How I Grow and Use Calendula?

June 23, 2026

Yerlin Brady

1. Sowing the Seeds:
In spring, I sow calendula seeds in trays in my home Co. Sligo. But we also have another calendula flower patch in my parents in law, Co. Offaly. This beautiful flower love sunny spots and well-drained soil, and they grow happily with just a little care. Often, in Ireland, they self-seed and return the following year.

Uncovering the calendula patch in spring in Co.Offaly

Adding some well rooted will improve the soil structure

Seed left to mature and set seed, it often returns the following season

Early in the spring I also sow calendula seeds in trays, sometimes I save the seeds, but sometimes I buy

You will be surprise of how quick the seedlings germinate.

This year I planted a few more calendulas around the veggie patch in Co. Offaly

2. Nurturing the Plants
As the seedlings take root, we give them water in dry spells normally calendulas don’t need much if they are happy. Once they bloom, calendula rewards us with a carpet of golden flowers that brighten the garden for months. I have them outside, but if you keep them in a tunnel they last even longer.

The mix of orange and yellow blooms this year 2026

3. Harvesting the Blooms
I handpick the flowers at their peak, usually in the morning when the petals are fresh and fully open. The more we harvest, the more calendula blossoms, creating a generous cycle of renewal throughout the growing season. Regular picking encourages the plants to keep producing new flowers, providing a continuous supply of bright golden blooms from early summer until the first frosts. Each flower is carefully selected by hand to ensure only the best blooms make their way into my products.

4. Drying the Petals
The petals are carefully dried to preserve their vibrant colour and beneficial properties. I spread them over a towel,and well-ventilated area and allow them to dry slowly over several days. Once fully dried, they are stored away from light and moisture to help maintain their quality. This step ensures I can use calendula throughout the year, long after the garden has gone quiet, whether for infusions, balms, soaps, or other handmade skincare products.

5. Infusing the Oil
The dried petals are slowly infused into plant-based sunflower oil over several weeks. This gentle process draws out calendula’s renowned soothing and skin-loving qualities, transforming the oil into a beautiful golden infusion. It’s one of my favourite stages, as the vibrant flowers gradually share their goodness with the oil. After a few weeks of infusing, the oil is strained and prepared for use in handcrafted products, carrying the benefits of homegrown calendula from the garden into every batch.

The infused oils are placed beside a sunny window and left to steep gently over several weeks, allowing time for the calendula petals to slowly release their beneficial properties into the oil.

6. Creating the Products
This infused oil becomes the heart of our handmade products, like balms and face oils. Each batch is crafted in small quantities, blending calendula with natural butters, oils, and botanicals so the goodness of the garden is carried into every product, but mostly balms, body butters and face oil. We use calendula in our soaps too, but this one I get it from local suppliers, I wouldn be able to grow enough just myself for whole range of products.