Good plant #16 - Calendula Officinalis 'Needles and Pins'

If you like plants that produce flowers from early summer to the first frosts, this hardy annual is hard to beat.  In late March, I sow two or three seeds into a tray of 12 tiny biodegradable pots outside.  I remove the weak seedling(s) a couple of weeks after germination.  I keep the tiny pots in an elevated position (away from slugs) and moist.  You get slightly quicker germination if you put the tiny pots in a covered seed tray.

Once the plants are about 3or 4 inches and looking sturdy, I plant the biodegradable pots, straight into the the soil in sunny or sunnyish site about 10-12 inches apart.

To save the kerfuffle of seeds, just buy mini plants online or from your local retailer!

The key to keeping this plant flowering for a long period is removing fading flowers constantly.

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