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Now in Island nursery for Winter / Spring '09 -
'10
All our custom starts are organically grown
for optimal performance.
For special requests please call 805-967-5262 or email
to reserve selections.
vegetables herbs natives
oak trees
Vegetables
 ARTICHOKE,
GREEN GLOBE. Perennial plant
with flower spikes up to 4 1/2 feet tall. Grow in a moist rich soil
with plenty of compost. If planted in the fall or winter, artichokes
will yield 3-5 harvestable buds the following spring. Allow several feet of
garden space per plant. This is a favorite of gophers, we advise cages.
ARUGULA (Roquette variety). A
tangy, nut-like flavored green that is guaranteed to wake up any
salad. Plant 4-6 inches apart.
BROCCOLI, WALTHAM Compact,
stocky 20 inch tall plants. Solid, medium sized heads are formed
first, after harvesting of the initial head many side shoots appear.
Can be planted in early August through May. Place in a sunny location with
fertile soil. 12-18 inches apart.
CELERY (Tall Utah variety)
Celery is a slow growing, cool weather crop. Though it can be
difficult to grow, garden celery is far superior to
store-bought. Celery is a heavy feeder and will benefit from a thick
layer of mulch and moist conditions.
CHARD, BRIGHT LIGHTS The stems
of this chard come in a rainbow of colors- white, orange, pink, yellow, and
red. The plants grow up to 2 feet tall and have dark green
leaves. Plant 12 inches apart in a deep, rich, moist soil. Needs
full sun when grown in the fall and winter.
CILANTRO Also called Chinese
Parsley, cilantro should be planted in full sun and given plenty of
moisture. Makes a great container plant and can be grown indoors too.
CUCUMBER, LEMON 58-70 days. This
cucumber ripens to a light yellow, round fruit that can be up to 3.5’
around. Has a faint lemon flavor that makes this a favorite in salads
or for pickles. Easy to grow, has low water needs and is resistant to rust.
Kids luv ‘em.
CUCUMBER, PERSIAN 50-60
days. A prolific producer of 5-7", non-bitter, green
fruits that have a smooth, thin skin. Vines can grow to 4-6 feet, and if
given a trellis, this cucumber will climb. Can be eaten fresh
in the garden or pickled and saved for later.
CUCUMBER, STRAIGHT 8 52-75
days. An AAS winner from 1935. Smooth, cylindrical, deep green fruits
are up to 8" long and have blunted ends. A typical market
cucumber. A vigorous grower that will produce prolifically if you
continue to harvest.
CUCUMBER, SUYO LONG 60-70 days. A
cucumber from Northern China.The fruit are dark green, and have ribs
and spines that run their length. Can grow up to 18" long and would
like to be staked up. The flesh is almost seedless, non-bitter, crisp and
tender.
EGGPLANT, LONG PURPLE 70-78
DAYS. A Japanese variety that produces masses of mild flavored, narrow,
dark purple fruits. The attractive fruits and flowers make a nice addition
to the vegetable garden. Use like regular eggplant for grilling or
stuffing.
EGGPLANT, ROSA BIANCA 75-90
DAYS. An Italian heirloom variety. These are really beautiful
lavender and white fruits that can grow to be 4-6" in diameter.
Meaty and mild flavor with no bitterness. A favorite of gourmets and
backyard gardeners.
EGGPLANT, TURKISH ORANGE 65-85
DAYS. Beautiful unique variety form Turkey. Plants grow
to be 18-22 inches tall and produce 3", round red-orange fruit. Best
eaten in the green stage, good for stuffing in the orange stage. Abundant
yield, resist pests.
LEEK, AMERICAN FLAG Leeks
prefer a fertile soil with regular water for best growth. They are
shallow rooted, so keep them well weeded to prevent competition.
Leeks have a delightful mild-onion flavor that makes the perfect seasoning
for soups and stews. Space plants 4-6".
LETTUCE, GOLETA VALLEY SWEET MIX
Our very own blend of seven different organic lettuces. Includes a
red and green romaine, a red and green oakleaf, a bi-colored leaf, a red
leaf and a green butterhead. Plant lettuces in a sunny location
when growing in the fall and winter.
MESCLUN LETTUCE MIX A
unique blend of spicy and sweet lettuces. Includes arugula, red giant
mustard, mizuna mustard, curly cress, a red and green romaine, a red and
green oakleaf, a bi-colored leaf, a red leaf and a green butterhead.
Plant in full sun and keep evenly moist.
MELON, AMBROSIA 80-100 days.
