1. In Croatia we make a cream/ointment from marigolds mixed with pig lard.  It helps skin complaints such as eczema.  My aunt always made batches of it until she died a few years ago.  After some time on steroids I gave it to my young son who had eczema and it really did clear up after a week or so and he has never had it return [e-mail, September 2019].

2. My mother was superstitious about marigolds indoors and owls in or out. Also passing salt from hand to hand and placing new shoes on a table [Cardiff, CF23, August 2011].

Image: cultivated, Crowland, Lincolnshire, October 2015.