Seed Collection: Erfurter Orangefarbige Calendula

Erfurter Orangefarbige is a variety of calendula bred specifically for its medicinal virtues. Although the whole plant has long been used as a culinary and medicinal herb, the bright orange flowers alone are recommended for kitchen use today, since the leaves are very bitter. The flowers are mild tasting and slightly sweet, and can be used both in savoury and sweet dishes the nickname pot marigold comes from its popular use in the soup pot. When dried, its petals, which have been called poor mans saffron, can be used to create a natural dye or, funnily enough, in chicken feed to make egg yolks extra vibrant!

NAME
Calendula

VARIETY
Erfurter Orangefarbige

QUANTITY
45 seeds

PLANT SIZE
Height 30 cm
Width 30 cm

CONTAINER SIZE
Height 25 cm
Width 25 cm

COMPANION PLANT
All vegetables benefit from the presence of calendula especially tomatoes, radishes and carrots.

SOWING
Indoor Feb-Mar
Outdoor Apr-June

TIMING
Germination 7-15 days
Harvesting 40-60 days

SPACING
When sowing 3-5 cm; Depth 1 cm
When thinning 3-5 cm

GROWING
Sunligth Full sun
Soil Well-drained, light and moist soil
Watering Regular, moderate watering
Feeding Light feeder

CARING
Expert tip Calendula is adaptable and does not require a lot of maintenance, making it ideal for container gardens. Just beware, it will also re-seed readily and easily, so keep an eye on it if you dont want a calendula jungle on your balcony!