Sale lets master gardeners start your plants

Steve Stacey extols the virtues of lemon grass (in the foreground), such as repelling mosquitoes.
Photo by Joe Gamm
Steve Stacey extols the virtues of lemon grass (in the foreground), such as repelling mosquitoes. Photo by Joe Gamm

Tomato plants are growing inside greenhouses in north Jefferson City.

At this point, they can about double in size every week, depending on how sunny it is.

They'll be just about perfect for the annual Central Missouri Master Gardeners Plant Sale, which will occur 9 a.m.-6 p.m. May 6 and 8 a.m.-noon May 7, Steve Stacey said. The event is at 801 Sandstone Road in north Jefferson City.

The tomato plants have a greenhouse to themselves. Thousands of other plants are also growing nearby.

Stacey, who is in charge of the (approximately 2,000) tomato plants at the sale, said customers will be able to choose from 31 tomato varieties.

Customers like the plants on the smaller side, he said, so they can fit them inside their vehicles without damaging their tops. Last year, he said, there was an abundance of sunshine during the spring, and the plants grew much quicker than normal.

This spring, there hasn't been much sun, so the plants are taking their time.

"These are really healthy looking," Stacey said and pointed over the top of ranks of tomato starts. "These are looking good."

He pointed out many had grown well over an inch in the past four days.

"This is a Sun Sugar. It's a cherry tomato. And it's yellow," he said. "The only problem I have with a Sun Sugar -- is that they never make it to the house."

He eats Sun Sugars before he can get them out of the garden, Stacey said.

They usually rank the highest for flavor among all tomatoes, according to master gardeners' rankings, he continued.

Another popular variety is "Delicious," he said, which holds the national record: a Giant Delicious Tomato weighed in at more than 7.5 pounds.

It's not only about the size, he added. The tomato has a sweet, rich flavor. And it is fleshy.

At only 55 days to maturity, Early Girl Tomatoes are the fastest-growing tomatoes. Others take 70-80 days to mature and produce fruit.

The starts master gardeners will offer next week all came from seeds and "plugs" (or seedlings that have started in cylinders made from different materials, such as peat moss).

"Dad's Sunset is a new one for us here. It's an orange tomato," Stacey said. "I'm excited about growing these because the reviews for it are all fantastic."

The sale will not only have tomatoes, although they are very popular. Look for eggplants and always popular peppers.

Herbs and other garden plants are available. Decorative plant starters are available.

"We've got quite a few basils, because that's pretty popular," Stacey said.

Master gardeners have prepared hanging baskets and potted plants.

About half of the people who attend the annual sale know what they want before they arrive, Stacey said.

Others want help choosing what might work best for their needs or tastes.

For the first time in about four years, the sale will offer tomatillos, which are plants that bear small, spherical green fruit. They are ground up and used in green salsas, he said. They are very popular.

Another popular tomato variety is "Celebrity," Stacey said. One year, the University of Missouri Extension ranked Celebrity as the best tomato for Missouri, he said.

This time next week will be the perfect time to put plants in the ground, he said, because we should be past all the frosts.

photo A variety of popular plants, such as coleus, will be available during annual Central Missouri Master Gardeners Plant Sale late next week. Photo by Joe Gamm
photo Steve Stacey stands in a sea of tomato plants, which will be available for sale next week during the annual Central Missouri Master Gardeners Plant Sale. Photo by Joe Gamm