Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Calendula bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called pot marigold, common marigold, English marigold, Scotch marigold, garden marigold (Calendula officinalis).

More about calendula

About Calendula

Calendula officinalis · also called pot marigold, common marigold · flowering

Calendula (pot marigold) is a fast-growing cool-season annual prized for vivid orange and yellow daisy-like blooms that flower from late spring until the first hard frost. Easy from seed, it thrives in full sun and free-draining soil, and its edible petals are a kitchen favourite. Pet-safe — the ASPCA lists it as non-toxic to cats and dogs.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Aphids: Cluster on new growth and buds; calendula attracts hoverflies and parasitic wasps that help, or hose off / use insecticidal soap.

The reasons calendula isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming calendula traces back to one of these, roughly in order of how common they are:

Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.
Too much nitrogen feed, driving lush foliage at the expense of flowers (very common with general or lawn feeds).
The plant has not been deadheaded, so it stops flowering once it sets seed.
Irregular watering — drought or waterlogging at the budding stage makes buds abort.
It is still too young or was checked by a transplant and is rebuilding before flowering.

Feeding calendula a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.

The fix — how to get calendula to flower

Maximise sun. Give calendula the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers.
Switch the feed. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.
Deadhead regularly. Remove spent flowers often to keep it producing more rather than stopping to set seed.
Water consistently. Keep moisture even through budding and flowering — drought-then-flood swings make buds drop.

Light and feeding do most of the heavy lifting here. Dial in the spot with the light guide for calendula and get the feeding right with the calendula fertilising schedule — the wrong feed (too much nitrogen) is one of the most common silent reasons a healthy plant makes leaves instead of flowers.

Bloom season and what to expect

Calendula flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.

Post-bloom care so it flowers again

Deadhead, keep feeding lightly, and many will rebloom; collect seed from the best plants at the end of the season if you want to grow them again.

For everything else this plant needs day to day, see the full calendula care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Calendula blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my calendula flower?

Calendula blooms on the season's growth given enough sun, warmth and the right feed — there is no cold or photoperiod trick, just good growing conditions and a bloom-leaning feed. The most common reason it is not happening: Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.

How do I make calendula bloom?

Give calendula the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.

When does calendula normally bloom?