How to Grow Calendula
'Pink Surprise' from Seed
Cream and pale apricot flowers with a pink flush along the petal edges. Every plant comes out a little different, and that is the appeal.
'Pink Surprise' is one of the few calendula that suits a pastel planting. The flowers open cream and soft apricot, with a pink flush at the edges of the petals, and no two plants are quite the same. Some lean cream, others lean distinctly pink.
It grows exactly like any other pot marigold, which makes it an easy way to add long-flowering soft colour to a border or cutting patch. Poor soil, full sun and regular deadheading are all it asks for.
Quick Facts at a Glance
Plant Type
Hardy annual
Sowing Time
Sep · Mar to May
Flowering
June to October
Position
Full sun
Height
40 to 60cm
Difficulty
1 out of 5, very easy
Understanding the Plant
'Pink Surprise' is a variety of Calendula officinalis bred for unusual colouring. Because it is seed raised, the balance of cream, apricot and pink shifts from plant to plant. A row of it gives a soft, changing range of shades, which is much easier to place beside pastel annuals and grasses than the solid orange of a standard pot marigold.
It is a hardy annual, so it can be sown in September for early flowers or in spring. The petals are edible, and the flowers are popular with bees and hoverflies.
Choosing your favourites
Walk the row once plants are in flower and note the ones with the colour you like best. If you save seed, take it only from those plants. The seedlings will still vary, but you tip the next generation towards the shades you prefer.
When & How to Sow
The seed is large and easy to handle, so sowing is quick. Direct sow in drifts through a border for a natural look, or start plants in modules if you want to place them among other pastels.
Sow a few extra
Because the colour varies, sow more than you need and plant out the extras too. Once they flower you can pull any you are less keen on and keep the best.
Sow 1cm deep and cover well. Calendula seed germinates best in the dark. Expect seedlings in 7 to 14 days.
Sow direct or in modules. Direct sow from March to May where plants are to flower, or sow two seeds per module and plant out once roots fill the cell. Autumn sowings go in during September.
Thin or space plants 25 to 30cm apart. Good spacing keeps the plants flowering longer and reduces mildew in late summer.
Growing On Tips
Full sun, lean soil
Plant somewhere sunny and unimproved. Rich soil gives lush leaves and fewer, paler flowers.
Deadhead hard
Remove fading flowers through July and August in particular. Kept free of seed heads, plants flower well into October.
Water sparingly
Water while plants establish, then only in long dry spells.
Planting partners
The soft colouring sits well with pastel annuals, grasses and anything in cream, apricot or dusky pink.
For cutting
Cut when flowers are just opening. A mixed bunch shows off the full range of shades.
Edible petals
The petals are edible and make a pretty garnish, though the colour is more memorable than the flavour.
Common Problems & How to Fix Them
| Problem | Likely Cause | What to Do |
|---|---|---|
| Lots of leaf, few flowers | Soil too rich or plants fed | Calendula flowers best on poor to average ground. Stop feeding, and next year sow into an unimproved spot in full sun. |
| Flowering slows in midsummer | Seed heads left on the plant | Remove every fading flower before the curled seed heads form, or cut regularly for the house. Plants usually pick up again within a couple of weeks. |
| White powdery coating on leaves | Powdery mildew, common from late summer | Space plants 25 to 30cm apart, water at the base during dry spells and remove the worst leaves. A September sowing gives plants that flower well before mildew sets in. |
| Blackfly or greenfly on stems | Aphids, often in warm dry weather | Rub them off or rinse with water. Calendula attracts hoverflies, whose larvae eat aphids, so small colonies are often cleared without help. |
| Seedlings eaten overnight | Slugs and snails | Protect young plants on damp nights with wool pellets or a beer trap. Once plants have several true leaves they are far less vulnerable. |
| Flowers mostly cream or apricot | Natural colour variation | The pink flush is stronger on some plants than others. Keep the pinkest plants for seed saving and enjoy the range in the meantime. |
When to Expect Flowers
Spring-sown plants flower from June, and September sowings from late May the following year. Deadhead firmly through August and flowering continues into October.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🍂 Autumn sow | ||||||||||||
| 🌿 Spring sow | ||||||||||||
| 🌸 Flowering |
Plant Specifications
Soft, shifting colour from an easy pot marigold
Sow in September or spring, give it a sunny spot and keep deadheading. You will have cream, apricot and blush flowers from early summer into autumn.
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