Sadly they can be eaten, I gave up growing them in the ground as they got eaten to death. I now grow them in pots on feet and they fare better.

A lot of mine are the same. I confused them as plants slugs hated as ones to use to protect other plant as slugs love them.

You are on the right track Kildermore, as you can plant them among vegetables to protect against Aphids?

Yeah, I wanted to use them as front border colour and barrier to keep Hosta and Delphinum and the like from being eaten to death. I thought their pungent odour stopped slugs...it does but attracts them to Marigold themselves, which is fair enough for me! So most are straggly looking things with orange or yellow flowers.

I've given them up in despair as all I eve got were stalks with a few raggy flowers on some of them.

I wish aomeone would tell Spanish slugs that Marigolds are delicious! I see the wretches' trails going past the marigolds and on to plants I want to keep!