By T. Eric Nightingale, UC Master Gardener of Napa County

Spring is finally here and that means that tomato season is around the corner. Don't get too excited, though. Even though seedlings will be showing up in nurseries, it's best to wait to plant them.

Tomatoes need warm air and soil, as well as a lot of sunlight, to grow strong and healthy. Planting too early can leave them spindly and weak.

Should you want to be sure the time is right, test the soil temperature with a soil thermometer. It should be 60°F or more at a depth of two to three inches. Usually this occurs in early May.

Choosing a proper location for your tomato garden is important. The spot should get several hours of sunlight each day. You may have a prime spot but don't overuse it. Like other members of the nightshade family, tomatoes nurture the soil fungi Fusarium and Verticillium. The soil can become infected if tomatoes are planted in the same location too many years in a row. Rotating your tomato planting locations, or changing out the soil in a raised bed, will prevent the fungus from affecting your vegetables.

Plant tomatoes deeply. First, remove any leaves below the top eight inches. Place the seedling at a slight angle in the hole so that only the top eight inches sit about the hole. The plant's buried stem will push fresh roots, giving the young plant increased access to water and nutrients. Tomatoes also need a good deal of room to grow, so plant them at least two feet apart.

After your seedlings are all snug in their beds, they need some nurturing. If you are concerned about hungry animals or other threats, cover the tomatoes with the top half of a large soda bottle. Not only can this keep them from becoming someone's midnight snack, but it provides them with a personal greenhouse to keep them warm.

Tomatoes thrive with water, especially in the early days. Make sure to give them enough that the water soaks deep into the soil. This will ensure the plants get enough water immediately but will also encourage their roots to follow the water deep into the soil, helping the plants stay hydrated later.

As your plants grow, they will likely require support. Some tomatoes are “determinant” and grow into a shrub only a few feet tall. Many others are “indeterminate,” however, and will continue to grow like a vine until cold weather arrives.

For these motivated climbers you will need a tomato cage or other device. I have used a few stakes placed in a circle around the plant, with loose string or plant tape strung between them. This structure provides enough support while also allowing me to easily harvest the fruits of my labor.

Tomatoes can self-pollinate, so it's possible to get fruit while growing only one plant. The pollen still needs to move from one flower to the next, though. To be sure this happens, give your plants a light shake every morning. This jostling will knock some pollen airborne and help the process along.

Calcium deficiency can be a challenge with tomatoes. You'll recognize the symptoms when you see fruit with an ugly brown circle on one end. Called blossom-end rot, this condition can sometimes be averted by using a foliar calcium spray available at most garden centers. Adding a calcium-rich soil amendment at planting time, such as crushed egg shells or gypsum, can also help.

For general feeding, a high-phosphorus fertilizer will usually provide the best results in tomato production. In an ideal world, you would test the soil and adjust the fertilizer based on the results. Kits to do this are readily available, but I have experienced mixed results.

My preferred approach to growing tomatoes is to start with a balanced fertilizer containing plenty of nitrogen, the nutrient responsible for leaf and stem growth. When flower buds are about to appear, I switch to a low-nitrogen, high-phosphorus mix to focus nutrition on bud development. Once fruit sets, I go back to a balanced fertilizer. This regimen is possibly overkill, but it has worked for me so far.

Experiment and find what practices work best in your garden. With hard work and a little luck, you will be on the path to a bountiful harvest.

Workshop:  UC Master Gardeners of Napa County will hold a workshop on “Flowers and Foliage in the House” on Saturday, April 27, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m, at University of California Cooperative Extension, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Napa. Something changes when you put fresh flowers or greenery in a room. This workshop will cover choosing and planting annuals and perennials that work well for cutting, starting seeds, preparing your soil,  direct-sowing seeds, selecting pollinator-friendly flowers and flower arranging. Participants will take home seeds and flower starts. Online registration (credit card only); Mail-in/Walk-in registration (check only or drop off cash payment).

UC Master Gardeners of Napa County have begun the process of re-establishing a demonstration garden in Napa Valley. For further developments, please visit the Demonstration Garden link on our website ( http://napamg.ucanr.edu/).

