I keep killing marigolds

[thewatsonfarm]

Anyone have ideas? I don't grow them from seed: I've been buying pony-packs & adding them in with other flowers and herbs. I really like them, but they seem to keep shriveling up & dying on me (even though everything else around them does well). They are supposed to have full sun, right? Maybe they're like sunflowers, where it's just better to grow them from seeds? What am I missing???

 

[KirstyF]

Shriveling up like they look dried out or shriveling up like they are rotting? They don't like wetness and damp, I know that.

 

[lazy gardener]

If they are root bound when you get them, they may not be able to absorb the nutrients they need, and will even have a hard time absorbing water. also check for spider mites. they like even moisture, if you let them wilt, they may not recover. Generally, marigolds are pretty forgiving, and I find them to be the easiest annual flower to grow. I always start a bunch of them in the early spring, and usually don't even bother to put them into the 6 packs. Simply sow the seed in a 2 - 3" deep container, and let them grow until it's time to plant them out. I like to save meat containers, or even cut off milk jugs.