PREPARED: January 27, 2006
FOR RELEASE: IMMEDIATELY


Gardeneer® Tomato Growing Products Help Increase Tomato Harvests

KNOXVILLE, Tn. – Dalen Products, Inc. offers a full line of innovative tomato growing aids to help bring a plentiful harvest to the home gardener. The product line includes the Automator®/Tomato Tray™, Better Reds™ Red Mulch Film, Tomato Tower™ 6-Foot Trellis, and Season Starter™ Early Season Plant Protector.

"Tomatoes are the number one crop grown by home gardeners and this product line can take the home gardener through the entire growing season with great results," said Rob Nytko, Dalen’s director of marketing. "These tomato growing aids help produce healthier plants as well as higher yielding plants."

To get a jump on the season, use Season Starter™ to plant up to six weeks earlier without fear of a late season frost. This new and improved product protects tender plants when overnight temperatures drop below freezing (to 24&Mac176;F), by surrounding plants with tubes of water. This protects the plant in three ways: 1) heat is stored and then released at night when temperatures fall, 2) it shelters the plant from chilling winds, and 3) the stored water freezes before the plant feels the cold, releasing heat as it freezes.

The Tomato Tray™, Better Reds™, and Tomato Tower™ all help produce better tasting, prize-winning tomatoes…and more of them. The primary benefit of the Tomato Tray™ (also known as Automator®) is that it warms the soil and provides consistent moisture for early root development. Its unique design also helps protect against drought as the tray, which holds nearly a half-gallon of water, provides constant moisture in the root zone.

Better Reds™ is a red mulch film that reflects red light back to plants, which stimulates growth, increasing tomato harvests up to 20%. The film also serves several other important functions, including retaining moisture, controlling weeds, and warming the soil. All these properties combine to improve the quality and size of the tomato, while at the same time increasing the yield of the plant.

The Tomato Tower™ is a 6-foot high trellis that keeps fruit off the ground and will support the tomato plant through the entire growing season. Works better than tomato cages and is much easier to use than stakes. This product saves time by eliminating the need to tie up plant vines – simply tuck the growing vines in and around the heavy-duty nylon net. The Tomato Tower™ and Dalen’s other tomato growing products work wonderfully with other vine crops as well.

"All of our tomato growing products include a weatherproof shelf display specifically for cross-merchandising outdoors next to tomato seedlings," said Nytko. "This helps boost category sales when merchandised adjacent to live goods, which will create impulse purchases as customers shop for their plants."

Gardeneer® plant protection products are offered by Knoxville-based Dalen Products, a leading manufacturer of landscaping fabrics, garden netting and fencing, scarecrow devices, and other yard and garden products for use by homeowners. For more information, visit www.gardeneer.com or call (800) 747-3256.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Beth Leonard
Marketing Communications Manager
(865) 966-8132 or bleonard@gardeneer.com