Master Gardeners are volunteers who help the University of California reach the gardening public with home gardening information. U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County (http:/napamg.ucanr.edu) are available to answer gardening questions in person or by phone, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m. to Noon, at the U. C. Cooperative Extension office, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Suite 4, Napa, 707-253-4143, or from outside City of Napa toll-free at 877-279-3065. Or e-mail your garden questions by following the guidelines on our web site. Click on Napa, then on Have Garden Questions? Find us on Facebook under UC Master Gardeners of Napa County.

By Denise Seghesio Levine, U.C. Master Gardener of Napa County                      

Grab a cup of your favorite beverage and a writing implement. Six thousand tomato seedlings, old and new favorites, will be looking for their “forever home” at the 7th Annual Master Gardener Tomato Sale starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 13. The sale location is 1710 Soscol Avenue, next to Central Valley Hardware, in Napa. For your perusing pleasure, I present this year's tomatoes.

If nothing says summer to you like a hearty red slice of beefsteak tomato gracing burgers and salad plates, consider Ball's Beefsteak. This variety yields hefty 8- to 12-ounce red globe-shaped fruit.  Highly disease- and crack-resistant, Ball's is one of the earliest beefsteak varieties to ripen.

Better Boy ripens midseason and produces until frost, yielding tasty red tomatoes that can weigh up to one pound. Good disease resistance and classic flavor makes this one a trusted favorite.

If bigger is better in your view, try Giant Syrian. Meaty, heart-shaped tomatoes with a balanced sweet-tart flavor can reach three pounds each. If you live in a hot, humid part of the county, this variety could be a winner for you. It does need a strong cage.

Marianna's Peace is a new variety, a pinkish-red beefsteak producing fruit weighing one to two pounds that grow on vigorous vines. Master Gardeners who live up valley say this one does well in the hotter parts of our county.

Do you love beefsteak tomatoes but want to try something a little different?  Black Krim, a deep brown-red Russian heirloom, starts out with brownish-green shoulders that darken as the fruit ripens.  A smoky, rich flavor differentiates this tomato. Cherokee Purple's 8- to 12-ounce flattened globes are a favorite among heirloom tomato growers: dusky pink with dark shoulders and deep-flavored purple to green flesh.

Yellow-tomato lovers have two choices for beefsteak types this year.  Kellogg's Breakfast produces beautiful one-pound yellow tomatoes with wonderful flavor that are gorgeous sliced, with golden juice and few seeds. I have grown Kellogg's for four years and plan to grow them again. Hess, a new German bi-color heirloom, produces one- to two-pound tomatoes in glorious yellow marbled with pink and red. The flavor is described as mild, sweet and delicious.

Many of you have grown Marvel Stripe, another bi-colored beefsteak, so you know it is flavorful, beautiful and large.  Yet another beefsteak offering is Summer of Love. It has the wild pink and green coloring of Berkeley Tie-Dye, but this improved version produces more tomatoes earlier.

All beefsteak tomatoes are indeterminate, which means they keep growing throughout the season. These large plants need strong cages, staking or trellising.

If you can hardly wait for tomato season, try Bloody Butcher. With five to nine tomatoes per cluster, each weighing three to four ounces, Bloody Butcher has a rich heirloom flavor and is ready to harvest in eight weeks. Early Girl is another early-season winner, dependable and bountiful until frost. Crimson Carmello is a personal favorite. Bred in France, these round juicy four- to five-inch tomatoes taste just the way tomatoes should, with a perfect sugar-to-acid balance.

Chocolate Stripes is striking with beautiful mahogany flesh and green and red striping. The flavor is described as complex, rich and earthy, and it is reputed to produce a plentiful crop of three- to six-inch fruit. Green Zebra is a bright green to chartreuse slicing tomato with a zingy punch. Jaune Flamme (“yellow flame”) produces trusses of apricot-colored fruit suitable for eating fresh, roasting or drying.

