When to harvest pot marigold 'pacific beauty'

Just fully open, on a dry morning after the dew has lifted but before midday heat. Pot Marigold 'Pacific Beauty' is harvested for its flowers, and timing within the day matters as much as the season. Pick when blooms have just fully opened — that is when the aromatic oils are at their strongest. Regular picking also keeps the plant producing, since it stops it setting seed.

Snip whole flower heads with scissors, leaving foliage behind. Handle lightly — bruised petals lose their aroma and discolour as they dry.

Dry on a rack or in loose bunches somewhere warm, dark and airy, then store in an airtight jar out of the light. Sunlight bleaches both colour and scent.

Picking wet, or in the afternoon heat. Damp flowers go mouldy as they dry, and midday picking loses much of the aroma.