Learn how to save your own marigold seeds to plant in the coming years. One marigold plant will produce enough seeds to plant many more plants next year!
![marigold flowers in the garden](https://homelifeonadime.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/How-to-Collect-and-Save-Marigold-Seeds-for-Next-Year-featured-image.png)
Saving your own seeds from year to year is a great way to save money, as well as ensure you keep up this valuable skill.
Here is a quick guide to saving marigold seeds whether you are just learning how to save your own seeds, or you are a seasoned seed saver.
Marigolds are one of the brightest little flowers out there.
It is hard to scan your eyes over your flower or veggie garden and not notice their extremely bright orange and yellow flower heads.
Marigolds have always been apart of my life, as my mom has grown marigolds on the front of her vegetable garden every single year since I could remember.
Quick confession: I never liked marigolds and promised myself I would never plant them in my own future garden.
Now, years later, I definitely plant them in my own garden as well!
I never knew it, but bugs don’t like marigolds!
This year I experimented with planting marigolds between my potato rows.
I had very few potato bugs this year, so I will be testing this again in the years to come.
I just want to make sure that marigolds truly scare the potato bugs away before I toot my horn too loudly!
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About Marigold Flowers
Marigolds are part of the Asteraceae or Daisy family.
The scientific name for true marigolds is Tagetes. There are around 50 different species in the tagetes genus.
Some types of marigolds are poisonous, while some are edible and even beneficial to your health.
Make sure if you are wanting to use marigolds for eating that you get the right variety!
Marigolds are not to be confused with the “pot marigold” or calendula as they are quite different.
Why should I grow marigolds in the first place?
First off, marigolds are great at attracting pollinators to your flower and vegetable gardens. This is of course important for the health of your plant.
Second, a lot of bugs and pests are not fond of marigolds.
I like to plant marigolds among my vegetables so that the rabbits and bugs leave them along.
And then of course there is that beautiful pop of bright, beautiful color that adds a brightness not many other flowers can add!
How to collect marigold seeds
Marigold blooms are usually bright orange or yellow. When the bloom dies, it leaves behind a seed pod.
![marigold seed pod after the flower died off](https://homelifeonadime.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/How-to-Collect-and-Save-Marigold-Seeds-for-Next-Year-6-1024x768.jpg)
When this seed pod is dry, you can harvest it and save the seeds for next year.
To save these seeds, first look over your marigold plant. You want to find only the driest seed pods.
![dry seed pod on a marigold plant](https://homelifeonadime.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/How-to-Collect-and-Save-Marigold-Seeds-for-Next-Year-12-1024x768.jpg)
Grip the seed pod right at the base where the pod and the stem meet. Pull gently and firmly on the pod, pulling it off of the dried stem.
Collect as many of these pods as you want.
Separating the seeds and pods
Next you will want to separate the seeds from their pods.
Hold the seed pod with one hand. With your other hand, pull the fried flower petals off of the seeds. Most of the pods will have some dried petals on them, but if they don’t they already fell off of the pod.
![peeling the flower off of the seed pod](https://homelifeonadime.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/How-to-Collect-and-Save-Marigold-Seeds-for-Next-Year-15-1024x768.jpg)
Next, grasp the seed pod at the top (where the you just pulled the dry flower petals off) then, using your other hand, peel off the outer dry husk of the seed pod.
![husking a marigold seed pod](https://homelifeonadime.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/How-to-Collect-and-Save-Marigold-Seeds-for-Next-Year-18-1024x768.jpg)
![marigold seeds pulled out their husk](https://homelifeonadime.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/How-to-Collect-and-Save-Marigold-Seeds-for-Next-Year-20-1024x768.jpg)
Continue until you have all of the seed pods husked.
Now you will enough marigold seeds to plant many more plants next year!
![a bowl of marigold seeds](https://homelifeonadime.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/How-to-Collect-and-Save-Marigold-Seeds-for-Next-Year-28-1024x768.jpg)
Storing marigold seeds
Store marigold seeds in a airtight container away from moisture and light.
A mason jar with a lid stored in a dark cupboard or cabinet works great!
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