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14 Convincing Reasons Every Gardener Should Grow Calendula

Calendula is popular among plenty of gardens in the world. Its healing properties could have played the main role since this plant is part of the pharmacopeia of diverse indigenous cultures.

Nevertheless, its popularity has suffered lately, with it being mainly cultivated commercially for cosmetic and herbal medicine industry now. But, why depend on manufactured products when we can have and use our own at our gardens?

Here are 14 reasons to convince you to grow Calendula!

1. Calendula looks beautiful in any garden

This cheery yellow-orange flowery plant will fit equally in herbal, ornamental, and vegetable garden. There’s nothing like pot marigold to fill up your garden with some sunshine.

2. It is easy to grow and maintain

Calendula is an easygoing plant usually treated as an annual. It can adapt well to almost any climate and growing conditions. It does well in USDA Zones 2 to 10 when grown as a cool season annual in warmer zones, and as a summer season plant in cooler areas.

Pot marigold tolerates any type of soil as long as there’s no waterlogging. Sunny spots are preferred but partial sun is fine, especially in warmer areas. The plants are not heavy feeders, but good quality compost will ensure good flowering.

3. Calendula attracts predators to the garden

Pot marigold has some mosquito repellent property, and French marigold is usually planted in vegetable gardens for pest control.

For instance, black flies are attracted to pot marigold, and predatory hoverflies follow them. Hoverflies are excellent at keeping pest populations under control, so their presence is highly appreciated by gardeners.

4. You can use it for cooking

So, how calendula got the common name pot marigold? It comes from its traditional use in cooking.

Called “poor man’s saffron,” the dried petals are often used in place of expensive saffron strands to flavor rice dishes like pilaf/pulao. If you come across a condiment called ‘Egyptian saffron’ in Far Eastern spice markets, it’d be nothing but dried calendula petals.

If you have organically grown pot marigold, use fresh petals in salads and to garnish stir fries. The leaves are edible too!

5. Feed it to your hens

If you have chickens, calendula is an amazing food to have in your garden. An extract of the flowers is often added to chicken feed in commercial poultry farms. It makes the eggshells darker and improves the color of the yolk.

6. Use calendula flowers to make a healing tea

Calendula is loaded with phytochemicals that have strong medicinal properties.

Calendula has been approved by several countries, including the United States and Canada, as being safe for topical as well as internal use. There are many manufactured products containing Calendula, but nothing can measure the homegrown natural calendula.

7. Calendula is excellent for skin problems

Calendula is best known for its skin-protective property. When you have your own supply of this wonderful herb, it’s very easy to make DIY infused oils and healing salves at home. Here are some examples:

To make calendula infused oil:

Use dried calendula flowers. Fill a mason jar halfway with dried flowers. Add olive oil until it comes almost to the top of the bottle. Stir with a clean spoon to mix the flowers well with the oil. Close the bottle and keep it in a dark place for 6 weeks. Take out the bottle once or twice a week and shake it well. A

Solar infused oil:

Use sun’s energy to accelerate the process of waiting. Fill the bottle the same way as above and keep it in the sun for a week, shaking it every morning and evening. Strain out the oil and store in a dark place.

8. Heal cuts and bruises with homemade calendula salve

A salve made from calendula infused oil is an essential item in your herbal first-aid kit. You can use it to treat minor cuts and bruises.It will reduce pain and inflammation. More importantly, calendula is known to heal without leaving scars. The phytochemicals in this herb promote rapid tissue repair and regeneration.

How to prepare calendula healing salve:

  • Melt one cup of beeswax pellets in a double boiler or over a bowl of simmering water.
  • When the wax is completely melted, take it off the heat and mix in half cup of calendula infused oil stirring continuously. Pour into small tubs with tight-fitting lids.
  • Allow to cool.

9. Control or prevent acne with calendula

Many people suffering from acne issues have sworn on calendula and its natural properties that sooth the skin problems, especially the problematic acne. Try this recipe below and see if calendula can help you!

To make solar-infused calendula face wash:

  • Place a handful of dry calendula flowers or two handfuls of fresh flowers, in a large glass jar.
  • Fill it to the neck with water and put the lid on. Shake the bottle well.
  • Keep it in the sun for 5-6 hours, giving it a good shake every now and then.
  • Strain out the infusion and use it as a daily face wash.
  • You can use one batch for 3-4 days when stored in the refrigerator, but if you have these flowers in the garden, it’s good idea to have a routine of making fresh infusion every day.

10. Soothe diaper rash, and contact dermatitis with Calendula

You can use calendula as baby wash. When you see redness and rash in the nappy area, wash with Calendula tea at every nappy change. It will soothe the baby immediately and the rash will go down pretty fast. Contact dermatitis can also be reduced by applying and rubbing the area with calendula. It will immediately soothe the area.

11. Calendula for treating throat infections

When you come down with sore throat, you can use calendula for a quick-fix.  Prepare calendula tea with either fresh or dried flowers, and use it as a throat gargle 2-3 times a day.

12. Use calendula tea for dental health and hygiene

Regular gargling at night with light calendula tea will keep the microbial load down.

13. Control dandruff and other scalp problems with calendula

Use calendula as hair wash in case of itching or inflammation of the scalp. Use it as a final rinse or apply it on the scalp with fingers. Many manufactured shampoos and hair products are based on calendula to treat these kinds of problems, however, home-grown calendula is the best.

14. Use calendula on your pets

Calendula’s healing properties are just as effective on animals as they are on us. By using infused oil you can treat minor skin and stomach problems in dogs, horses, and cows. It is particularly effective against sunspots and fungal infections.

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Source: gardeningsoul.com

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