Petite Marigolds

An Intro to Marigolds

MY STATUS: Grown Successfully to Harvest  

San Marzano are a type of plum tomato with an elongated body and firm flesh used primarily for making tomato paste for sauces.  They're similar to Roma tomatoes but are said to have a stronger, sweeter taste. Because they aren't as tender or juicy as the large beefsteak tomatoes, they aren't as desirable for salads and sandwiches. Like all the tomato varieties I've tried to grow here, they are indeterminate, meaning that plants will continue to produce fruit as long as the weather is sufficiently warm--a good choice for Pohnpei's endless summer temperatures. Plants can grow to a height of 6 feet and take 80-90 days to mature. Fruit are about 4 ounces. I used Martha Stewart Living seeds purchased at Home Depot in Southern California in early winter. They were kept in the fridge for about 4 months.

SUN, SUN, SUN

I feel like I've said this a lot: successful tomatoes depend on lots and lots of sun. The plants may survive in shade, but they will not produce fruit. One thing I'm still trying to figure out is how to get my tomatoes out in the open where they can get maximum sun and still be protected from rain and wind. Right now they get about 3 hours of direct sun in the afternoon (on a sunny day), which is just not enough. I tried building a PVC structure, but that didn't stand up to the crazy gusts of wind we get here. Now I'm thinking about something constructed of metal or wood.

RAIN PROTECTION

Another statement I've repeated a lot: Keep the tomatoes out of the rain. Depending on how hot and sunny it is, they may need water two or three times a week. More than that and they will develop fungal and/or bacterial infections, rot or drown. Use the four-inch soil test to determine when to water: if the soil is moist at a depth of four inches, do not water.

PESTS AWAY

Marigolds are famous for repelling pests. They have a strong smell that many types of bugs can't stand. The question is whether they will have any effect on my primary enemy: the Pohnpeian whitefly.

What I Did

DAY 1 - SOWING

I scattered my seeds all around the main stems of my tomato plants, threw a thin layer of soil over them, and watered.

DAY 60 - BUSHY PLANTS BUT NO FLOWERS

Not sure what the problem is. The plants look good, so why aren't flowers developing?

 

DAY 97 - FULL BLOOM (9/5)

I don't know why, but these flowers took a long time to get started. Plants grew quickly, but 6 weeks ago, there wasn't more than one or two flowers. The plants were big and bushy, but nothing. Everything changed when I fertilized. I'm used to growing herbs that don't need a lot of soil enhancement, but the marigolds were certainly waiting for it. One dose of chicken manure and they pepped up. Buds developed all over the place and have recently opened. One thing I've noticed, though is how flimsy and tall the stems are. I ended tying a piece of twine around the whole bunch to keep them together otherwise plants around the edges would start to bend over.

I haven't done any scientific trials to see if the marigolds are really the cause of the whitefly-free garden, but it seems like a possibility. They're definitely nice looking. :)