Planting Your New Tomato Plants
One of the things that I always look forward to during the summer is the taste of a homegrown tomato right out of my garden. You probably feel the same way and that is why you plan to buy some tomato plants at the Ellis County Master Gardener Plant Expo on March 23 at the Waxahachie Civic Center.
If you are new to growing tomatoes in Texas or have not been happy with your results, here are a few things to consider to ensure that you have a good crop.
First, there two categories of tomato plants.
Determinate plants have an expected size and growing pattern, will not necessarily need
staking but can be staked, and they bear fruit at a specific time.
Indeterminate plants are more often vining, have no definite size or shape, will usually need a trellis to grow on, and bear fruit all season long.
Second, if you expect great tomatoes, they need well-draining soil and will need additional fertilizing during the growing season. Additional fertilizing starts when the first fruits reach about 1 inch in size and then every four weeks after that.
Third, your tomato-growing success depends on how you plant the tomatoes.
It may sound illogical, but your tomatoes should be planted slightly deeper than where they are in the pot. Very small plants can be planted at current soil depth while medium plants should be planted an additional 2 to 3 inches below soil level after pinching off the bottom leaves. Larger plants (particularly the indeterminate varieties) can be planted deeper by bending the stem in an “L” shape on the bottom of your hole after the leaves on the plant below ground level have been removed. It may sound wrong, but tomatoes are all essentially vines and will happily grow more roots on the buried stems to increase their ability to reach water and nutrients.
Fourth, tomatoes need water.
If you leave a shallow depression around your tomato’s stem, it will help channel water to the plant. Tomatoes need to be watered slowly and deeply. How often depends on the temperature, wind, and amount of direct summer sun. Inadequate water will result in withered plants and small fruit. I purchased a moisture meter to help.
A caution is important here: do not water your tomatoes from the top. Tomatoes get a fungal disease called early tomato blight. The blight fungus overwinters in the soil and overhead watering causes the spores to be splashed up onto the lower leaves. Once the blight starts showing itself, it is very hard to control. I will follow up with a later article explaining how to control the blight. I have found that laying a soaker hose alongside my tomatoes works well and can be put on a timer.
Fifth, support your plants.
Tomato plants can make some very heavy fruit (we all hope) and will need some help supporting them.
Determinate tomatoes can be supported with a commercial tomato cage, think bigger = better. You can make a cage out of reinforcing wire by cutting a section and bending it into a cylinder. I have also made a support out of old bamboo canes and tied the tomato limbs to the canes.
Indeterminate tomatoes are going to need additional support beyond the cages. I plant my indeterminate tomatoes so that they will have additional reinforcing wire to climb. 
Good luck with your tomatoes and may yours have so many fruit that you will have to share your abundance.
by Rob Franks, ECMG
Additional resource from Agie Horticulture:
https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2013/09/EHT-043.pdf
Behind the Scenes…a look at the Master Gardener EXPO Plant Sale
The plant sale is one of the most anticipated events at the Master Gardener Expo in Waxahachie. It is also one of the largest fundraisers for the Ellis County Master Gardeners. The Master Gardener Expo will be held on March 23, 2024, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Convention Center. But get there early if you want that prized plant because they go quick!
The plant sale will feature thousands of plants. You can find all types of plants from vegetables, herbs, patio, and landscape plants, including trees. Many times, you can find that hard-to-find plant you have been wanting! Plants are suited to thrive here in North Texas.
So, what does it take to put on a plant sale of this size? It takes lots of behind-the-scenes work! The plant-sale preparation starts months before the Expo. Many conference calls, meetings and emails occur in the planning. The plant sale is spearheaded by Gayle Johnston and Jackie Milan. They organize an army of Master Gardener volunteers, and these volunteers split into different committees to ensure the success of the sale. One group is assigned to purchase plants from various plant wholesalers around North Texas, and this group is led by Jackie Milan who is responsible for plant procurement. They travel to the vendors and inspect plants to determine if they meet the quality standards for the plant sale. They also must make sure that these plants will be mature enough to be sold by the time they are delivered the day before the sale. Additionally, they are responsible for negotiating the price for plants before purchase to be able to offer the best price for our community.
Gayle Johnston is responsible for the layout of the sale. Once she receives a list and sizes of plants that will be offered, she then determines the layout and traffic patterns and where plants will be located and grouped. She also determines the number of tables that will be needed.
