This is my final report on the seeds that I planted back in April, all of which produce flowers that are used to dye fabric. I sowed seeds in containers, and have reported on them over the last seven months (see Seeds to Dye For and related posts). So far I've used the calendula flowers for a dye project (see Solar Dyeing with Calendula), and have collected and dried the coreopsis flowers for a future dye project. This time I'm reporting on the marigolds (Tagetes signata).
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| Marigolds in November |
It's November in the San Francisco Bay Area, and the marigolds are still going strong. In fact, they are flourishing after the the recent winter rains. The plants look a little disheveled, because the container is a favorite place for squirrels to stash acorns throughout September and October.
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| Planting seeds in late April |
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Putting on growth in early August (pottery boot by Jason Quisenberry)
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According to Botanical Colors, marigold flowers produce a wide range of colors in the yellow, brown, and tan range. The variations depend on the mordants used, and the number of times the fabric is dipped. Marigolds can also be used as an overdye with indigo to produce various shades of teal and blue.
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| Good growth and flower buds in September |
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| Closer look at the marigold flower buds |
I've been collecting the flowers and drying them over the last month. As with the coreopsis, the flowers are quite small, and I'm not sure how much color they will yield. Next time I'll try planting Tagetes erecta, which has larger flowers. They were not available from Renee's Garden back in April due to supply chain problems, but I'm looking forward to trying both and comparing!
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| First flowers in mid-September |
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