For me, the Napa County Master Gardener tomato sale elicits heavenly thoughts of tastes to come. I adore tomatoes. My husband once planted 18 plants for the two of us. I used every tomato—either by eating, cooking, dehydrating or freezing them. We have home-grown tomatoes year-round.
At the end of the season, I put the remaining vines of green tomatoes in a paper bag in a cool, dark space. They continue to ripen. We have eaten fresh tomatoes this way into January.
Thank you to all who attended the Master Gardener tomato sale on Earth Day. There were many competing events that day, so we appreciate that you took the time to find our new location and purchase our seedlings.
After the sale, we moved the unsold plants back to our greenhouse. By the following Tuesday, we noticed issues with some of the remaining plants. Some had leaves that were flattened, thin or fan shaped; some had curled buds. Immediately we went into diagnostic mode, concerned about the plants we had sold. We sent samples to the University of California at Davis for laboratory analysis.
Our propagation processes were examined and reviewed thoroughly. Was it the seeds, the greenhouse environment, the potting soil, the propagators or other greenhouse visitors who caused these symptoms?
We used seeds from reputable commercial sources, new clean pots and sterilized organic seed-starting mixes and soils. The Master Gardeners who did the propagation and transplanting were trained and experienced. We carefully monitored the seedlings' growth and provided them with the right environment for a strong and healthy start.
The symptoms fit two possible causes. The worst-case scenario was a virus, but herbicide contamination of the potting soil was another possibility. Given the symptoms, tomato mosaic virus and cucumber mosaic virus were the two most likely culprits. But the laboratory results for those viruses turned up negative, so our customers don't need to worry about viruses spreading in the soil. The problem is not viral.
Still, we needed to know what did happen and what we could do to prevent a recurrence next year.
After reviewing our protocols and the growing environment, we suspect that a low-level herbicide such as Clopyralid was present in the transplanting soil. Herbicides used to control weeds in pasture can persist in animal manure, which is then used in commercial soil products. In some cases, the herbicide is present at a level too low to detect, so it may even occur in soil mixes labeled as organic.
Tomatoes are extremely sensitive; minute amounts of these herbicides can affect them.The University of California at Davis laboratory staff and university vegetable experts concurred with our suspicion that low-level herbicide residue in the soil mix was the likely cause of the damage we were seeing.
Many of the stressed plants, transplanted into healthy soil and given adequate water and fertilizer, are faring well. The damage is not transmissible. Even so, we are reviewing and revising all of our protocols from seed starting to sale day.
We had some unusual spring weather that may have impacted our seedlings. Early warm days were followed by nights with very low temperatures. Even in a greenhouse, these temperature swings can stress young seedlings. Tomatoes are sensitive to temperatures below 57°F and require moderately warm to hot weather to produce a crop. Our typical spring was not typical this year.
The Master Gardeners apologize for any problems you have experienced with tomatoes you purchased from us. We are trained to diagnose your gardening dilemmas, but sometimes we have to diagnose our own. Fortunately, our Master Gardener training teaches us where to find reliable, research-based information.
We hope to turn this tomato experience into a “citizen science” initiative. If you purchased tomatoes at our plant sale, please let us know how your plants are doing. We welcome good news and bad. How many of each variety did you purchase? How many are thriving, and how many are struggling or have died? Are your tomatoes in the ground, in a raised bed or in a pot? Did you harden them off before planting, and if so, how? What is your watering and fertilizing routine?
Remember to water your young plants daily until they are established. Give them extra water during very hot weather. Consider applying a 12-12-12 fertilizer before they bloom to give them an extra boost. An additional application of a nitrogen-only fertilizer during bloom will prolong fruit production.
The University of California Master Gardeners of Napa County appreciate your ongoing support for our mission to provide research-based information that helps you succeed in your garden.
Workshop: Napa County Master Gardeners will hold a workshop on “What's Bugging You?” on Saturday, June 18, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at University of California Cooperative Extension, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Napa. Understanding pests and blights that affect your vegetables is key to managing them. Squash that doesn't grow, tomatoes with peculiar markings, artichokes full of earwigs, plants that fail to thrive − all these and more will be discussed. Bring your own problems to show and tell and learn how Integrated Pest Management techniques can help. Walk-in registration (cash or check only).
