ARE YOU READY FOR TOMATO SEASON? By Dot Zanotti Ingels

Spring fever has officially taken me over.  Like so many of you, I am anxious to be out in my garden and start planting for summer color and yummy fresh vegetables.  This past weekend I was at the nursery and at the Civic Center farmer’s market and saw many people buying seedlings for their vegetable gardens.  

Unfortunately, they are jumping the gun a bit.  Warm-season vegetables, which include peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers, require both warm soil and high temperatures with little cooling at night to assure steady growth and harvest production.  Our days have been warm in much of Marin but the nights have been cool or even cold enough for frost.  Your seedlings will not be happy and will not thrive.  Be patient and wait until late April or the beginning of May to buy and transplant your seedlings.  If you are anxious to plant something, try lettuce, celery or chives.  

If you want to play in the dirt, I would suggest that you get your garden ready to welcome your new plants.  Get your weeds pulled and amend your soil with compost.  Vegetables tend to be heavy feeders so they like to have their soil home replenished each year.  Ask your nursery for recommendations of soil amendments that may work well with your type of soil.  If your garden is organic, make sure you use only organic amendments.  

On Saturday, April 20 the Marin Master Gardeners are hosting their annual Tomato Market.  Several varieties that are proven winners in Marin will be offered for sale.  You can find us at Pini Hardware in Novato and the Bon Air Center in Greenbrae.  Check out our web site for all the details and all you need to know to nurture your tomatoes.

 http://ucanr.edu/sites/MarinMG/Master_Gardener_Classes/Tomato_Market/