Over the past twenty years, commercial growers have produced tomato varieties that valued shelf-life and unblemished prettiness over taste — and the result has been an almost tasteless tomato at your local supermarket (the baskets might taste as good). Put taste back on top with heirloom varieties — some can even flourish on your patio in a 7-gallon-sized container!

Heirlooms vary in their production time, so you can sequence your varieties over the summer. A vine-ripened tomato salad can be yours for the picking! These tomatoes may not look as pretty as the ones in the local supermarket — but the taste more than makes up for it.

Planting and growing – directions:

The one disadvantage to heirloom varieties is that they tend to be less disease-resistant than the hybrids. Choose the healthiest plants you can find, buy a few extras in case, and especially keep any cigarettes far away (if you smoke yourself, don't even think about tending them with a cigarette in your mouth — that's asking for mosaic virus, even with a resistant hybrid). If you've grown a few extra, and they all stay healthy, your non-gardening neighbors will probably be happy to take some of your great-tasting tomatoes off your hands.

Once you get your plants, if they are greenhouse-grown, harden them off for a week or so before transplanting (leave them outside for just a couple of hours the first day, then gradually increase the length of time, watering as needed). Before you transplant, amend your soil with a good planting mix, such as G & B Harvest Supreme or Dr. Earth Planting Mix, or use a potting soil such as G & B Blue Ribbon Potting Soil or Dr.Earth Potting Soil for tomatoes in pots. Plant them in the evening or on a cloudy day, and they will be less likely to droop. To make for a stronger plant, bury tomato stems up to the plant's second true set of leaves (they'll develop roots all along the buried stem).

Stake or cage as needed (depending on the variety), water as necessary, and fertilize with Dr.Earth Organic 5 or Organic Advantage Plant Food and you'll have a tomato crop that can't be beat!

A note to those growing tomatoes in pots on a narrow patio: you can espalier tomatoes! They won't produce as well but if it's the only way you'll have the room to grow them at all, try it — half a crop is better than being stuck with the tasteless 'tomatoes' sold in the supermarkets.

One thing to watch when buying plants for sun or shade is that we gardeners often grow plants from very different climates than our own. A plant that would be a sun-hog in Alaska will probably require some protection from semi-tropical sun, for instance. So keep in mind that sun and shade are, to some extent, relative to the climate.

Many of the most popular true shade-loving plants (from forest floor) are also acid-loving plants. Also, many shade plants come from areas with a high annual rainfall (50 inches or more). If your soil is alkaline, you will need to amend the soil extensively. It's also a good idea to pre-plan for the water needs of shade plants. You might want to consider a drip irrigation system, which uses less water than other methods.

Preparing the soil:

Your very first step should be to get your soil tested. Is it acid, alkaline, or balanced? That does make a difference. Your next step should be to amend the soil with a good planting mix, using enough for the area. If your soil is too alkaline for the plant's requirements, we recommend G & B Acid Planting Mix. For more balanced soil, use G & B Planting Mix to help the soil retain its moisture during hot summer days, yet allow good drainage in case of a deluge (root-rot is no fun either).

Although sun-loving plants can often handle poor soil better than shade-lovers, and are often more drought-tolerant, a good planting mix is still needed if you want a truly healthy plant. Sun-lovers have widely varying soil requirements; some even prefer somewhat alkaline soil. Our professionals will be happy to help you find the right soil amendments for your plants.

When planting in a container, for shade or sun, use a good potting soil such as G & B Blue Ribbon Potting Soil.

Many homeowners revel in the glory of their garden in spring, only to be disappointed when plants start to dry out and look stressed in the heat of summer. The natural reaction is to pour more water into the garden to "moisturize" the plants. This in turn can lead to root rot and/or the continuous lowering of soil temperature to the point that plants aren't stimulated to grow — or just plain die (overwatering is one of the main causes of plant death). But these problems can be greatly reduced or, in many cases, prevented by summer mulching.

The goal of summer mulching is not only to reduce summer heat stress on plants, but to create an environment for plants that will be conducive to good growth. Mulch is to a garden what a roof is to your home. We couldn't heat or air condition the home without the roof. The same seasonal temperature variance occurs in your garden. A 3" layer of mulch not only retains moisture in the soil but it maintains a cooler temperature in the summer and a warmer temperature in the winter.

Mulching also brings many other benefits to the garden. It gives the garden a tidier appearance, and greatly improves the growing conditions for plants. Mulch helps suppress weeds and helps to conserve moisture. It creates an environment where earthworms can thrive and enhance the soil's condition. Nature provides this for us in natural settings and when we apply mulch to our garden, we mimic what is naturally done on the forest floor.

The strategy is to stimulate the growth of good soil bacteria which in turn digest plant foods that the plant will recognize as nutrients and absorb. By keeping moisture in the soil you will attract earthworms and beneficial microbes and bacteria. The earthworms loosen up the soil easing compaction, and the beneficial microbes help digest nutrients more efficiently making them more readily available to the plants. Maintaining "moist" soil as opposed to "wet" soil keeps the temperature of the soil at a more consistent level for optimum growth. Mulch also provides a blanket to the soil that protects against the crusting effect that happens as a result of watering or rain. Organic mulches decompose and add humus to the soil.

The method is to spread a 2" inch layer of mulch or bark over the top of the native soil before the heat of summer hits. There are many mulching materials available. Color, particle size, and nutrient exchange are considerations when choosing your material. While decorative barks are attractive, they can become a home for insects and they will drag nitrogen from your soil. Non-organic decorative mulches (rock and such) may be an attractive addition in gardens but give nothing back to the soil and can also be a hiding place for pests.

When mulching is incorporated with a good organic fertilizing program, the plants in your garden will not only survive the stress of summer, but will thrive in it. A good rule of thumb for mulch is to apply it at least 1-1/2 inches and up to 3 inches in depth. Mulch should never be placed right up against the stem of the plant or trunk of the tree.

In addition to all of the cultural advantages created by mulching, you will also give your garden a more "finished" look, adding to its overall beauty.