Isn't it so alluring when a plant has "velvet" somewhere in the nickname?! I'm always intrigued.
I never give up until the whole thing has gone crispy or mushy. And if I fail in water or soil, I try the other. Or ground layering if possible, or during different weather, or by cutting higher or lower, removing more leaves, whatever variable I can think of.
I'm wondering if I might be able to have Marigold blooms all winter. Doing a little reading & people in S FL use Marigolds all year but it's hard to find discussions where people are discussing specific species, and as if I have any idea what mine are since I appropriated a seed pod from a park planter.
