Edibles: You say tomato; I say try a new variety

Most gardeners buy tomato starts rather than growing their own from seed. That works fine for those who like the well-known varieties carried by nurseries. For folks who'd like to grow new or unfamiliar varieties, it's often a problem.

One of the best solutions is the annual Master Gardener Foundation Plant Sale. Most counties around the Sound have one, and they typically offer a good supply of tomato starts, including hard-to-find and heritage varieties.

The King County MGF has scheduled its sale -- "Get A Good Thing Growing" -- for May 3-4 at the Center for Urban Horticulture, near University Village.

If you arrive early on Saturday, you'll probably find all 27 tomato varieties grown by Master Gardeners for the sale. On the list are recent contest winners, such as Sungold and Momotaro, heritage varieties such as Brandywine and Green Zebra, All-America Selection winners like Big Beef and Juliet, and local favorites like Fourth of July, Stupice and Sweet Million.

Need a tomato that's bred for hanging baskets? Get a Tumbler. Want one that's mild and non-acidic? Taxi may be the answer. Whichever you buy, you can be assured it will grow in our area.

Shoppers needing advice on varieties can ask for a personal shopper -- a Master Gardener who'll work with you to find the right plant. For more routine assistance, collar any Master Gardener working the sales tables.

Tomato starts are just a part of the sale. You also can shop for all kinds of plants including rare and unusual ornamentals, plus new and used gardening books and gardening accessories.

On May 2 there's a pre-sale event. Besides the chance to shop early, participants can enjoy music, wine, appetizers and an appearance by Ciscoe Morris.

If you can't find an odd variety or two at the Master Gardener Sale, all's not lost. Cindy Knight grows more than 100 tomato varieties, which she sells as starts at her plant stand in Elma. Though Elma may be down the road a bit from your place, I can assure you the drive is pleasant and the prospects of finding the hard-to-find are excellent.

Cindy's Plant Stand, on 1199 Monte-Elma Road, is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. You can reach her at 360-482-3258.

TomatoFare 2008

Several readers have inquired about TomatoFare, the heirloom tomato event held last year at The Gorge Amphitheatre. Its organizer, Martin Ringhofer, is planning year two, to be held at White Heron Winery in Quincy. The date will be Aug. 23 or 31. As soon as I get further details, I'll pass them along.

Martin tells me he has 32 varieties of heirloom starts he'll give to people to grow for the Fare. If you're interested, let me know.