When to Plant Marigolds
Marigolds are a tender warm-season flower. Frost damages them, so they go out only after the last spring frost.
Start seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before the last spring frost, and plant out from the last frost to 2 weeks after it. Or sow them where they will grow, from the last spring frost to 2 weeks after it. The first flowers open about 55 to 70 days after sowing.
Example dates
The same rules in dates for three climates, using typical frost dates. Enter your ZIP code above for the dates where you live.
| Task | Last frost Mar 15first Nov 15 | Last frost Apr 15first Oct 25 | Last frost May 15first Sep 30 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start seeds indoors | Feb 1 – 15 | Mar 4 – 18 | Apr 3 – 17 |
| Harden off | Mar 8 – 14 | Apr 8 – 14 | May 8 – 14 |
| Plant out | Mar 15 – 29 | Apr 15 – 29 | May 15 – 29 |
| In flower | Mar 28 – Jul 4 | Apr 28 – Aug 4 | May 28 – Sep 3 |
| Direct-sown: Sow outdoors | Mar 15 – 29 | Apr 15 – 29 | May 15 – 29 |
| Direct-sown: In flower | May 9 – Aug 15 | Jun 9 – Sep 15 | Jul 9 – Oct 15 |
Growing marigolds
Easy from seed or transplants; removing spent blooms keeps them flowering until frost.
- Spacing: 10 in apart, in rows 18 in apart. In a raised bed, 1 per sq ft at square-foot spacing.
- Days to first flowers: 55 to 70 from sowing, then about 14 weeks of flowers.
- Traditional companions: bell pepper, bush bean, cherry tomato, cucumber, eggplant, hot pepper, pole bean, potato, pumpkin, summer squash (zucchini/yellow), tomato, winter squash. See companion plants for marigolds.
Plan your beds with these dates
Draw your beds, tap squares to plant marigolds and everything else, and get every crop's dates for your ZIP code in one calendar. Free, in your browser.
Open the garden plannerQuestions
When do I start marigolds indoors?
4 to 6 weeks before the last spring frost: with a last frost of April 15, that's Mar 4 – 18. Enter your ZIP code above for your own dates.
Can marigolds go in before the last frost?
No. Marigolds are damaged by frost: plant them out from the last spring frost to 2 weeks after it.
How long do marigolds take to grow?
About 55 to 70 days from sowing to the first flowers, which then lasts about 14 weeks. Varieties differ: check the seed packet.
More planting dates
Sources
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (annual/seasonal, by station: freeze dates at 32 °F)
- Purdue University Extension: Starting Seeds Indoors (HO-14-W)
- Colorado State University Extension: Growing Annual Plants from Seed
- Colorado State University Extension: How to grow, harvest and eat 12 tasty edible annual flowers in Colorado
- Clemson Cooperative Extension HGIC: Marigold
- Clemson Cooperative Extension HGIC: Growing Annuals
- UC Master Gardener Program, UC ANR: Companion Planting Chart: Companion Planting for Edible Crops
- University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension, Kenosha County: Companion Plants for the Vegetable Garden (column, 2012)
- Utah State University Extension, Utah 4-H: Creating Sustainable School and Home Gardens: Companion Planting (2025)
- SDSU Extension: Square-Foot Garden Sample Planting Layout (P-00379, 2026)
- University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Yavapai County: The Art of Companion Planting (Master Gardener presentation, 2023)
- Clemson Cooperative Extension HGIC: Plant Partners: 5 Benefits of Companion Planting (2025)
- N.C. A&T State University Cooperative Extension: Five Veggies You Can Grow at Home