Garden Care Guide

African Marigold Care

Tagetes erecta

Needs plenty of sun and well-drained soil. Because its pungent scent keeps some pests away, it is also used as a companion plant in vegetable gardens. A showy summer flower, ideal for borders and pots.

Frost-tender (protect from frost) · 0 °C / 32 °F

Monthly care calendar

Timings are for a temperate Northern Hemisphere climate. In warmer areas tasks start earlier, in colder areas later; in the Southern Hemisphere shift them by six months.

January
  • General care: Plan the planting area for next season and enrich the soil by adding organic matter (compost, well-rotted manure).
  • Pests & diseases: Deep tillage can be done to reduce pests in the soil.
  • Frost risk: If frost is expected, cover with frost fabric; if in a pot, move to a sheltered place. Damaged below approximately 0 °C.
February
  • General care: Continue soil preparation. Aerate the area to be sown and clear it of weeds.
  • Pests & diseases: You can determine nutrient deficiencies by doing a soil analysis.
  • Frost risk: If frost is expected, cover with frost fabric; if in a pot, move to a sheltered place. Damaged below approximately 0 °C.
March
  • General care: You can start the seeds indoors or in a greenhouse toward the end of the month. Wait for the soil temperature to become suitable for sowing.
  • Pests & diseases: Prevent fungal diseases (damping-off) in young seedlings by using clean soil and pots.
  • Frost risk: If frost is expected, cover with frost fabric; if in a pot, move to a sheltered place. Damaged below approximately 0 °C.
April
  • Watering: If there is no rainfall, water every 15 days.
  • Fertilizing: Give liquid fertilizer once a month.
  • Pruning: For a sturdier structure, you can remove the tips of young seedlings (pinching).
  • Plant protection: Protect young seedlings against slugs and snails.
  • General care: Once the risk of last frost has passed (early in this month), plant seedlings outdoors or sow seeds directly.
  • Pests & diseases: Provide good drainage to prevent root rot.
  • Frost risk: At the start of the month there may still be a slight risk; protect seedlings.
May
  • Watering: If there is no rainfall, water once a week. Water newly planted plants more often than established plants during the first year; the root system is still shallow.
  • Fertilizing: Give liquid fertilizer once a month.
  • Pruning: Regularly remove spent flowers at the base; this encourages new flowering. Remove spent flowers regularly; if the plant goes to seed, flowering ends early.
  • Plant protection: Check for aphids.
  • General care: Suitable period for planting and transplanting. Apply mulch 5-7 cm thick over the root zone; it conserves soil moisture and suppresses weeds. Do not press mulch against the stem.
  • Pests & diseases: Wetting the leaves can lead to fungal diseases; apply the water to the root zone.
June
  • Watering: Water deeply twice a week; prefer infrequent and generous watering over small and frequent. Water so that the soil is wetted 10-15 cm down from the surface.
  • Fertilizing: Give liquid fertilizer once a month.
  • Pruning: Regularly remove spent flowers at the base; this encourages new flowering.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Flowering begins.
  • Pests & diseases: Look for white, powdery spots on the leaves (powdery mildew). Thinning dense branches to increase airflow slows its spread.
July
  • Watering: Water deeply twice a week; prefer infrequent and generous watering over small and frequent. Water so that the soil is wetted 10-15 cm down from the surface.
  • Fertilizing: Give liquid fertilizer once a month.
  • Pruning: Regularly remove spent flowers at the base; this encourages new flowering.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Flowering continues.
  • Pests & diseases: In hot and dry weather, look on the undersides of the leaves for fine webbing and speckled yellowing (spider mites). Washing the leaves during the cool hours reduces their numbers. Look for white, powdery patches on the leaves (powdery mildew). Thinning dense branches to increase airflow slows its spread.
August
  • Watering: Water deeply twice a week; prefer infrequent and generous watering over small and frequent. Water so that the soil is wetted 10-15 cm down from the surface.
  • Fertilizing: Give liquid fertilizer once a month.
  • Pruning: Regularly remove spent flowers at the base; this encourages new flowering.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Flowering continues.
  • Pests & diseases: In hot and dry weather, look on the undersides of the leaves for fine webbing and speckled yellowing (spider mites). Washing the leaves during the cool hours reduces their numbers. Look for white, powdery patches on the leaves (powdery mildew). Thinning dense branches to increase airflow slows its spread.
September
  • Watering: If there is no rainfall, water once a week.
  • Fertilizing: Make this month's feeding the last of the season; afterward, the plant needs to prepare for winter.
  • Pruning: Regularly remove spent flowers at the base; this encourages new flowering.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Flowering continues.
  • Pests & diseases: Look for white, powdery spots on the leaves (powdery mildew). Thinning dense branches to increase airflow slows its spread.
October
  • Watering: If there is no rainfall, water every 15 days.
  • Fertilizing: After mid-month, stop fertilizing.
  • Pruning: Flowering slows down, but it is still beneficial to remove the faded flowers.
  • General care: Flowering continues. It is removed at the end of the season; it is replaced with a seasonal change of plants.
  • Pests & diseases: As the plant weakens, it becomes more open to disease.
  • Frost risk: Toward the end of the month, the first frost risk may begin.
November
  • General care: The plant will die after the first frosts. To prevent diseases and pests from overwintering, pull up the plant debris and remove it from the garden.
  • Pests & diseases: Removing plant debris is important for the health of the next season.
  • Frost risk: If frost is expected, cover with frost fabric; if in a pot, move to a sheltered place. Damaged below approximately 0 °C.
December
  • General care: Leave the soil to rest or sow a winter cover crop. Plan for next year.
  • Pests & diseases: Make sure the soil is clean.
  • Frost risk: If frost is expected, cover with frost fabric; if in a pot, move to a sheltered place. Damaged below approximately 0 °C.

The care advice on this page is general and for information only; it is not professional advice. Plant age, soil and your garden’s microclimate can change the outcome. Plant protection products are mentioned only as general information; they are regulated, and the choice, dose and timing must be decided by a qualified professional under local rules. Consult a landscape architect or agronomist before applying.

Want reminders for every plant in your garden? Our garden-care app with monthly task lists and frost alerts is currently available in Turkish; the English version is on the way.

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