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://ucanr.edu/ucmgnapa/) 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.
David Layland's favorite for the past two seasons has been ‘Bloody Butcher'. At three to four ounces, the tomatoes are relatively small but pack a lot of rich flavor. Best of all, they mature in about 55 days and are still producing up to the first frost.
Jill Rae enjoys many of the cherry tomato varieties. She likes to combine ‘Black Cherry', ‘Miller's Cove Currant', ‘Snow White' and ‘Sungold' cherry tomatoes in a salad with basil. The combination of colors makes for an attractive dish and the flavors mix well. Jill also likes to grow ‘Big Mama' for tomato sauce. Jane Callier counts ‘Big Mama' as a favorite also. Her bush was prolific last year and the tomatoes were sweet.
Pat Hitchcock enjoys growing tomatoes of different colors. In addition to ‘Sungold', her favorites include ‘Amana Orange'. In her experience, this tomato is sweet, late maturing, of good size and relatively resistant to disease. Steve Rae says that ‘Marvel Stripe' is not only great tasting but colorful. Orange and yellow outside, this large tomato displays internal streaks of red, yellow and orange.
Several Master Gardeners sing the praises of ‘Cherokee Purple'. One of the so-called “black” varieties, this heirloom has a deep purplish-red hue. It produces relatively late in the season, but it has such a rich, complex taste that it is worth the wait. Others say that if they could only grow one tomato, it would be ‘Early Girl', an early-to-ripen tomato that is great for salads and sandwiches. It produces until the first frost and is disease resistant.
If you are looking for new tomato varieties to try in your garden, ask yourself a few questions. Do you want tomatoes for cooking and preserving, or primarily for eating fresh? Do you have a large garden, a small one or just enough space on a patio to grow your plants in containers?
Depending on how you answered these questions, you might want to know whether a tomato variety is determinate or indeterminate. Determinate tomatoes grow to a certain size, generally between three and five feet, and bear most of their fruit within a four- to six-week period. Determinate tomatoes are often chosen for canning since the yield comes within a shorter time period.
Indeterminate tomatoes grow and bear fruit all summer, until the arrival of frost. These types need support, such as trellises, stakes or cages, to keep them from sprawling on the ground, where the fruit tends to rot.
Also consider the plant's susceptibility to disease. Many hybrid varieties have been bred to resist diseases that often plague tomatoes. Look on plant labels or in catalog descriptions for the letters V,F,N,Tand A. If present, these letters indicate that the variety is resistant to verticilliumwilt, fusariumwilt, nematodes, tobacco mosaic virus or alternaria stem canker.
The popular heirloom tomatoes offer a wide spectrum of choices in taste, color, texture and shape, and they are expensive at the grocery store. While heirlooms are sometimes not as productive as hybrids and tend to be more susceptible to disease, many home gardeners appreciate their unique characteristics. What's more, their seed can be saved for replanting next year. In contrast, saved hybrid seeds will not produce identical plants the following year.
Whichever varieties you choose, be sure to wait until the danger of frost is past and the soil is sufficiently warm to plant your tomatoes. Soil temperatures below 57ºF delay growth and leave the plants more susceptible to insect damage and disease. Tomatoes planted later usually catch up with those planted in cold soil. I am waiting until May 1 to plant mine.
Tomato Plant Sale: Napa County Master Gardeners will hold their second annual “Tomato Plant Sale and Education Day” on Saturday, April 19, in the South Oxbow parking lot on First Street in Napa. The sale will be held from 9:00 a.m. until sold out. All the seedlings have been started from seed and grown by Napa County Master Gardeners. More than 50 varieties of heirloom and hybrid tomato plants will be available. Master Gardeners will staff information tables on tomato support structures, common tomato pests and diseases, composting, good bug/bad bug displays and a mobile help desk. For a list of available tomato varieties, visit http://ucanr.org/ucmgnapa or call the Help Desk (hours below).
Workshop: Napa County Master Gardeners will conduct a workshop on “The Small Home Vineyard” on Saturday, March 29, from 9:30 am to 11:30 am, and from 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm. at the Yountville Community Center, 6516 Washington Street, Yountville. The morning session will focus on bud break to harvest. Learn the basics of managing a small vineyard including grape physiology, canopy management, vine nutrition, fertilization, irrigation and cover crop. The afternoon session will focus on identifying and managing the most common vineyard pests, especially powdery mildew. To register,call the Parks & Recreation Department at 707-944-8712 or visit its web site.
