The Fullerton Arboretum on the Cal State Fullerton campus combined its Veggiepalooza Monster Tomato and Pepper Sale with its California Native Plant Sale for a garden-building virtual sale March 20 through April 2. Curbside delivery is set for April 12-18.
The virtual sale is open to the public and offers everything for spring planting including more than 200 varieties of heirloom tomatoes, sweet, mild and hot peppers, select vegetables and over 200 varieties of native California plants. Each plant was propagated and organically grown in the arboretum nursery by a team of volunteers.
The tomatoes range in color from white to deeper hues of purple and black and range in size from cherry and Roma to beefsteak. The varieties include the Black Cherry heirloom and the striped Green Tiger, the Black Zebra saladette and Champion II, a disease-resistant slicer. Pepper lovers will be tempted by more than 50 varieties from various points on the Scoville scale, including the Bhut Jolokia or Ghost Pepper, Holy Mole, Mad Hatter and Pepperoncini, as well as the sweet Candy Apple, Lunchbox Orange and Shishito.
The pandemic halted the 2020 Veggiepalooza and the arboretum donated plants to Seeds of Hope, an initiative of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles working to ensure equal, affordable access to healthy, nutritious food to low-income communities in Los Angeles County.
Veggiepalooza is the arboretum’s only source of revenue at this time, other than membership and donations, while it is closed to the public because of the pandemic. Proceeds from this annual fundraising plant sale support conservation of more than 4,000 different species of plants and trees, educational programs and maintenance of the arboretum’s 26 acres on the 241-acre Cal State Fullerton campus.
Fullerton Arboretum members get early access to the sale on March 19, a 10% discount on their purchase and access to a three-part culinary series by Jonathan Dye. No additional sales can be made at the curbside pickup. There is a two plant minimum requirement on purchases and the sale ends on April 2.
Visit the Fullerton Arboretum site’s Events page for more details and complete lists of the edible plants and ornamental plants.
The Fullerton Arboretum offers a Vegetable Garden Workshop and Q&A on March 18 at 6 p.m. Register here for the free workshop designed to inspire new gardeners with an introductory lesson on vegetable plants, soils, fertilizing, watering, sun exposure and composting in small spaces. Send questions in advance to eipcommunications@fullerton.edu.
About the Fullerton Arboretum: The arboretum is part of the Botanic Garden Conservation Index program, and home to more than 250 rare and endangered plant species, and more than a dozen rare and endangered bird species. The Fullerton Arboretum’s Level IV status, the highest level of accreditation with ArbNet, is based on published research, educational offerings, managed collections and conservation. The arboretum is one of 26 Level IV arboreta in the world and one of only seven universities worldwide that have Level IV status.
About Cal State Fullerton: The largest university in the CSU and the only campus in Orange County, Cal State Fullerton offers 110 degree programs, and Division 1 athletics. Recognized as a national model for supporting student success, CSUF excels with innovative, high-impact educational practices, including faculty-student collaborative research, study abroad and competitive internships. Our vibrant and diverse campus is a primary driver of workforce and economic development in the region. CSUF is a top public university known for its success in supporting first-generation and underrepresented students, and preparing all students to become leaders in the global marketplace. Our It Takes a Titan campaign, a five-year $200 million comprehensive fundraising initiative, prioritizes investments in academic innovation, student empowerment, campus transformation and community enrichment. Visit fullerton.edu.