This photo of Marigold ‘Big Duck’ looks like it could’ve been taken in early July, not October. My plants are just as happy now as they were 3 months ago. They are still loaded with buds and daring the first killing frost to knock them down.
‘Big Duck’ is an All-American Selections winner that has a very bushy habit. Last year I grew them for the first time and assumed they’d make a good front or second-row plant, but these are not border marigolds. They are supposed to grow 15 inches tall, but last year and this year my plants easily reached 24 inches or more.
As long as they keep offering seed for this marigold I will keep growing them. They have no pest or disease issues, and they’ll keep blooming even if you forget to deadhead them.