These are nice melons. Their succulent orange flesh is about the
sweetest and juiciest that I have ever had the pleasure of tasting.
Plant in a sunny spot. A must for anyone who is passionate about
melons.
MELON,CRENSHAW 80-90 days.
Crenshaw is one of the most luscious of all melons. The large 5-9 lb
fruits have a seductively spicy fragrance and salmon-orange flesh. A real
summertime treat. Each plant will produce a couple of
sweet melons.
ONION, EVERGREEN BUNCHING
These are non-bulbing green scallions onions that grow 4-9 inches tall, and
have slender silvery shanks. Separate the individual onions from
their packs and plant them into a fertile moist soil one inch apart.
ONION, RED WETHERSFIELD This
onion variety has a large flattened globe, deep purple-red skin ,
firm pink tinged flesh and a fine strong flavor. Separate the
individual onions from their clumps and plant them 6 inches apart.
Onions like a nutrient rich, well drained soil.
ONION, WALLA WALLA A
large, sweet Spanish onion with light brown skin and mild white
flesh. Not a storage onion. Transplant to 6-8 inches apart.
Harvest when the green tops begin to fall over. Plant in a moist and
fertile bed, avoid too much water, as the onions will rot.
PUMPKIN, GIANT 110 days.
For maximum largeness, these pumpkins should be planted by the beginning of
July, in a rich fertile patch. Full sun is a must if you are going
for the big one. Once a few fruit have set, pick off the smallest and
leave one fruit on the vine. Then continually pick off the new
flowers before they can set. This will encourage the plant to put all
of its energy into one pumpkin, thus making it as big as possible.
When you do water, do it deeply.
PUMPKIN, JACK O’LANTERN 75-115
days. This variety has smooth medium-orange skin with shallow
ribs. Can grow up to 18 lbs. The flesh is medium thick, sweet,
and fine grained and cooks up nicely. Plant up to 3 plants in a hill,
and let them run wild.
PUMPKIN, SMALL SUGAR Also called
New England Pie. 90-110 days. Small round pumpkins, flattened at ends
6x7" diam., up to 8 lbs. Thick sweet yellow-orange, fine grained
flesh. Excellent for canning and pies, good keeper.
SPINACH, BLOOMSDALE Bloomsdale
is an old time favorite in the garden. It is quick to produce bunches
of crinkle-leaved rosettes that are packed with vitamins and
minerals. Plant 2-4 inches apart and pick the outer leaves as
you go to sustain a longer harvest period.
SQUASH, EARLY CROOKNECK 50-55
DAYS. Heirloom. A favorite for over 150 years, this classic easy-to-grow
bush summer squash produces abundant, light yellow, thin skinned ,white
fleshed fruits that are delectable steamed with a little onion.
SQUASH,GOLDEN BUSH ZUCCHINI
50-55 DAYS. This is a bush that grows to be 3-4’ around and produces
abundant brilliant-gold, cylindrical zucchinis. Best eaten when
young. Try stir frying with green zucchinis and red bells for a
colorful treat.
SQUASH, BUTTERNUT 105 DAYS.
Packed with tasty orange flesh with a unique sweet flavor. Harvest when
shells are thumbnail hard, cut from vine leaving 1" handle, cure
outside for 7-10 days. A healthy plant should produce 4-5 fruits per
plant.
SQUASH,SCALLOPINI 55-65
DAYS. Delicious, flying saucer- shaped golden fruits with scalloped
edges. Can be stored and eaten like a winter squash when
mature. Bush plants produce heavily and remain prolific through the
season.
WATERMELON, CRIMSON SWEET 85-100
DAYS. An All American Selection winner in 1964, this classic has juicy red
flesh with high sugar content, few seeds, crisp texture and rich
flavor. Full-sized fruits of up to 20 lbs grow on 8-10 foot vines.
So, ergo, you need to buy this.
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TOMATOES
3" Singles $1.99 or 6 Packs $3.50
Salad / Sauce Tomatoes Cherry / Small Tomatoes
The following
is a list of the tomatoes that we here at Island Seed & Feed will be
growing this summer. The variety of options can be a little overwhelming,
so please ask for assistance. Indeterminate means that the plant will bear
fruit over a long season and are generally large, vine-like structures that
will usually need to be supported, either against a fence or with a
trellis. Determinate tomatoes will set and ripen their entire crop at one
time on compact plants that may need to be staked. The range of days that
are listed with each variety is the number of days that it will take for
your tomatoes to produce fruit from the day of transplant.
