Not sure if they will recover for sure; however, they are safe to plant with veggies and herbs. They also deter mosquitoes.

The old-timers around here plant marigolds all around their veggie gardens as some sort of bug deterrent.

Good to know about the mosquitoes! No body want's those buzzing too near... I did plant a few in with a couple chinese cabbage, onions, as well as with an eggplant and with peppers. They certainly add a nice accent of color to what would otherwise be a sea of green lol.

I think I answered my own question about them recovering... They already seem to be perking up, even though they have just been transplanted. I think the current flowers I'll just deadhead, but the greenery looks supple and happy again.

I also read the petals are edible?! How neat! Considering our current growing space restrictions to the balcony, we try to have dual use plants if possible. It's nice to have such beauty have culinary as well as potentially medicinal properties. :)

david52, they do that where I live, also. Another good thing about marigolds is that when they stop blooming and go into seeds, they are easily collected and you can store them until the next year and then open the pods and re-seed for more marigolds. This eliminates having to buy new seeds or plants each year and is great for your plant budget. :)