Calendula

Cultivation

(For some reason, I regularly companion these with tomatoes!)

• Easy to grow indoors (start 6-8 weeks before last frost) or sow outdoors after last frost
• Offer full sun and compost-rich soil or potting soil
• Bloom all season long; deadhead and fertilize to increase blooms
• Like marigolds, will help repel insects, so are great for companion planting

Plants prefer full sun but will tolerate light shade in warmer areas. Calendula is best planted in prepared garden beds or large containers filled with organic potting soil. Prior to planting in beds, work a shovelful or two of well-aged manure or compost into the ground to improve soil conditions. Calendula will self-sow yearly in many gardens and don't mind crowding. Direct-sow the seeds in early spring or late fall, as they can withstand some frost.

Water well throughout the gardening season. If desired, apply a liquid bloom fertilizer several times during the gardening season to promote big, beautiful blossoms. Pinch off spent flowers on a regular basis to extend the blooming period. Mulch to prevent weeds, conserve moisture and help keep roots cool.

Harvesting

Pick at peak, and pick frequently, as soon as the first flower opens. Harvesting flowers, pick as close to the flower as possible.

The best part is, the more flowers you pick, the more flowers your plant will produce. In peak conditions, that might mean every 3-4 days.

Preserving

Drying Calendula is the most popular way to preserve the flowers. Do not wash the flowerheads. Dry small batches, immediately after harvest, in the dark by spreading flowers on a screen. Use of a dehydrator is an option as long as it does not exceed 95'F -- Calendula is very heat sensitive.

Seed Saving

If you do not harvest the flowers, the plants will dry and wither, and then go to seed.

Calendula will produce lots of seed in a similar fashion to a zinnia or marigold. When the blooms dry out, cut them off and hang upside down in bundles. The seeds are contained in the heads, and once dry and crisp, they can be lightly hand-crushed and winnowed from the seed chaff.

Use

Use the entire flower head, not just the petals, in preparations for healing cuts, scrapes, burns, diaper rash, sores, ulcers, varicose veins, chapped skin and lips, and insect bites. Salves, oils, creams, and other preparations can be found in drugstores and natural food stores alike. Science shows that extracts of the flower heads have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects. And herbalists have long recommended tea infusions of calendula to help heal ulcers in the digestive tract, soothe gallbladder inflammation, and treat enlarged, sore lymph glands.