Moving on to paste tomatoes, the meaty varieties for sauces and canning, meet Gladiator. It's a great tomato for the gardener with no garden. Small enough to grow in a container, Gladiator yields an abundance of eight-ounce fruit to keep your sauce and salsa needs at bay. Pompeii, another dependable Italian Roma variety, produces well in my garden with strong, disease- resistant plants. Its meaty tomatoes cook down to a rich, flavorful sauce and are equally good sliced in salad. San Marzano is the variety you pay extra for in tins at the grocery store. Why not grow them yourself this year for your own cucina italiana?

For cherry and grape tomatoes, consider Brad's Atomic Grape. The oval tomatoes ripen to olive-green, red, brown and blue when fully ripe and range in size from grape to plum. If you like different, this is a must. Barry's Crazy Cherry is a pale-yellow tomato with a tiny beak. Growing in clusters of up to 60 fruit and described as “mind boggling,” these sweet little tomatoes are keepers.

You might also want to try Blush, an elongated fruit that starts golden yellow and ripens with red stripes, for a striking addition to your summer salads. Sun Gold, an award-winning sweet and productive cherry tomato, is back at the sale again this year. Green Envy is a newcomer with one-inch translucent emerald-green fruit to enjoy raw, baked or sautéed. The lovely Rapunzel is back with her tresses bearing up to 40 tomatoes each. Finally, Super Sweet 100 vines are loaded with one-ounce sugary tomatoes that never make it to the kitchen at my house.

We'll see you at the Master Gardener tomato sale on Saturday, April 13, at 9 a.m. Come early and bring a box.

Workshop: UC Master Gardeners of Napa County will hold a workshop on “Growing Tomatoes” on Saturday, April 6, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at University of California Cooperative Extension, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Napa. This workshop repeats on Sunday, April 7, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., at Yountville Community Center, 6516 Washington Street, Yountville. Join our experienced tomato growers for tips and tricks on cultivating perfect homegrown tomatoes. Learn the latest research on tomato cultivation and care, and discover new and heritage tomato varieties. You'll get all the information you need to grow delicious and beautiful tomatoes in your own large or small garden or in containers. Growing America's favorite garden fruit is not only fun and easy, but also the best way to acquire healthy food for you and your family. For Napa: Online registration (credit card only); Mail-in/Walk-in registration (check only or drop off cash payment). For Yountville: Registration or call 707-944-8712.

Demonstration Garden: UC Master Gardeners of Napa County have begun the process of re-establishing a demonstration garden in Napa Valley. For further developments, please visit the Demonstration Garden link on our website ( http://napamg.ucanr.edu/).

Master Gardeners are volunteers who help the University of California reach the gardening public with home gardening information. U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County (http:/napamg.ucanr.edu) are available to answer gardening questions in person or by phone, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m. to Noon, at the U. C. Cooperative Extension office, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Suite 4, Napa, 707-253-4143, or from outside City of Napa toll-free at 877-279-3065. Or e-mail your garden questions by following the guidelines on our web site. Click on Napa, then on Have Garden Questions? Find us on Facebook under UC Master Gardeners of Napa County.

by Denise Seghesio Levine, U. C. Master Gardener of Napa County

If I had to choose just one herb for my garden, it would have to be basil. Granted, I would want every variety of basil, from Genovese to Thai, lemon to lime, but I would be happy with just basil. Growing a garden of basils would satisfy my kitchen needs, flower needs, sensory needs and make the pollinators in my garden happy, too.

For many of us, a plate of pasta con pesto was our first introduction to basil (Ocimum basilicum). And a pizza margherita or insalata caprese is just not right without fresh basil.

Many regions in Italy claim basil as their own. Neapolitan basil, Genevose basil, classic basil…all are delicious and pesto-worthy. But they have subtle differences that you will have to discern for yourself.

Basil like lots of sun; rich, loose, well-draining soil; and a reasonable amount of water. Occasionally feeding with diluted fish emulsion and keeping the plants pinched and flower free are the main tasks to keeping leaf production in full force. Harvest by pinching leaves or flower stalks above the point where two new branches grow. The more often you harvest, the bushier and more prolific your plants will be.

