Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Tagetes tenuifolia 'Tangerine Gem' bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Tangerine Gem Signet Marigold, Tangerine Gem Marigold (Tagetes tenuifolia 'Tangerine Gem').
More about tagetes tenuifolia 'tangerine gem'
About Tagetes tenuifolia 'Tangerine Gem'
Tagetes tenuifolia 'Tangerine Gem' · also called Tangerine Gem Signet Marigold, Tangerine Gem Marigold · flowering
'Tangerine Gem' is a signet marigold smothered in masses of small, single bright-orange edible blooms over lacy, citrus-scented foliage. It forms a tidy mound for borders, containers and edible gardens, flowering nonstop from early summer to frost. Sun-loving and heat-tolerant, it thrives in lean soil and shrugs off drought once established.
Plant type: flowering
Watch for — Sparse flowering: Usually too much shade or over-rich/over-fed soil. Move to full sun and ease off nitrogen feed to restore bloom density.
The reasons tagetes tenuifolia 'tangerine gem' isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming tagetes tenuifolia 'tangerine gem' 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 tagetes tenuifolia 'tangerine gem' 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 tagetes tenuifolia 'tangerine gem' to flower
- Maximise sun. Give tagetes tenuifolia 'tangerine gem' 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 tagetes tenuifolia 'tangerine gem' and get the feeding right with the tagetes tenuifolia 'tangerine gem' 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
Tagetes tenuifolia 'Tangerine Gem' 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 tagetes tenuifolia 'tangerine gem' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Tagetes tenuifolia 'Tangerine Gem' blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my tagetes tenuifolia 'tangerine gem' flower?
Tagetes tenuifolia 'Tangerine Gem' 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 tagetes tenuifolia 'tangerine gem' bloom?
Give tagetes tenuifolia 'tangerine gem' 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 tagetes tenuifolia 'tangerine gem' normally bloom?
Tagetes tenuifolia 'Tangerine Gem' flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.
What should I do with tagetes tenuifolia 'tangerine gem' after it flowers?
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.
What is the single biggest mistake stopping tagetes tenuifolia 'tangerine gem' flowering?
Feeding tagetes tenuifolia 'tangerine gem' a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- Tagetes tenuifolia 'Tangerine Gem' care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Tagetes tenuifolia 'Tangerine Gem' light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Tagetes tenuifolia 'Tangerine Gem' fertilising — the right feed for buds, not just leaves
- Should I water my plant? The simple check
- Why is my plant wilting? Wet vs dry
- Underwatered plant — signs and rehydration
- Why won't my peace lily bloom?
- Why won't my jade plant bloom?
- Why won't my tomato bloom?
- All 2023 bloom guides in the Growli library