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Cherry / Small Tomatoes
Green Grape - Determinate, 70-78
days. These cherry sized tomatoes are yellow-green on the outside
with emerald green middles. A delicious addition to your
collection of small tomatoes.
Red Grape - Indeterminate, 80
days. The sharp red fruit are oblong-shaped, and weigh less than an ounce.
Taste is excellent, and plants are easy to grow, with clusters bearing
13-30 fruits each. Tolerant to late blight and leaf spot.
Red Pear - Indeterminate,
heirloom, 70-80 days. Clusters of pretty pear-shaped, glistening red
1 _ " long fruits drape from these vigorously virile plants.
Each bite is a delight! So, pop one in, and savor the flavor.
Sungold - Indeterminate, 75
days. These golden orange fruits are one of the best treats that you
can pull out of your garden. The hard part of growing these tomatoes
is getting them into your house. If given support, this plant will
ramble out 6 feet or so.
Sweet 100 - Indeterminate, 60-75
days. Sparkling red, cherry sized, has a nice, not-to-sweet taste and is
highly productive and vigorous in growth. These proud gems dangle
from the vigorous vine in a colorful cascade.
Yellow Pear - Indeterminate,
heirloom, 70-80 days. 1 _ " long pear-shaped, bright
yellow fruits hang by the handfuls from this very large plant. Sweet,
mild lemony flavor, low in acid produces into the fall months. Can
grow up to 8 feet, and will need trellising.
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Salad / Sauce Tomatoes
Principe Borghese - Determinate,
heirloom, 60 days. Traditionally grown in the south of Italy for sauces and
sun drying. Small egg-shaped fruits average 1" in diameter,
borne in heavy clusters.
Roma - Determinate, 75 days.
Roma is one of the best known paste tomatoes. It produces an abundant
crop of deep red, meaty fruits with few seeds. This variety is highly
versatile and can be used both fresh, in salads and sauces, or canned and
saved for later.
San Marzano - Indeterminate 80
days. Early, large classic Italian variety. The tall vines of this plant
produce heavy yields of long oval fruits. Delicious, balanced acidic
flavor and meaty flesh makes for good sauce. Fruits avg 5-6 oz.
Cooking brings out flavor.
San Remo - (currently out of
stock) Indeterminate 76 days. Classic, sausage shaped Italian paste
tomato is meaty and flavorful and is produced in numerous thick
clusters. This variety has made its way to Goleta from the North
Mediterranean coast of Italy, near France (Freedom).
Tomatillo - Determinate, 65
days. A relative of the tomato family, globe shaped, 2 oz, medium firm
fruits inside of a papery husk. More vining and sprawling than
tomatoes, they are great for sauces and salsas. Tomatillos are a staple in
Mexican and Southwest fud.
Slicing Tomatoes
Ace 55 -Determinate, 80 days.
Vigorous medium large plants, good foliage cover. Red thick-walled
flattened globes, 5 x 6" diameter, 7 oz fruit. Appreciated by
home gardeners for its tasty balance of sugars and acid and for its
superior disease resistance.
Amana Orange - Indeterminate,
85-90 days. Amana Orange is typically one of the earliest and
tastiest of the Beefsteak variety tomatoes. This mild flavored beauty
is originally from Iowa.
Arkansas Traveler -
Indeterminate, heirloom, 76 days. Rose pink, 6-8 oz, flattened globe
tomatoes that are mild and juicy. This pink heirloom has truly
traveled because of its dependability. Is crack and disease resistant
as well as heat tolerant. Medium sized vines.
Brandiwine - Indeterminate, 80
days. An old Amish heirloom dating back to 1885. Large vines,
deep red fruits and excellent flavor. This wonderful heirloom beats
most other tomatoes with its truly luscious flavor that is described as
" rich, loud and spicy".
Burbank Slicer - Determinate,
heirloom, 70 days. Stocky, 18-36" tall bushes produce many
6-8 oz red fruits that have the highest total free amino acids of any
tomato. Developed around 1915 by plant genius, Luther Burbank.
Fares well in drier climates.
Carmello - Indeterminate, 70
days. Bred in France especially for fresh eating, plump Carmellos will
satisfy all your tomato fantasies. The round juicy fruits have the
perfect sweet to acid balance that translates to exquisite taste. Big
4-5" fruits borrne in abundance.
Caro Rich - Indetermine, 75-80
days. An old variety with rich deep orange, 4-6 oz fruits that
contain a high level of beta carotene. A low acid type with a delicious,
sweet flavor. These short, 18-24 ", plants produce well in
cooler climates. Good coastal grower.
