How to Grow Calendula (Gul-e-Ashrafi) From Seed for Winter Blooms
Calendula (Gul-e-Ashrafi, pot marigold) is the easiest winter flower you can grow from seed in the plains: sow in October, see the first orange or yellow daisies in about two months, and, if you snip off fading heads every few days, keep flowering until the March heat ends the show. Here is how to grow calendula from seed or from nursery plants, the pot size, and why yours might be all leaves and no flowers.
Quick facts
- Sow: October to mid November in the plains
- Flowers: about December to March in Lahore, Delhi and Multan
- Pot: 20 to 25 cm (8 to 10 inches), 5 to 8 litres, one plant; or 30 cm for three
- Sun: 6 hours or more of winter sun
- Life cycle: annual; it may reseed itself
- Petals: edible, slightly bitter and peppery
- Not to be confused with: genda (Tagetes), the other “marigold”
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Calendula or genda: which marigold is this?
Both get called marigold, and nurseries mix the labels. Calendula has flat daisy flowers, sticky, slightly hairy leaves and curved, C shaped seeds. Genda (African and French marigold, Tagetes) has frilly pompom flowers, finely cut leaves with a sharp smell, and thin black needle seeds. Genda is the garland flower; its uses are covered in our genda flower guide. This page is calendula only.
Seed or nursery seedlings for a beginner?
Seed, honestly. Calendula seed is big, easy to handle and sprouts readily in October warmth. Nursery seedlings in November save a month and are good if you missed the sowing window, but a packet of seed gives you far more plants for the price of two pots. This is one of the few winter flowers where seed beats seedlings for a first timer.
When to sow calendula seeds in Pakistan
| Zone | Sow | Flowering |
|---|---|---|
| Karachi | Late October to November | January to early March |
| Multan, Sukkur, Bahawalpur | October to early November | December to early March |
| Lahore, Faisalabad, Delhi | October to mid November | December to March |
| Islamabad, Peshawar | Late September to October | December to April |
| Hills | March to April | Summer |
How to grow calendula from seed
- Mix: 2 parts garden soil, 1 part compost, 1 part sand or cocopeat. Our potting mix guide has the details.
- Sow two seeds per small pot or cell, about 1 cm deep, and water. You can also sow straight into the final pot. Tray methods are in our seed starting guide.
- Wait about one to two weeks for sprouts in October weather.
- Keep the stronger of each pair; snip the other.
- Move to the final pot at four to six true leaves. Calendula transplants easily.
- Pinch the growing tip once at about 15 cm. NC State Extension notes pinching gives a compact, bushy plant, which means more flower stems.
The three day deadheading rhythm
Walk past your pots every third morning with scissors and cut off every flower that has gone limp or started forming a seed head, right down to the next leaf. A plant left to set seed slows down; one kept from it keeps budding into March. Leave just two or three heads on one plant at the very end of the season for next year’s seed.
Calendula care in pots
Water
Water when the top 2 to 3 cm are dry: every two or three days in November, every five to seven in a cold, cloudy January. Wet leaves in the evening invite powdery mildew, the white dusty coat calendula is prone to. Water the soil in the morning.
Cold and heat
Calendula shrugs off cool nights and handles light frost better than most winter annuals. Heat is what ends it. From mid March in Multan and late March in Lahore, plants go leggy and mildewed. That is the natural end; pull them and compost.
Feeding
Compost at planting, and a handful more in January. A flowering feed (one higher in phosphorus and potash than nitrogen) at half strength once a month is optional. Rich feeding makes leaves, not flowers.
Why is my calendula not flowering?
| Sign | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Big leafy plant, no buds | Too much nitrogen or shade | Stop feeding; give full sun |
| Few flowers after a good start | Seed heads left on | Deadhead every few days |
| White powder on leaves | Powdery mildew | Remove worst leaves, water at the base, better air flow |
| Sticky leaves, curled tips | Aphids or whitefly | Water jet; mild soap spray if they persist |
| Holes in seedlings overnight | Snails and slugs | Pick off at night; raise pots off the ground |
Is calendula annual or perennial?
Annual in practice. It completes its life in one cool season and dies in the plains heat. In mild hill gardens it can sometimes linger, and it often reseeds itself in beds, so you may find surprise seedlings next autumn.
How to save calendula seeds
- Leave two or three strong flowers to fade on the plant in late February.
- Wait until the seed head turns brown and dry, and the curled seeds come off with a light touch.
- Pick them, dry for a week on paper in the shade.
- Store in a labelled paper envelope inside a dry tin. Sow next October.
Eating the petals
The petals are edible, with a mildly bitter, peppery taste, and add colour to salad, rice or raita. Only use flowers you grew without sprays, pull the petals from the green base, and rinse. Nursery bought plants may have been sprayed, so wait for new flowers after a few weeks at home.
If you are allergic to daisy family plants (chrysanthemum, ragweed, chamomile), calendula can irritate skin or set off an allergy, so handle it with gloves and skip eating the petals. Pregnant readers should not use calendula as a herbal drink or remedy; ask a doctor before anything beyond a few petals in food. For pests, try water and soap first; with any chemical spray read the label, wear gloves and a mask, keep children and pets away until dry, and never eat petals from a sprayed plant.
Calendula growing questions
How long does calendula take to flower from seed?
About eight to ten weeks. Seed sown in early October usually opens its first flowers in December in the plains.
Can I grow calendula in summer in Pakistan?
Not in the plains. Summer heat makes it leggy and mildewed. Hill gardens can grow it from spring.
How many calendula plants in one pot?
One in a 20 to 25 cm pot, or three in a 30 cm pot. Crowding brings mildew.
Should I soak calendula seeds before sowing?
There is no need. They sprout readily in damp mix. Soaking does no harm but gains little.
Does calendula need full sun?
Yes, for the most flowers. It will grow in half sun but flowers less and leans toward the light.
Can calendula grow on an indoor windowsill?
Only weakly. It wants direct winter sun on a balcony or roof to stay compact and flower well.
Is calendula safe for pets?
It is not among the well known dangerous plants, but chewing any garden plant can upset a pet’s stomach. If a pet eats a lot or seems unwell, call a vet.
Why are my calendula leaves turning white?
That is powdery mildew. Remove the worst leaves, water the soil only in the morning and give the plants space.
Will calendula come back next year?
The plant will not, but dropped seed often sprouts next autumn. Saving your own seed is more reliable.
More flowers and houseplants are in Phool aur Paudhe.