7 Reasons to grow Marigolds in your Vegetable Garden

 

7 Reasons to grow Marigolds in your Vegetable Garden

 

 Marigold is a herbaceous flowering plant belonging family Asteraceae. Marigolds are popularly cultivated as pot plants and also for cut flowers. Marigolds are used in many rituals and occasions. Owing to its wide adaptability, wide attractive colours, shape, size, and good keeping quality, marigolds are fondly grown by many people. Many species of marigolds are known but two of them are mainly cultivated.

 

Those are: 

African Marigold – Tagetes erecta 

French Marigold – Tagetes patula

 

Marigolds are cultivated for the beautification of the landscape and cut flower purpose. But interestingly growing marigolds in the vegetable garden has many beneficial results.

 

 Following are 7 reasons to grow marigolds in the vegetable garden:

 

1. Helps in managing nematodes

 

What are nematodes?

 

Any worm belonging to the phylum Nematoda that has is often referred to as roundworms. They have a bilaterally symmetrical and triploblastic body and they are cylindrical. They are widely distributed, as they can be terrestrial or aquatic, parasitic, or free living. They can harm both plants and animals, including human beings. Plant-parasitic nematodes exist in different shapes and sizes and they can be either ectoparasite or endoparasite. The plant-parasitic nematode can cause severe damage to plants. Nematode often drains out the content from plant cells and kill them. Nematodes feeding on the roots damage the root system and also injure them providing an entry point to other microorganisms that cause diseases in plants.

 

Why marigold?

 

Marigold releases alpha terthienyl bithenyl compounds from their roots that act antagonistically against nematodes. African and French marigold species are known to control nematodes especially root-knot nematodes and lesion nematodes. Growing marigold one season before planting the main crop can repel and suppress the nematode population.

 

2. Attracts natural enemies

 

Natural enemies are those organisms that can kill, or decrease the reproductive potential of, or in other words, can reduce the numbers of another organism. Natural enemies play an important role in the management of many pests and diseases in agriculture.

 

Marigold not only helps in controlling the nematodes but also due to the release of the chemical compounds by them attract natural enemies that can help in reducing the pest population in the garden.

 

 

3. Attracts pollinators

 

Pollinators are anything that helps in pollination. Bees, wasps, butterflies, beetles, etc. are important pollinators of plants.

 

The scent of marigolds is something that these insects are attracted to. Growing marigolds in the vegetable garden will attract such insects which in turn will help in the pollination of vegetables encouraging flowers and seed production.

 

4. Act as a trap crop

 

A trap crop is a plant that attracts pests, usually insects, away from nearby main crops.

 

Marigold is a popular trap crop for tomatoes against fruit borers. Growing marigolds in the vegetable garden also keep away the snails from the garden.

 

5. Improves Soil health

 

The antibacterial properties of marigold can effectively protect crops against soil-borne diseases. Marigold when incorporated into soil is loved by soil microorganisms and enhances soil fertility. Organic matter added through marigold can also improve the soil structure and enhance the water holding capacity of the soil.

 

6. Makes your vegetable garden more colourful

 

Marigold comes in a wide range of shapes and colours. Growing a few rows of marigolds in your vegetable garden will beautify your garden with many folds.

 

7. Generates extra income 

 

Marigold cut flowers has a high demand for decorating homes and venues for many occasions. Petals of marigolds can be used to make natural food colour and fabric colour. Marigold flower extract is also used in poultry feed industries to enhance the yolk colour.