Go Marigold Picking at Underwood Family Farms

Foliage is famous when September arrives.

People rhapsodize over golden oak leaves, the yellow branches of the cottonwood tree, and how a Japanese maple will go fully scarlet when autumn reaches its pinnacle.

But the marigold? It truly is one of the most spectacular symbols of the season, a blossom that is seen, in moving profusion, on the altars of Día de los Muertos come October.

The bright bursts of yellow-orange arrive well before Day of the Dead, however. You can find store shelves bursting with marigold pots come September, but if you know where to look, you can find the flowers in August, before they've left the ground.

Underwood Family Farms is currently seeing a bounty of marigold beauty, and you're invited to stop by and pick your own at the Moorpark location of the agricultural outfit.

They're a quarter each, or you can gather five marigold blossoms for a dollar.

You'll also find zinnias, too, in the fields, and Underwood shared that there are a total of seven varieties of both flowers, assuring that any bouquets you display will have a bit of floral variety.

"Clippers are on hand to check out at admissions and water is in a tank in the field to immediately put flowers in a container. Bring your own or use a bag provided," are the tips from the Underwood team.

You'll also want to review the safety policies in place at the expansive, open-air destination. Be sure to have your face covering on before you enter.

Admission to Pick Your Own is five bucks. Keep in mind you'll pay for the goodies you gather, so if you depart with an armload of blooms, know those will be counted up before you exit.

Marigold time is nigh, which means fall is on the way. Call this knowledge a cheerful ray of sunshine, or rather cooling and brisk breeze, during one of Southern California's hottest weather waves of the year.