
Cosmos
Nasturtiums
Calendula
Snapdragons
Ranunculus