Sounds like you have whiteflys. They won't really harm your plant enough to kill it. I'm sure there is a non-toxic spray available to control them.

Branches will break off if bent. Normal.

Don't worry. We've all killed lots of plants before we got expert. You learn by doing. Be observant of how what you do affects your plants.

With pot culture, you need to watch the water (to make sure the plant gets enough...pots dry out fast...then again, too much water is not good either) and make sure your pot placement is what the plant likes in terms of sun exposure.

Also, at first pinch off the flowers as soon as they appear. Your marigolds will get nice and thick & bushy this way. Once they get bushy you can start letting the flowers stay for a while if you like. Enjoy your gardening.

Don't despair. I can grow just about anything, but not marigolds. They used to do well here, but not anymore. The slugs devour them overnight. Sometimes a particular environment isn't right for a certain plant, and our neighborhood is very unfriendly towards marigolds right now. All our neighbors' mairgolds have up and died in recent years, too.

Ideally, marigolds like lots of sunshine, good soil and ample (but not too much) water. They don't ask for more than that, except to have the pests kept at bay.

They're not the carefree plant most people think they are, IMO. By the way, the best marigolds I've ever grown were the ones I started from seed, outdoors after frost danger had passed. They were way better than the purchased plants.

I didn't know about the pinching of flowers. Is it too late to do that? I'm not a big fan of marigolds, but my daughter got me some this year that I just love, would like some more next year if I can find that variety.

I've had trouble with plants in pots without drainage holes. The marigolds are doing well in a pot where I lost some beautiful cascading petunias a couple years ago because there is no drainage hole; it's plastic and I don't want to drill one. I really watch the water, when it rains I pull it under the porch roof and push it back when it's sunny and control the water myself. Stuck some alyssum in to fill it out a bit.

I haven't noticed any bugs around my marigolds, so I'm no help with that. They are supposed to be one of the easiest flowers to grow and repel some life forms, except weeds of course.

I was practicing to see how close I could get with one of my lenses and took this shot back in late April, wondered what the white stuff was and think it's petals from the white crabapple next door.

Does anyone know what kind these are?

{{gwi:11769}}

Dear All:

A million thank-yous for all your help.. I did try pinching off the flowers on the plant... and also tried some "water spray" treatment to ward off the flies... my plant is still alive and seems to be recovering... would post an update in a week's time...

Once again, I thank all of you for your valuable advice...

Best Wishes,
Sangeetha