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Arizona Gardening

where can I buy heirloom tomats and organic veggie plants?

17 years ago

I am new to Phoenix and live in central Phoenix. I did not get my grow lights up and so I have nothing started....however I am three beds ready to go. I am new at AZ gardening but really excited to get going.

Any recommendation for nursuries that sell the unusual and organic plants? Last fall I found just the normal things in the nurseries here but I must confess to not knowing my way around much so I may just not know the hot spots.

I don't mind driving a bit to get what I want.

I would like tomats, and I think eggplant and squashes, cukes and maybe some okra. I am planting beans and by seed I am planting cayenne peppers. WIll those grow by seed here in AZ?

THank you.

Jana

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Comments (11)

tspagg
17 years ago
Try Baker Nursery on 40th St and Osborn and Sun Environments on 101 and Frank Lloyd Wright. Also the Botanical Garden and the UofA Extension on 44th and Broadway in Tempe have sales where you can get some weird stuff every once in a while. Go to a meeting of the rare fruit growers. They give out cuttings and auction plants off at the end of the meetings.
liliopsida
17 years ago
Hi Jana,

If you feel like going for a drive, up here in Globe we have a lady who grows seedlings every year and sells out of her greenhouse. She has lots of different, unusual varieties of vegetables and herbs, especially tomatoes and peppers. There's an article about her with all the info at the link below.

In case you don't know, Globe is out highway 60 (Superstition Highway) about 80 miles east of Phoenix. It's a pretty drive once you get out of the valley.

If you come up you might also want to stop in Superior at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum. They're having their Spring Plant Sale March 10 - 26. They don't have veggies but they have desert herbs, flowers, and landscape plants. Their site is at http://arboretum.ag.arizona.edu/index.html.

Good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: Pat Romero
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saguaro
17 years ago
Don't be too disappointed if you don't find heirloom tomatoes for sale here. They tend not to set fruit in our heat. Early Girl does pretty well as does Celebrity, Champion, and Pearson. The little cherry types do well in Arizona. Keep them well watered .Daily or more often in the summer depending on you soil type. Good luck.
lotsaplants
17 years ago
Bakers has lots of heirloom tomatoes in right now!
=0)
bucks
17 years ago
Heirlooms do very well here.Do not water daily, mulch. You need to let these guys develop a deep root system in order to not have to be watered all of the time and also to bring nutrients up from the ground. It really depends on when you get them in the ground; the earlier the better. By the way, the Pearson, an heirloom tomato, does very well here.
moongypsy
17 years ago
The Whole Foods on Rural and Baseline in Tempe usually has a small decent selection of organic veggies and herbs as well as hierloom tomatoes. Organic seeds are available too. Pricey, but nice strong seedlings! :)
passionflowerlover
17 years ago
If you are still looking for unusual plants that will grow here in Arizona, the Arizona rare fruit club's plant sale might have what you are looking for. I believe the sale is this Saturday in Phoenix.
jerseymariah
15 years ago
Has anyone bought heirlooms that are pre-started for the fall? if so where did you buy them? I am hoping that my fall crop will survive much better than the summer ones. I want to plant by end of month or beginning of October when it't not 110 outside. Thank you
paintscribe
15 years ago
Check out the Saturday farmer's market on Central Ave North of Filamore. There are several folks who bring in plants they start. One of the guys I've seen there will have a good variety of unusual fruits and veges (including some tomatoes) according to the season to plant. I think most of these are saturday only folks and there are some who are irregular, so if you are in the area, it may be worth it to check regularly.
jerseymariah
15 years ago
Thank you so much. Do you know what time they open? I am definetly going next weekend.
paintscribe
15 years ago
Their hours are 8am to noon.

Here is a link that might be useful: Phoenix Market

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