Bonanza™ Flame Marigold Seeds

Days to Maturity: 49

Bonanza™ Flame, an early flowering, dwarf French marigold, is an annual offering spring through late summer interest, blooming until first frost in some regions. Heavy blooming, the plant sets 2- to 3-inch, double-crested, orange and mahogany bicolor blossoms. The showy, long-lasting flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds to the garden.

Bonanza Flame Marigold has excellent branching; a uniform, upright, compact habit of finely divided, bushy foliage; and a vigorous growth rate. Shown to best effect when massed or grouped, French marigolds are perfect for beds, borders, and containers. Best known for repelling insects in the garden, marigolds are often grown alongside perennials and vegetables as they repel whiteflies and kill bad nematodes.

Easy to grow, marigold grows best in sunny locations with average, evenly moist, well-draining soil. The plant is humidity tolerant, generally pest and disease free, and deer resistant. Although marigolds are low maintenance, pinching off the tops of established plants results in bushier plants with a heavier bloom and deadheading regularly encourages and prolongs flowering. Plants naturalize and will self-seed in the garden.

Direct sow marigold seed after the last frost and as soon as the soil is warm in spring or start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost and transplant after all threat of frost has passed.