As the plants enlarge, pinch back leggy stems to encourage bushy growth, and deadhead spent blossoms to ensure a continuous display of color throughout the growing season.

. Direct Sowing Calendula Seeds .

Calendula prefers a rich, fertile and well-drained soil, in full or partial sun. As it self-seeds so easily, it is a good idea to choose a permanent spot to grow calendula.

. Sow seeds from late march onwards and after the last frost in your area, in a well-cultivated soil which has been raked to a fine tilth.

. Water ground regularly, especially in dry periods.

. Protect the emerging plants from slugs using beer traps or another organic solution.

. when the seedlings are large enough to handle, thin out them until they are finally 30cm (12in) apart in spring.

Your Calendula plants begin blooming 45-60 days after germination and as long as you keep on top of picking the flowers, they’ll continue blooming and producing all throughout the summer and autumn.

Calendula flowers will be yellow to bright orange and 2-3” in diameter. There are different varieties of Calendula officinalis with some blooming as single flowers and others with double rows of petals. You can buy calendula seeds as mixes so that you could have single, double, yellow, and orange flowers all together in the same row. . Growing Calendula in Containers . . Fill a pot with good quality potting mix. . Plant calendula seeds directly into the pot by pressing the seeds lightly into the surface of the pot. . Water gently and keep moist through germination period. . Feed every 1 to 2 weeks with organic liquid fertilizer. Young calendula plants require to be pinched back to encourage bushiness. Give an occasional feed. Water frequently, but ensure to avoid getting water on the leaves to prevent mildew. Well draining soil and only occasional watering after plants are established is the best way to growing prolific calendula plants.

. Harvesting Calendula Flowers .

Calendula flowers vary some from each other. Some flowers have a darker center, some have multiple layers of petals and some even vary in the intensity of orange and yellow. Calendula flowers are edible and can be used fresh in many ways. Harvesting can begin with the first blooms of the season and continue throughout the warm season and into fall. You can harvest the flowers by simply plucking them easily off the stem. If you don’t want all of the flower-less stems sticking up, just clip the stem back to the main stalk, your hands will be very sticky after picking Calendula flowers. They are very resinous which is exactly what you want for good medicine making! Be sure to harvest the flowers on a dry, sunny day and preferably before the strong heat of the day.

. Collecting Calendula seeds .

Calendula are seed producers and will self-seed around the area they’re growing. The seeds are very easy to collect and once you’ve made the initial investment of seeds you shouldn’t need to buy them again.

The seeds will fall off on their own, sometimes they stay on until they are brown and dried, and sometimes they fall while still green. The trick is to collect the seeds when the plant is ready to release them before wind, rain or they fall off alone. Just do this by brushing the (button) with the pad of your thumb and store in a cool, dry place.