Carolyn’s Tomato Tips 

Homegrown tomatoes are superior in every way, especially those grown organically.  Yamagami’s Nursery not only offers more than 50 varieties of tomatoes (some organically grown), but also stocks the best selection of related supplies. Gardner & Bloome Potting Soil and Harvest Supreme; Dr. Earth Tomato, Vegetable and Herb Fertilizer; Rock Powder; plus Bob and John’s Soil Optimizer are the perfect ingredients for luscious, organic tomatoes. In recent tests at U.C. Davis, organically grown tomatoes were proved to not only taste better, but also contain more of the nutrients (Flavonoids, Lycopene) that make them so good for you. We also carry a terrific array of tomato cages, including the Texas Tomato Cage, the sturdiest we have ever found.  

Here are a few tips for choosing which varieties to grow:

Choosing can be challenging with over 50 varieties of tomatoes available. If you don’t have any idea what types you prefer, go with tried and true varieties to start. To learn more about which flavors, colors and textures you like, attend a tasting, try different varieties at Farmer’s Markets and sample your neighbor’s harvest. Taste turns out to be a very individual preference.  

Always include an EARLY variety because our weather can be so erratic. This is also one good reason to always try to grow more than one variety. We can never tell which varieties will do best in any given year. 

From my experience, a few Tried and True varieties (* denotes early):

All cherry types

Better Boy

Celebrity (also Bush Celebrity)

* Early Girl (also Bush Early Girl)

* Oregon Spring

* Stupice

Heirloom varieties versus modern hybrids: this is a tough question because there is currently a mystique around heirloom tomatoes. I have grown and enjoyed both types so I advocate growing whichever varieties you enjoy eating. (It is much the same with heirloom roses and modern hybrids.) The modern hybrids have some advantages in that resistance to diseases has been bred into them. Some heirlooms are more susceptible to disease than others, and fluctuating weather can also be problematic. On the other hand, heirlooms got to be heirlooms because they tasted so good their seeds were passed down for generations. Often hybrids were bred for uniform size and shape along with ease of picking and transport as their major advantages, which are of less value to the backyard grower. However, this does NOT mean hybrids are flavorless. When picked ripe from the vine, most are very tasty indeed!

Pick up a copy of our 2008 Tomato Suggestions listing 60+ varieties for more recommendations and our Success with Tomatoes Guide for planting instructions. We want you to succeed…the first time with your tomato crop. Our next newsletter will offer tomato growing tips. 

Let Your Garden GLOW! 

Deep red foliaged plants really GLOW in the garden and are becoming more popular every year. I’m always looking for good garden candidates and am happy to have gotten a limited quantity of Lophomyrtus r. ‘Red Dragon’. 'Red Dragon’s' new growth comes out bright red, then gradually matures to a deep red so dark it’s almost black. It is evergreen (actually red), compact growing 4 to 5 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide, with tiny leaves, and in some ways resembles a boxwood. It needs mostly sun to keep its good color but will tolerate a little afternoon shade. Can you just imagine what a beautiful border or hedge it will make? In its native New Zealand, it is also popular as cut foliage in the florist industry.  

On another glowing note, last summer we first offered Agonis f. ‘After Dark’. We have just received another shipment of these deep burgundy large shrub/small trees from Australia. With a spreading habit and a willowy appearance, 'After Dark' is soft and graceful, reaching 15 to 18 feet tall and 10 to 15 feet wide. As a bonus, 'After Dark' blooms with small white flowers all along the branches in late spring. Plant as an evergreen billowy screen or a small, shapely, focal point. 'After Dark' is an ideal alternative to a red Japanese Maple for a warm sunny area. 

Walk through our ever-evolving garden displays to see the all other red foliaged plants we offer for a glowing garden. Let one of Yamagami’s knowledgeable staff members help you find just the right glowing plant for your own garden.

We are here to help you succeed…the first time!

Bada Boom Begonias 

Looking for some long blooming plants color in part shade? Try the new ‘Bada Boom’ begonias. Plant them... then bada-boom! They bloom until frost and sometimes even longer! They come in four vibrant colors with bright yellow centers and bronze leaves. ‘Bada Booms’ bloom earlier than other bedding begonias and don’t seem to mind the cooler nights of early spring.

Add some Bada Boom to your garden!

Meet the Original Mulch Block and Mike Emanuel, the man responsible for bringing it to our shores! Mike will be here to answer questions about the Original Mulch Block and to demonstrate how easy the blocks are to use. Featured in the San Jose Mercury News and other publications, they are the wave of the future in convenience married to sustainability. We are proud to offer them along with special pricing for larger projects. Saturday, April 5th from 10 AM to 2 PM.

For more information on Mulches, pick up a FREE Bay Friendly Landscaping Guide to MULCH from the Santa Clara Valley Water District.

Bring in your mother or come alone to meet Mrs. Janice Kellogg, the matriarch of Kellogg Garden Products, for whom the equally beautiful Janice Kellogg rose is named. It’s the perfect red rose for Mother’s Day, large, burgundy red, peony-like flowers with a mild fragrance and a long lasting cut flower. Mrs. Kellogg will be here Saturday, May 10th from 10 AM to 2 PM to meet mothers and show off her namesake rose.

Every purchaser of Janice Kellogg roses that day will receive a FREE bag of Gardner & Bloome Rose Planting Mix! Give your mother something special this year--time together in our gardens, a chance to meet an amazing mother and businesswoman, and last but hardly least, a beautiful rose bush for years of bouquets.

Just in time for spring, Yamagami’s Nursery is happy to announce the addition of 13 extra weekend PARKING SPOTS! We hope they ease the search for a space. They are located along the left side of the nursery as a continuation of the lot we opened last year. Hurray! 

Introducing Gardner & Bloome Planting Mix! 

New to Yamagami’s Nursery this spring is all natural Gardner & Bloome Planting Mix. It’s perfect for most planting jobs and can even be used as a cover for lawn seeds. It’s formulated with Mother Nature’s finest ingredients including peat moss, earthworm castings, chicken manure, bat guano, and kelp meal. We are offering a special spring deal on 2 cubic foot size bags of Gardner & Bloome Planting Mix: buy 3 and get 1 FREE for the entire month of April! This introductory offer is just in time for your spring planting so come on in to pick up your free bag. Yamagami’s motto is "When you want to succeed…the first time" and with Gardner & Bloome Planting Mix, you will!.