Master Gardeners are volunteers who help the University of California reach the gardening public with home gardening information. Napa County Master Gardeners ( http://ucanr.org/ucmgnapa/) 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.
Napa County Master Gardeners welcome the public to visit their demonstration garden at Connolly Ranch on Thursdays, from 10:00 a.m. until noon, except the last Thursday of the month. Connolly Ranch is at 3141 Browns Valley Road at Thompson Avenue in Napa. Enter on Thompson Avenue.
Tomatoes are relatively easy to grow. They sprint to maturity because they only have a few weeks of hot weather to produce their bounty. Examine the many varieties offered at farmers’ markets: heirlooms, hybrids, paste tomatoes, huge slicers and tomatoes in many different colors and shapes. Some weigh a pound or more, and some, like ‘Sungold,’ are small and prolific. Knowing the tomato plant’s requirements and monitoring closely will almost always produce good results and enough tomatoes for the neighbors.
Before planting, follow all directions on plant labels and read about tomatoes in Sunset’s Western Garden Book. The best guarantee of a healthy crop is soil well-amended soil with compost and a three-inch top dressing of well-aged manure.
Tomatoes need six to eight hours of sunlight a day and a consistent watering schedule. Watering deeply encourages deep roots. If the soil is amended, fertilizer isn’t necessary, but one or two feedings of a water-soluble fertilizer won’t hurt and may help. Too much nitrogen will produce lush foliage and few tomatoes.
Plants displaying holes or chewed leaves indicate that creatures are eating their daily meal. Snails chew tender leaves when plants are small, while the tomato worm likes to settle into the fruit. The large hornworm can consume large amounts of leaves and stems.
Common sense tells us to use pet-safe deterrents for snails. Hand-pick hornworms and put in the yard-waste bin. If you see whiteflies or aphids, blast them with strong jets of water.
Occasionally, one side of a plant will show leaf yellowing and sudden wilt. These are symptoms of fungal disease. Watering won’t help. Uproot the entire plant and place it in the yard-waste bin, not the compost pile. Fungal spores remain in the soil over the winter, so plant tomatoes in a different area the following season. Look for seedlings with a label that says “VFN resistant,” which indicates that the plant is resistant to verticilium wilt, fusarium (both fungal diseases) and nematodes.
Perhaps the most confusing and prevalent tomato problem is blossom-end rot. You’ve done everything right and your tomato plants look healthy. But when you pick the fruit, you notice a circle of sunken, hard brown skin on the blossom end. This damage, typically about the size of a fifty-cent piece, is a common problem. The cause is probably a lack of calcium due to inconsistent watering.
Water moves nutrients to feeder roots. You may have plenty of calcium in your soil, but if the soil is dry, the plant can’t get it. Plants need moist but not soggy soil. Too much water and the fruits may crack.
If we meet the tomato plant’s requirements, it will reward us with larger and more abundant fruit.
When the weather cools, you may still have unripe tomatoes. Dust thick slices of green tomatoes with seasoned flour and sauté them in a bit of bacon grease for two minutes per side.
Workshop: Napa County Master Gardeners will conduct a composting workshop in partnership with the City and County of Napa and Napa Recycling and Waste Services. The workshop is Saturday, September 7, at 9 a.m. at the Yountville Community Center. Learn how to turn your waste and kitchen scraps into wonderfully rich, free compost for your garden. Discover the basics of backyard composting, worm composting, and grasscycling. Register here: http://compost.naparecycles.org
Garden Tour: Napa County Master Gardeners will host a self-guided garden tour, “Down the Garden Path,” on Sunday, September 22, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit seven unique gardens in and around downtown Napa, all maintained by Master Gardeners. Tickets: $25 advance/$30 day of event. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit http://ucanr.edu/ucmgnapa or call 707-253-4147. Find us on Facebook under UC Master Gardeners of Napa County.
Master Gardeners are volunteers who help the University of California reach the gardening public with home gardening information. Napa County Master Gardeners ( http://ucanr.org/ucmgnapa/) 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?
