PENNY PAWL UC Master Gardener of Napa County
Spring is coming soon, so it’s time to plan your summer garden. Napa County Master Gardeners will be offering a wide variety of organic tomato seedlings for sale Saturday, April 9. You can pre-order seedlings online (napamg.ucanr.edu/TomatoSale) starting April 3. The varieties were chosen because they do well. in the Napa Valley, with some new varieties available this year.
Have you ever considered growing tomatoes and pots? Many people have reported doing this successfully. Here are some tips if you want to give it a try.
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First, determine the ripe size of the tomato variety so that you can choose a pot, bucket or barrel large enough to accommodate the root system. Tomatoes are generally the deepest root plants in a vegetable garden. Also, you need a pot large enough for a tomato cage or other support.
Make sure the container has enough holes for good drainage as tomatoes do not like wet roots. If you need to improve drainage, drill ¼-inch holes in the bottom of the pots before adding soil.
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Since the floor can be washed out of pots, I cover the floor with newspaper in front of the floor. Colored newspaper has clay in the ink so avoid using it. You can also use old window screen.
Tomatoes in containers need consistent watering. The soil in the pots dries out quickly. I found that the soil at the top of the pot can get wet and dry on the floor. If you use water, make sure that the water penetrates to the end of the pot.
Use a deep soil rich in phosphorus and potassium. You can buy potting soil at a crèche or mix your own. I usually make my own from a mixture of sandy clay, perlite or red lava rock and compost. Old chicken manure is a good supplement. Aim for a pH. from 5.5 to 7.5 for best results.
When filling your bucket or pot, you probably do not want to move them, so make sure you place them in an area with plenty of sun. Tomatoes need sun to be the best. Put a cage around your tomatoes as soon as you plant them.
You need to know if the varieties you have chosen are definite or indefinite species. Determined tomatoes are probably a better choice for growing containers because they stop growing when the flowers appear. Indeterminate varieties continue to grow even after the flowers appear. If you want to grow tomatoes in a hanging pot, an indeterminate type is probably the better choice.
I once grew a cherry tomato that was still produced in late November. It was an indeterminate variety that was growing, flowering and producing tomatoes that I ate directly from the plant.
This year I plan to try an indefinite cherry tomato in a hanging pot. I see them in the garden catalogs. When the summer is over, I can move the plant to my greenhouse.
If you are planning tomatoes in hanging pots, make sure the hanging wires are strong enough to hold the pot as the tomatoes ripen.
Garden with the Masters
Napa County Master Gardeners and Ole Health will present a gardening class on Saturday, March 19, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Ole Health’s Garden at 300 Hartle Court in Napa. Space is limited. Sign up at https://bit.ly/3sxOpg9.
Workshops
• Napa County Master Gardeners will hold a workshop on “Growing Tasty Tomatoes” on Sunday, March 20 from 1pm to 3pm at Yountville Community Center, 6516 Washington Street, Yountville. Register online or at or call 707-944-8712 for yourself.
• Napa County Master Gardeners will hold a workshop on “Spring Garden Soil Prep, Seeds and Seedlings” Saturday, March 26 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Las Flores Community Center, 4300 Linda Vista Ave., Napa. Sign up at ucanr.edu/2022LFLGMarSpringPrep.
Tomato Sale: Napa County Master Gardeners will hold their annual Tomato Plant Sale on Saturday, April 9, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. or until sold out, at 1710 Soscol Ave., Napa. Twenty-seven varieties will be available.
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Do you have garden questions? Contact the helpdesk. The team works remotely so please send your questions through the diagnostic form, send all photos to mastergardeners@countyofnapa.org or leave a detailed message at 707- 253-4143. A Master Gardener will get back to you by phone or email. For more information visit
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