Thanks to Daniel for the information – if you are in the Fullerton area, I suggest you go to the pepper sale and pick up a few pepper plants and even some tomatoes. The list of available peppers (pdf) is quite impressive – and all for only $2.50 each!

After weeks of preparation, Cal State Fullerton’s Monster Tomato and Pepper Sale is set to open Thursday in The Potting Shed at The Arboretum. The shed will host the largest tomato and pepper specialty plant sale in the region.

The sale, which is one of the larger fundraisers for the Arboretum, is put together by The Friends of the Arboretum, and will run through Sunday.

“One thing that is important is that everything that is grown here is grown by volunteers,” said Mark Costello, manager of the group. “We don’t have a big paid staff, and the proceeds from this sale benefit The Arboretum.” Throughout the four-day sale, 3,000 to 5,000 people are expected to come and shop; proceeds are expected to be over $50,000, Costello said.

Opening in its seventh year, the sale was originally a part of the other large fundraiser for The Arboretum, Greenscene. But when it became bigger and bigger each year, the group decided to give it its own day and time.

Since then the sale has taken off, and drawn consumers as far away as San Diego and Santa Barbara, Costello said.

The sale will primarily offer more than 100 varieties of peppers and more than 185 varieties of tomatoes, but will also carry some eggplant as well, said Evie Tyra, manager of The Arboretum nursery.

“You can’t buy these varieties at Home Depot or Wal-Mart,” Tyra said.

Everything at the sale will be in alphabetical order, and will also have a picture accompanying the plant to make it is easier and quicker for consumers to find what they are looking for.

The honey hybrid tomato will be featured this year and will yield eight ounces of sweet fruit, which will be disease resistant.

All of the plants have also been organically grown with no pesticides, Costello said.

Consumers can also print out a copy of all the peppers and tomatoes that will be at the sale on The Arboretum Web site, so that they can know what they want before they come.

Costello advised to come early, though, because last year they nearly sold out of tomatoes and completely sold out of their peppers and chilies.

This year all the plants will be sold for $2.50 each.

The sale will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. all four days with free admission and parking for the public.

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Directions
The Fullerton Arboretum is located at 1900 Associated Road at Yorba Linda Boulevard in Fullerton. Exit the Orange (57) Freeway at Yorba Linda Blvd going west. Turn left at Associated Road and continue to the end. Turn left into the Arboretum parking lot. Parking is free.
For further information: Phone: (714) 278-3579
or e-mail farboretum@fullerton.edu