THE COASTAL GARDENER:

On the evening of Aug. 20, gardeners and plant lovers throughout Orange County will converge at the Orange County Fairgrounds for a fun evening of great gardening buys, great chili tasting, great friendship and charity.

The Orange County nursery industry has been sponsoring the popular “Charity Plant Auction Chili Cook-Off” every August for the last 18 years. There is something for everyone at this family event.

A small $5 donation gets you in; the rest is up to you. The evening includes a chili tasting and a chili competition, preceding the auctions. For the children, who get in for free, the Centennial Farm, with its rows of vegetables, educational exhibits and farm animals, is only a few yards away.

Anyone can enter the chili competition, and more than $500 in cash prizes are awarded in the judged competition. Several nurseries and green industries will be competing. Chili divisions include Traditional as well as Non-Traditional. Other awards include Best Overall Chili, the People’s Choice Award and my favorite, the Best Decorated Booth. To enter the competition, go to www.occan.org/events.html. There is no entry fee.

If you just want to taste the chili and get a chance to talk to the cooks, and maybe even get a recipe or two, it’s best to arrive early; gates open at 5 p.m. After most of the chili is gone (and the heartburn has begun), the gardening portion of the evening begins.

Thousands of dollars of plants and other garden products, generously donated by nurseries and their suppliers, are auctioned off to raise funds for charity. Flowers, trees, vines, roses, fruiting plants, planting mixes, tools, pottery, fountains and other items are auctioned to the highest bidder during several silent auctions and a live auction. In addition to plants and gardening products, there are always several other items to bid on as well. Lots of sports memorabilia, event tickets and professional services are common at the auction.

The auction often goes well into the night, and the values just get better as the night rolls on. Plants are usually sold at a fraction of their true value. Flowers are sold by the tray at prices you may never see again. Large trees are sold below wholesale. Fountains and pots go for a steal.

Empty out your trunk or borrow your neighbor’s pick-up truck. Better yet, bring your neighbor along, because at these prices it’s self service; you take it home with you.

Proceeds from the evening benefit the Orange County Ronald McDonald House, the UC Master Gardeners (who will be helping throughout the evening), Sherman Library and Gardens, the OC Fair Centennial Farm Foundation and the Orange County 4-H Council. Funds from the event are also used for horticultural research and horticulture student scholarships.

Question: My tomato plants are huge — way over the little tomato cages I bought for them. I know you told me so, but I didn’t believe you. Now I do. Any suggestions?

Answer: I think just about every gardener makes this mistake some time or another. I grow all mine in Texas Tornado tomato cages. They are a very heavy gauge, are 6 feet tall and come in either an 18- or 24-inch diameter. Even better, they fold up flat as a pancake when not in use. I’ve been using the same cages for more than 10 years. If you love homegrown tomatoes, you should probably come to the huge Heirloom Tomato Tasting Aug. 9 at 9 a.m. at Roger’s Gardens. Between 50 and 100 varieties will be sliced and labeled and ready for tasting. Arrive early; it’s one of the most popular events of the summer, and hundreds of gardeners usually attend.

ASK RON your toughest gardening questions, and the expert nursery staff at Roger’s Gardens will come up with an answer. Please include your name, phone number and city, and limit queries to 30 words or fewer. E-mail stumpthegardener@rogersgardens.com, or write to Plant Talk at Roger’s Gardens, 2301 San Joaquin Hills Road, Corona del Mar, CA 92625.

RON VANDERHOFF is the nursery manager at Roger’s Gardens in Corona del Mar.