Flowers & Container Gardening
Container gardening is the most accessible way to grow flowers — no garden bed required, just a pot, the right substrate, and a sunny spot. Marigolds, beginner-friendly annuals, and the broader category of pot-grown flowers all share a few core requirements: drainage, sun exposure, and feeding. Below: the foundational guides for picking the right flower, the right pot, and keeping them healthy through the season.
Start here: soil & potting basics
Best Soil for Indoor Plants
How to match the right potting mix to each plant you grow in containers, from tropicals to succulents to orchids.
Best Soil for Succulents & Cactus
The gritty, fast-draining mix container succulents and cacti need so their roots never sit wet.
Potting Soil vs Potting Mix
Why container plants do better in a soilless potting mix than in dense bagged potting soil.
Container gardening
Frequently asked
What's the best soil for marigolds in pots?
A well-draining potting mix with a balanced peat-perlite-coir base. Marigolds rot in waterlogged soil, so the substrate has to drain quickly between waterings. Avoid pure topsoil or compacted garden soil — both hold too much water in a container.
How much sun do marigolds need?
Full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day for best blooming. Marigolds tolerate partial shade but bloom sparsely without strong sun. South or west-facing balconies work well.
Can marigolds survive winter outdoors?
Most common marigolds (French, African) are annuals — they die at first frost. Calendula (sometimes called "pot marigold") is a different species that's somewhat hardier. For overwintering, bring container marigolds indoors before the first hard frost.
Need a substrate for your container garden?
Drainage that works, lifespan that lasts a full season.
Browse Molly's mixesMore guides: Orchid Care · Succulent & Cactus Care · Soil & Substrate Basics · Propagation