Basil seedlings can be planted six to twelve inches apart and generally grow two to four feet tall. Whether you buy seedlings or purchase seeds, planting directions and spacing should be on the labels and envelopes. Start basil seeds indoors now and plant out seedlings when the weather is warm. Alternatively, wait a month or so and you'll find basil seedlings at local nurseries.

Basils come in many sizes, from six inches to six feet. Leaf color ranges from chartreuse green to deep purple, and fragrances vary from cinnamon to lime.  Even if you think you have no room, or no garden, there is a basil for you.

Piccolo basil and Greek dwarf basil are two compact varieties that fit tidily in a pot on the windowsill and still deliver a burst of flavor. Kitchen windowsill pots make it easy to pinch and use basil on a whim, always fun for creative cooks. Basil can grow all year long in a sunny window and larger plants in pots do well, too.

Lime basil, Thai basil and Sweet Thai basil all originated in Thailand. Thai basil has a cinnamon-like fragrance to me and striking purple flowers that spring from bright green foliage. Thai basil would have a place in my garden even if it never made it to the kitchen. It is a beautiful companion to the all the opal-leaved basils.

Lime basil and Mrs. Burns lemon basil generously share their bright citrusy scents with anyone willing to give them a little squeeze. Both types make interesting pesto for fish and salads, or a fresh chiffonade for topping stuffed eggs or potato salad. They are just fun to experiment with. Bright fragrant leaves and lovely flowers for bees and bouquets are a bonus. As florists are discovering, basil also makes a fragrant filler in floral arrangements.  

Two years ago, my husband and I set up a little farm stand. In addition to growing regular basil, we had a lush bed of Lettuce Leaf basil. It was the first time we had grown it and we did not know what to expect.

The seed was easy to broadcast when the weather was warm. It germinated in about a week. As it grew, we thinned it and used the thinnings in salads along with lettuce. It produced beautiful three- to five-inch frilly leaves, easily making bouquet-like bunches when we picked it. For several weeks no one bought any Lettuce Leaf basil at our little stand, so one week we gave everyone who stopped a bunch of it. And the next week, everyone came back for more.

Much milder than the better-known basils, Lettuce Leaf has a softer, creamier basil flavor and is mild enough to substitute for lettuce in your salad, pile on your sandwiches or throw in your juicer along with other vegetables. There are several online sources for Lettuce Leaf seeds; it may be harder to find as seedlings in nurseries.

Basils are beautiful and compatible interplanted with roses but are vulnerable to aphids. Pay attention to your plants and rinse them with a spray of water as needed.  

Just when I thought I had seen them all, I found an article in Fine Gardening on a basil called Pesto Perpetuo. Three qualities distinguish this basil. It does not flower; it has a columnar growth habit, sometimes reaching six feet; and it has a white-rimmed variegated leaf. Interesting, right? Google it.

Workshop: UC Master Gardeners of Napa County will hold a workshop on “Growing Tomatoes” on Saturday, April 6, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at University of California Cooperative Extension, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Napa. Join our experienced tomato growers for tips and tricks on cultivating perfect homegrown tomatoes. Learn the latest research on tomato cultivation and care, and discover new and heritage tomato varieties. You'll get all the information you need to grow delicious and beautiful tomatoes in your own large or small garden or in containers. Growing America's favorite garden fruit is not only fun and easy, but also the best way to acquire healthy food for you and your family. Online registration (credit card only); Mail-in/Walk-in registration (check only or drop off cash payment).

Demonstration Garden: UC Master Gardeners of Napa County have begun the process of re-establishing a demonstration garden in Napa Valley. For further developments, please visit the Demonstration Garden link on our website ( http://napamg.ucanr.edu/).

Master Gardeners are volunteers who help the University of California reach the gardening public with home gardening information. U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County (http:/napamg.ucanr.edu) are available to answer gardening questions in person or by phone, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m. to Noon, at the U. C. Cooperative Extension office, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Suite 4, Napa, 707-253-4143, or from outside City of Napa toll-free at 877-279-3065. Or e-mail your garden questions by following the guidelines on our web site. Click on Napa, then on Have Garden Questions? Find us on Facebook under UC Master Gardeners of Napa County.