The plants are delivered the day before the Expo and start arriving early in the morning. Prior to bringing the plants into the sale area, plastic sheeting must be laid down to protect the floors of the convention center, and tables must be set up. Also, piping and drapes must be hung around the tables. The plants then must be labelled with the name and any information about the plant.
On Expo Day, the customer lines start forming early in the morning. There are cashiers and about 12-15 volunteers to work on the floor. They provide plant information to the customers and answer questions that the customers may have. They also help in locating a particular plant for a customer.
After the Expo closes, there is still work to be done! Everything needs to be broken down and cleaned up at closing. The volunteers spend a few hours ripping up the plastic and sweeping up dirt on the floors. They also wipe down all the tables and restore the convention center back to its original condition. At the end of the day, we have a group of exhausted volunteers. But all the hard work pays off with the satisfaction of knowing that the Ellis County Master Gardeners are providing the community with quality plants at a good price!
by Angie McKune, ECMG Intern
Journaling dream come true…
Just in time for spring planting, you can have decades of Ellis County Master Gardeners’ advice, experience and knowledge at your fingertips all in one compact package. The first edition of the ECMG Journal will be available at the Ellis County Master Gardener Lawn and Garden Expo on March 23 at the Waxahachie Civic Center.
“The monthly gardener’s companion is specific to Ellis County,” said Mary Brower, who along with Alicia Wasson spearheaded the project (both are Master Gardeners). “As the title indicates, this journal is the ultimate 12-month guide filled with valuable information aiding both novice gardeners as well as those with many years of experience under their belts,” Mary said.
The idea of a journal was born from a common need for year-round expert guidance in the challenging Ellis County growing environment. “Being a new gardener, I needed quick access to planting and growing information specific to Ellis County,” Alicia said. “The journal is a compilation of experience from Master Gardeners in our area along with expertise from Texas A&M.”
The spiral-bound 8-1/2” by 11” journal is packed with gardening information and advice on approximately 150 sturdy pages. Delightfully inspirational with color and greyscale illustrations, it details recommended monthly and seasonal gardening activities as well as showcasing a variety of wildflowers and herbs to enhance any garden.
The journal is certain to become one of the most valuable tools Ellis County gardeners can have in their gardening toolbox. Pick one up for yourself or grab several; they are perfect gifts for all Ellis County gardeners.
You can view a copy of the Journal at the entrance to the Plant Sale. Pick up and pay for your copy at the Plant Sale checkout.
What Do You Know About Texas Superstars®?
Every plant earning the Texas Superstar® designation undergoes several years of extensive field trials by Texas A&M AgriLife Research and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, both part of the Texas A&M System. They must be shown to be super-performing plants under Texas growing conditions.
Here are just a few Superstars® to look for, there are many more.
Check out this list from Texas A&M.
https://texassuperstar.com/texas-superstar-plants/
‘Flare’ Hibiscus has apple green foliage and large, high quality fuchsia red flowers. Four feet tall, it is a profuse bloomer with luxuriant rebloom. This wonderful cultivar does great in any soil type, even our sticky, highly alkaline clays.
Lindheimer muhly is a clump-forming, tough, warm-season perennial grass native to Texas. Foliage is typically 3- to 4-feet tall with flower stalks extending an additional foot above the foliage.
Globe amaranth (AKA bachelor’s buttons) are versatile, often overlooked summer annuals that thrive in the Texas heat. Varieties range in size from 8” to 48 “ and vary in color from whites, to pinks, to lavendars, to dark, rich purples.
Angelonia is a spreading annual with upright flower spikes that resemble miniature snapdragons. The Serena™ series are the only angelonias that are grown from seed. Flower colors available include white, pink, purple, lavender and lavender pink.
The Celebrity tomato, long recognized as the variety by which all new tomatoes are measured. “When we test new tomato varieties, we look for characteristics that are as good or better than Celebrity, and that is not easy to do.” (Larry Stein, Ph.D.) This F1 hybrid was first produced in the USA by Colen Wyatt with the seeds being commercially distributed in the late 1980s. This is a vigorous plant that will typically produce 20 or more very plump, robust tomatoes. Fruits weigh approximately 8 oz. and are 4 inches across. Plants need caging or staking.