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calendula oil vegan skincare recipe
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June 07, 2022

Marigold and its Many Uses

Marigolds are blooming in gardens all over the UK at the moment. Pollinators like bees love them and they have so many uses so make a great addition to our lives.

 

As natural dye enthusiasts we naturally get drawn to growing our own dye stuffs. One of the easiest of these is marigold. They flower from Spring through to Autumn and can be used fresh or dried.

The best types for dyeing are French marigolds or Tagetes.

Natural Dyeing

Instructions:

Pick enough marigold flowers so they equal to or are double the weight of the fabric (WOF) you are dyeing.

Place in a plan and fill it with water, cover with a lid and bring to a simmer. Then turn off and allow flowers to steep ideally overnight and extract their colour. 

Strain the flowers. Add your mordanted fabric and warm the water before leaving to sit until desired colour is achieved.

You can also use dried or fresh marigold petals for bundle dyeing.

We will be sharing our bundle dyeing experiments later in the summer.

Cooking

Marigolds add colour and powerful antioxidants to your salads and cooking so don’t be afraid to throw them into stews, rice, dahls etc. They are also very decorative for the top of biscuits and cakes.

 

A cup of marigold tea can be healing for the stomach lining.

Insecticide

French marigold also known as tagetes can be used to make a spray for keeping whitefly, aphids and spider mites at bay as well as some other less welcome visitors to your garden.

Planting them amongst your vegetables can act as a deterrent too! 

Instructions:

Combine 2 cups of water with 1 cup of marigold flowers, stems, leaves in a blender.

Leave to ferment for 2 days and bottle. Then spray on your affected plants.

 

Pets

You can also use the above marigold spray on treasured pets like dogs and horses to keep flies away.

Skincare

Marigold also known as Calendula is one of our greatest healers and was an important medicine in ancient Greece. With its natural antibacterial and anti-fungal properties it prevents infections and heals injuries so is often used in skincare.

For a simple hydrating moisturiser. Fill a jam jar half full of dried calendula petals and pour over an organic base oil that works with your skin such as olive, almond or jojoba. Leave to infuse for 6 weeks to 3 months or until the oil turns a yellow hue. Strain and use.

When growing marigolds in your garden don’t forget to keep the cycle going its important to gather the seeds which are at the bottom of the  flower heads. Harvest the seeds when the petals are dry and the base of each bloom is turning brown. Remove each head from the stem and store in a dry place.

They bring a huge amount of joy and their colours are uplifting. I encourage you to try growing some varieties in your garden. Try dwarf, French or Pot as a starting point.