Tomato Kickoff Event This Saturday at Gill’s!

Did you know that the tomato is the most-grown vegetable in the world?! We’re so lucky we get 2 seasons to grow them in South TX! Come join us at Gill’s this Saturday, February 15th, to kick off the spring tomato planting season. Andy with Medina Ag will give 2 tomato planting/growing demo sessions at 10am and again at 2pm, plus she’ll be here to answer questions and give away samples and prizes throughout the day. Plus, we’ve got 27 different tomato varieties and everything you need to grow ’em! Here’s what to expect this weekend and a few key tomato tips. 

Join Us Saturday, February 15th – 10am AND 2pm – Tomato Kickoff with Andy Chidester of Medina Agricultural Products

We’re so excited to have Andy back to talk tomatoes! She’s a tomato expert with experience growing all kinds of tomatoes in several different regions of Texas, including the Coastal Bend. She works for Medina Agricultural Products, makers of our 2 favorite organic fertilizers – Medina Growin Green and Medina Hasta Gro, which make a winning combo for growing tomatoes and lots more. Be here at 10am or 2pm for her planting demos or stop by anytime with your questions. She’ll be giving away prizes throughout the day!

Come Check Out our Huge Selection of Different Tomato Plants!

We are kicking off tomato season this weekend with 27(!!) different varieties of tomato plants. Here’s the list – if you don’t see one you’re looking for, we bet we can find it! 

• Celebrity
• Tycoon
• Early Girl
• San Marzano
• Roma
• Sungold
• Juliet
• Sweet 100
• Ruby Crush
• Red Snapper
• Candyland
• Supersweet 100
• Lemon Boy
• Black Krim
• Brandywine
• Cherokee Purple
• Red GRape
• Micro Tom
• Yellow Pear
• Red Deuce
• Large Cherry Red
• Thunderbird
• Bella Rosa
• JD’s Early Black
• Mountain Magic
• Super Fantastic
• Sweet Million

Simple Tips for Growing Prizewinning Tomatoes!

Eating fresh, perfectly ripe, homegrown tomatoes is one of life’s greatest pleasures – yes, it takes a lot of TLC, but so worth it! 

1. Start with good soil! If you’re growing tomatoes in containers or raised beds, we highly recommend Gardener’s Magic from Landscaper’s Pride. It’s a nice, loose mix specially formulated for raised beds and it doesn’t need any amendment. Just pour and plant. If you’re growing tomatoes in the ground in heavy clay or sandy soil, use our beloved Nature’s Blend compost to add nutrients and better structure to your native soil. About 1 bag of compost per 12 square feet of bed space, or the rough equivalent if you’re making your own compost. 
2. Plant em Deep and in Full Sun! Tomatoes are one of the very few plants that you can plant deep since they grow new roots out of the stem. So, pull off a few of the bottom leaves and plant them deep – all the way up to the next set of leaves. More roots = more tomatoes! Look for the sunniest place you can find. Make sure your tomato plants get at least 6 hours of full sun. 
3. Use a Tomato Cage! It will make your life easier and your tomatoes happier if you cage them when you plant, while the plants are still small. This way they have some structure to grow up onto and you don’t have to risk breaking branches trying to cage them later. 
4. Feed and Water Regularly! Tomatoes, and any other bloom and fruit-producing plants, need lots of energy and regular watering. Water every day at first, then you can back off some once the plants get more established. Feeding on a regular schedule is perhaps the most important tip for getting a big harvest. Use DeAnna’s tried and true method:  Medina Growin Green on the 1st of the month, then liquid Hasta Gro on the 15th. Set these reminders/alarms in your phone!
5. Watch Out for Caterpillars and Harvest Often! Caterpillars love tomatoes, but they’re usually easy to control. If you’re inspecting your garden every day, you’ll catch caterpillar and other pest issues before they become a problem. You can remove and relocate hungry caterpillars or use organic Bt to control. Some prefer liquid Bt spray, and others prefer the dust – we’ve got both. Most tomatoes take 65-80 days to mature. Once you start seeing ripe or almost ripe tomatoes, harvest often!