By Penny Pawl, UC Master Gardener of Napa County

When you are planning your summer garden, remember the pollinators. Bees and other pollinators are in trouble in California and across the U.S. and need our help. They are nectar feeders so put in plenty of blooming plants for them.

Without pollinators we would lose many food crops. There are 1,000 species of California native bees. Twenty-six of these are bumblebees and most of the rest are solitary bees.

The pollinators native to our area have evolved with the native landscape so it's important to have some native plants in your garden. Pollinators include native bees and butterflies. Honeybees are not native to the United States but were introduced for their honey. However, other pollinators are just as effective. Let me introduce you to some of our native bees.

For several years, I have created nests for the native mason bees. These nests consist of pieces of wood with 3/8-inch holes drilled into them. The one they visit most is a piece of firewood. Mason bees have nested in it repeatedly. I know they were there because of the mud in each hole.

Last year I actually saw the bees leaving their nests and then returning. They are about to come out this spring to pollinate the fruit trees. They don't spend much time flying around before they start building new nests for their babies.

The mason bee creates its nest in long narrow tunnels within the wood. The bees do not make these tunnels; they find them and move in. So I drilled the holes for them. The bees pack the holes with pollen, lay an egg, pack in more pollen and lay another egg. They put three to five eggs per hole depending on the depth. When they are done laying, around the first of April, they seal the holes with mud. I know the nest is full when I see mud in every hole. The eggs hatch the following spring.

This year I did not move the nest to a sheltered location. It appears that woodpeckers have tried to drill out the nest. I will wait and see how much damage the birds have done by the end of March.

I have bumblebees in my garden every year. They especially love my ‘Hot Lips' salvia from Mexico. They spend all day gathering nectar and are gentle.  

Bumblebees nest in the ground. You should always leave a cleared area in your garden for them; they will not nest in mulch. I often find their little mounds. When they are done digging, you cannot tell they were even there. They love one particular area of my garden that I always keep clear of mulch.

I also see a lot of carpenter bees, the big bees that drill for nectar in the back of the flower. They are gentle and you can observe what they are doing easily.

They can be destructive when they drill into untreated lumber. I had them in my hothouse one year. They had drilled all the way to the end of a 12-foot-long 4 x 2 board. I had to replace that wood and paint it with latex to keep them out. Putting steel wool in the holes will also stop them. They do need a place to lay their eggs, however.

The male carpenter bee is a big brown teddy bear. He has only one purpose: to pursue females. He does not sting. I had a visit from one a few years back and he hung around me for a while. Once their mating duty is done, they die.

Digger bees and squash bees both nest in the ground. Squash bees emerge to pollinate squash and gourds. They are only present when these plants are in bloom. Even so, I hand-pollinate my squash to make sure I get fruit.    

Bumblebees are said to buzz tomatoes, which are self-pollinating. Just to be sure the flowers do pollinate, I shake the vines every morning when I do my walk-through.

To lure pollinators to your garden, plan to have a variety of plants blooming every month of the year.    

Workshop: UC Master Gardeners of Napa County will hold a workshop on “Growing Tomatoes” on Saturday, April 6, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at University of California Cooperative Extension, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Napa.
Join our experienced tomato growers for tips and tricks on cultivating perfect homegrown tomatoes. Learn the latest research on tomato cultivation and care, and discover new and heritage tomato varieties. You'll get all the information you need to grow delicious and beautiful tomatoes in your own large or small garden or in containers. Growing America's favorite garden fruit is not only fun and easy, but also the best way to acquire healthy food for you and your family. Online registration (credit card only); Mail-in/Walk-in registration (check only or drop off cash payment).

Master Gardeners are volunteers who help the University of California reach the gardening public with home gardening information. U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County (http:/napamg.ucanr.edu) are available to answer gardening questions in person or by phone, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m. to Noon, at the U. C. Cooperative Extension office, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Suite 4, Napa, 707-253-4143, or from outside City of Napa toll-free at 877-279-3065. Or e-mail your garden questions by following the guidelines on our web site. Click on Napa, then on Have Garden Questions? Find us on Facebook under UC Master Gardeners of Napa County.