How to Preserve Marigold Seeds From Your Garden

There is something about the smell of a marigold that is attractive! I am not sure if one could say it smells good - but somehow it means summertime and gardening and home - at least to my senses! These flowers are a great asset to gardens for their insect repelling characteristics as well as for their hardiness. The French marigold grows well as a mass planting along borders or in window boxes as it only grows from 12 to 18 inches high. There is no need to purchase new seeds every year when you can pick your own and dry them so easily!

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• dead seed heads from marigolds
• warm oven
• paper bag

1. During the fall, pick a sunny morning after the dew has dried to pick a bunch of seed heads from the marigold plants. Choose ones that are plump and firm not spongy.
2. Place them on a tray - spread out in one layer if possible and set in a warm and dry place to cure. My oven has a warm setting of 140 degrees which speeds up the process. If they don't get dry, they will mold and become bug-eaten.
3. After they are dry, place them in a paper bag and set aside in a cool dry place to wait for spring. Keep them covered so spiders stay out. Even mice might find them attractive so keep them out of reach!
4. That is all there is to it. Now, you can separate the individual seeds and plant them in the spring as you would any that were bought from a store. Pick ones that have a bright black section (the seed)and are not just a thin grassy thing! Each seed head has about 150 seeds so after picking just a few handfuls of dead flower buds you should have enough for yourself as well as your neighborhood!
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Tips & Warnings

• If you bought hybrid marigolds, the seeds will not produce the same kind of flowers.