Wild Boar Farms breeder will be at Green Acres in Auburn and Sacramento
Brad Gates, right, answer questions from gardeners after his tomato presentation at Green Acres' Sacramento store in February 2023. Other attendees look over the tomato plant selection he brought with him. Kathy Morrison
The man who brought us more colorful (and flavorful) tomatoes is giving local gardeners an opportunity to get his tomato-growing advice at two in-person events.
Brad Gates, who introduced such popular tomato varieties as Berkeley Tie-Dye and Brad’s Atomic Grape, will be the February guest of “Garden Talk” at Green Acres Nursery & Supply in Auburn and Sacramento.
Gates is the owner of Wild Boar Farms, famous for its multicolored varieties with crazy names. Wild Boar produces “the most outrageous tomato varieties available on the planet,” Gates says on his website. “Our focus is in breeding stunning-looking tomato varieties with extreme flavor. ...
"Our tomato varieties are the result of many years of hard work growing tens of thousands of plants, being very picky about seed selection and capitalizing on some amazing gifts from Mother Nature.”
Gates is always working on new varieties to add to Wild Boar’s collection. Seeds are available online at https://www.wildboarfarms.com/. Transplants will be available at Green Acres as well as Talini’s Nursery, The Plant Foundry and Redwood Barn Nursery in early spring.
“Tomatoes have changed more in the last 10 years than they have in their entire existence,” Gates adds. “The bar is being raised and tomato lovers can now reap the rewards. I consider these tomato varieties the ‘Heirlooms of the Future.’ ”
At 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, Gates will preview his new tomato introductions for 2024 as well as offer his tomato growing tips at the Green Acres at Eisley’s, 380 Nevada St. in Auburn.
At 10 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 25, Gates will repeat his Garden Talk and share new varieties at Green Acres’ Sacramento store and nursery, 8501 Jackson Road.
Admission to each event is free.
For more details and directions: https://idiggreenacres.com/.
Comments
0 comments have been posted.Sacramento Digs Gardening to your inbox.
Thanks to Our Sponsor!
Local News
Sites We Like
Garden Checklist for week of Nov. 3
November still offers good weather for fall planting:
* If you haven't already, it's time to clean up the remains of summer. Pull faded annuals and vegetables. Prune dead or broken branches from trees.
* Now is the best time to plant most trees and shrubs. This gives them plenty of time for root development before spring growth. They also benefit from fall and winter rains.
* Set out cool-weather annuals such as pansies and snapdragons.
* Lettuce, cabbage and broccoli also can be planted now.
* Plant garlic and onions.
* Keep planting bulbs to spread out your spring bloom. Some possible suggestions: daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths, tulips, anemones and scillas.
* This is also a good time to seed wildflowers and plant such spring bloomers as sweet pea, sweet alyssum and bachelor buttons.
* Rake and compost leaves, but dispose of any diseased plant material. For example, if peach and nectarine trees showed signs of leaf curl this year, clean up under trees and dispose of those leaves instead of composting.
* Save dry stalks and seedpods from poppies and coneflowers for fall bouquets and holiday decorating.
* For holiday blooms indoors, plant paperwhite narcissus bulbs now. Fill a shallow bowl or dish with 2 inches of rocks or pebbles. Place bulbs in the dish with the root end nestled in the rocks. Add water until it just touches the bottom of the bulbs. Place the dish in a sunny window. Add water as needed.
* Give your azaleas, gardenias and camellias a boost with chelated iron.
* For larger blooms, pinch off some camellia buds.
* Prune non-flowering trees and shrubs while dormant.
* To help prevent leaf curl, apply a copper fungicide spray to peach and nectarine trees after they lose their leaves this month. Leaf curl, which shows up in the spring, is caused by a fungus that winters as spores on the limbs and around the tree in fallen leaves. Sprays are most effective now.
Powered by California Local
