[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Marigolds huh?

I am growing pansy's this year (they are great in salads) but I thought marigold were not edible.

What kind are they? And do they serve as pest control the same way regular marigolds do?

[RSteyn]

They're called 'Mexican marigolds," Tagetes lucida, and supposedly can substitute for tarragon. I'll see. All that is out there now are some tiny seedlings; the leaves look nothing like marigold leaves, but more like portulaca (moss rose)leaves. I have no idea what the bugs think of them, but I have ordinary marigolds growing in the same space. I'm growing nasturtiums to eat as well. If you have enough of them, you might want to consider making pansy freezer preserves. I did that with ordinary violets one year. It's easy--you just need a blender, pectin, and either a lemon or lime. Follow the general instuctions on the pectin package. The violets made a lovely mauve spread.