When to plant marigolds
annual
The short answer
Marigolds are planted out after the last frost. Start them indoors 4 weeks before the last frost.
Zone 5: plant out from Apr 30. Zone 7: plant out from Apr 5. Zone 9: plant out from Feb 20. See every zone or your state.
When to plant marigolds by USDA zone
Dates are worked out from each zone’s typical last frost, using the number of weeks the cited extension services give. Find your zone on the zone map. Zones 11 and above are frost-free, so timing there depends on heat and rain instead.
| Zone | Typical last frost | Start seed indoors | Plant out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | May 15 | Apr 17 | from May 15 |
| Zone 4 | May 10 | Apr 12 | from May 10 |
| Zone 5 | Apr 30 | Apr 2 | from Apr 30 |
| Zone 6 | Apr 15 | Mar 18 | from Apr 15 |
| Zone 7 | Apr 5 | Mar 8 | from Apr 5 |
| Zone 8 | Mar 20 | Feb 20 | from Mar 20 |
| Zone 9 | Feb 20 | Jan 23 | from Feb 20 |
| Zone 10 | Jan 30 | Jan 2 | from Jan 30 |
Rule used: plant out after the last frost; start seed indoors 4 weeks before the last frost.
When to plant marigolds in your state
Same rule, applied to each state’s typical last spring frost. States marked * span very different climates, so use your own frost date for the exact day - click a state for its frost dates.
| State | Typical last frost | Start seed indoors | Plant out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Mar 25 | Feb 25 | from Mar 25 |
| Alaska * | May 17 | Apr 19 | from May 17 |
| Arizona * | Mar 15 | Feb 15 | from Mar 15 |
| Arkansas | Apr 3 | Mar 6 | from Apr 3 |
| California * | Feb 20 | Jan 23 | from Feb 20 |
| Colorado | May 5 | Apr 7 | from May 5 |
| Connecticut | Apr 25 | Mar 28 | from Apr 25 |
| Delaware | Apr 14 | Mar 17 | from Apr 14 |
| District of Columbia | Apr 10 | Mar 13 | from Apr 10 |
| Florida | Feb 12 | Jan 15 | from Feb 12 |
| Georgia | Mar 25 | Feb 25 | from Mar 25 |
| Idaho | May 10 | Apr 12 | from May 10 |
| Illinois | Apr 20 | Mar 23 | from Apr 20 |
| Indiana | Apr 24 | Mar 27 | from Apr 24 |
| Iowa | Apr 25 | Mar 28 | from Apr 25 |
| Kansas | Apr 15 | Mar 18 | from Apr 15 |
| Kentucky | Apr 18 | Mar 21 | from Apr 18 |
| Louisiana | Mar 5 | Feb 5 | from Mar 5 |
| Maine | May 14 | Apr 16 | from May 14 |
| Maryland | Apr 14 | Mar 17 | from Apr 14 |
| Massachusetts | Apr 24 | Mar 27 | from Apr 24 |
| Michigan | May 10 | Apr 12 | from May 10 |
| Minnesota | May 6 | Apr 8 | from May 6 |
| Mississippi | Mar 20 | Feb 20 | from Mar 20 |
| Missouri | Apr 15 | Mar 18 | from Apr 15 |
| Montana | May 15 | Apr 17 | from May 15 |
| Nebraska | Apr 30 | Apr 2 | from Apr 30 |
| Nevada * | Apr 20 | Mar 23 | from Apr 20 |
| New Hampshire | May 13 | Apr 15 | from May 13 |
| New Jersey | Apr 20 | Mar 23 | from Apr 20 |
| New Mexico * | Apr 20 | Mar 23 | from Apr 20 |
| New York * | May 1 | Apr 3 | from May 1 |
| North Carolina | Apr 5 | Mar 8 | from Apr 5 |
| North Dakota | May 15 | Apr 17 | from May 15 |
| Ohio | Apr 25 | Mar 28 | from Apr 25 |
| Oklahoma | Apr 1 | Mar 4 | from Apr 1 |
| Oregon * | Apr 20 | Mar 23 | from Apr 20 |
| Pennsylvania | May 1 | Apr 3 | from May 1 |
| Rhode Island | Apr 25 | Mar 28 | from Apr 25 |
| South Carolina | Mar 25 | Feb 25 | from Mar 25 |
| South Dakota | May 10 | Apr 12 | from May 10 |
| Tennessee | Apr 10 | Mar 13 | from Apr 10 |
| Texas * | Mar 15 | Feb 15 | from Mar 15 |
| Utah | May 5 | Apr 7 | from May 5 |
| Vermont | May 14 | Apr 16 | from May 14 |
| Virginia | Apr 15 | Mar 18 | from Apr 15 |
| Washington * | Apr 20 | Mar 23 | from Apr 20 |
| West Virginia | May 5 | Apr 7 | from May 5 |
| Wisconsin | May 10 | Apr 12 | from May 10 |
| Wyoming | May 20 | Apr 22 | from May 20 |
What extension services say
- Start marigold seed indoors 4 weeks before the average frost-free date. Colorado State University Extension ↗
- Minnesota splits them: African marigolds mid-March (about 9 weeks indoors), French and gem marigolds early April (5-6 weeks). University of Minnesota Extension ↗
- Missouri: early April, 5-7 days to germinate and a crop time of 8-12 weeks; tall types need more time. University of Missouri Extension ↗
- Annual flowers are usually planted in spring as soon as the danger of frost has passed. University of Missouri Extension ↗
The table uses Colorado's 4 weeks. Tall African types need longer indoors, so start them earlier (Minnesota gives about 9 weeks).
Questions gardeners ask
When do you start marigold seeds indoors?
Colorado State says 4 weeks before the average frost-free date. Minnesota suggests about 9 weeks for tall African types and 5-6 weeks for French and gem types.
Sources
- University of Minnesota Extension: Starting seeds indoors
- Colorado State University Extension: Growing Annual Plants from Seed
- University of Missouri Extension: Starting Plants Indoors From Seeds (G6570)
- University of Missouri Extension: Herbaceous Ornamentals (MG9)
Extension advice is local to the state that wrote it. Where the sources differ, both are shown. Dates in the tables are estimates from typical frost dates; your garden’s own last frost can differ by a week or more. How we source data.