How to revive marigolds and get them blooming again

Grab the pruners.

Summer isn’t just taking a toll on the lawn you’ve worked so hard on. Some of the plants in your garden and patio pots may look like they have seen better days. If you’re seeing fewer blooms on the marigolds on your porch and around your tomato plants, it’s time to give them a boost. The extreme heat that hits around July can cause heat stress and slow marigolds’ blooming. The soil dries out faster the hotter it gets, and with little rain, you may not be keeping up with the deep waterings they need. Thankfully, their season isn’t over yet. There are a few things you can do to perk up marigolds so you’ll see more beautiful blooms before the season ends.

Deadhead Spent Blooms

While deadheading isn’t a requirement for marigolds, it’s not just done for a neater appearance. It does encourage the plant to produce more blooms. Once blooms fade, seeds eventually begin to form, the plant becomes leggy, and blooming slows. If the plant is busy producing seeds, it doesn’t have as much energy to put into producing new blooms. Deadheading prevents flowers from going to seed so the plant can focus on putting out more blooms. Check the plant every few days for spent blooms, and pinch them off just above a healthy set of leaves.

Cut Back Leggy Stems

Marigolds naturally decrease blooming during intense summer heat. Cutting them back at this time can help. Marigolds can look tired, and stems can get leggy if the plant doesn’t have enough light or spent blooms have been left on too long. To fix this, cut the plant back by a third to a more compact size, cutting stems at an angle just above a leaf node to encourage side branching that leads to fuller growth. Look for any broken, long, weak, or damaged stems as well.

Check The Soil’s Moisture

In the summer, your marigolds may need more water than they have been getting because the soil dries out faster the hotter it gets. Check the soil’s moisture and water marigolds when the top few inches of soil are dry. Marigolds may be competing for water if they’re planted with other plants in a flower or vegetable garden. Make sure they have plenty of space. Crowding can make it harder for them to absorb moisture. Give them an inch of water each week so there’s enough moisture for marigolds and any nearby plants. Mulch can help retain soil moisture.

Give Them Full Sun

Marigolds need full sun, and they don’t shy away from it. But as nearby plants start to leaf out and shoot upward, your marigolds may be getting too much shade. Cut back any nearby plants to allow more light to reach the marigolds. When planting, make sure they are spaced about 8 to 12 inches from larger plants.

Don’t Overdo The Fertilizer

Marigolds aren’t heavy feeders, and they don’t need much fertilizer, if any. Too much fertilizer, particularly nitrogen, can encourage them to produce more foliage and fewer flowers so avoid over-fertilizing. If you want to use it, look for low-nitrogen fertilizer or phosphorus-rich bone meal to encourage blooms and strong roots.

Read the original article on Southern Living