Celebrity - Determinate 72
days. Possibly the most common fresh market tomato grown today.
Productive plants yield high quality, large smooth fruit with outstanding
flavor. A vigorous grower that produces 8 oz fruit. Resistant to
verticilium and fusarium wilts.
Cherokee Purple - Indeterminate,
heirloom, 80 days. This variety has relatively short vines, yet produces
copious amounts of 10-12 oz fruits. The flesh is a unique red brick
color with a rose-purple skin color. A flavorful heirloom variety
that hails from Tennessee.
Dona - Indeterminate, 65-70
days. A French beauty with tender, shimmering red skin and succulent,
overwhelming sweet flavor. Vines begin to produce juicy, deep red fruit in
just over two months from transplant. This is a Goleta favorite,
"taste the magic".
Double Rich - Indeterminate,
65-70 days. Solid, meaty, medium sized, deep red globes with a
sweet, slightly tart flavor with more than twice the vitamin C of
other tomatoes.(as much as oranges) A mid-season tomato that is blight and
wilt resistant.
Early Girl - Indeterminate,
55-65 days. This is a popular variety with backyard gardeners because of
its excellent flavor and ability to keep producing throughout the growing
season. Yields masses of 4-6 oz red fruit.
Early Red Chief - Indeterminate,
65-70 days. These are stocky bush plants that bear huge crops of
early, 10 oz slicing fruits. Pendulous, globe shaped fruits are red,
firm and bountiful.
Green Zebra - Determinate, 75-90
days. Yellow-green, 1 _ -2 _ ‘ fruits with dark vertical stripes,
emerald green flesh with mild but not bland flavor, very productive.
Developed in 1985 by tomato husbandry expert Tom Wagner. ( Yeah, exactly,
who da @#% is that?)
Husky Gold - Indeterminate, 70
days. This is a unique variety in that it is a dwarf variety that
will continue to produce until the weather gets too cold in the fall to
keep going. Ideal container plant. Beautiful, gold colored tomatoes
on a disease resistant plant.
Lemon Boy - Indeterminate, 72
days. Bushy plants that produce a bright yellow fruit that actually
tastes the way that a tomato is supposed to. Prolific bearer of 3-4
oz fruits. Originally a hybrid, Lemon Boy has evolved into a stable
open-pollinated variety.
Marvel Striped - Indeterminate,
heirloom, 90-110 days. A luscious, extra golden fruited tomato with a deep
orange marbled interior. Fruits may reach 2 pounds, and the flavor
never stops coming.
Moskvich - Indeterminate,
heirloom, 60 days. Extra early variety that produces well in cool
climates. This is a good selection for coastal and/or late season
plantings. Smooth globe shaped fruits with small stem scar. Nice
texture, rich taste, from Eastern Siberia.
Oregon Spring - Determinate,
55-80 days. This variety is a short, 18-24", plant that does not need
staking and produces 3-4 oz fruits. Great for large, early tomatoes with
great flavor and few seeds. Bright red, flattened globes are
produced even when nights are cold.
Stupice - Indeterminate, 60-70
days. Early, prolific variety with good taste. Sweet and juicy, 3-6 oz,
fruits grow on compact, 4 foot, vines that do not need to be
trellised. Produces well in cooler weather, so good for our
cool area. Introduced from Czechoslovakia.
Tigerella - Indeterminate, 55-65
days. These highly productive vines bear huge crops of medium to
small fruits. These reddish-orange tomatoes are striped with golden
yellow and have a pleasant, tangy flavor. Disease resistant.
Valencia - Indeterminate,
heirloom, 76 days. A family saved heirloom from Maine, this
mid-season, variety produces round smooth, bright orange fruits that
average 8-10 oz. The flesh inside is meaty, with few seeds, and a
full tomato flavor.
Zapotec Pleated - Indeterminate,
heirloom, 80-85 days. This variety produces large pink fruits that are
ruffled or pleated like a dress. They can be stuffed and baked like a
bell pepper, or eaten in the raw. Named for its creators, the
Zapotec people of Oaxaca, Mexico.
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vegetables
herbs natives
oak trees
Natives and Drought
Tolerant
The UCSB Restoration Club and Island are in partnership consignment-wise
with multiple varieties of local Goleta Valley native species. The club
will receive funds from the sales of these easy to grow natives...they are
so easy because they live here!
From the bluffs above the beaches we have some Sea Cliff Buckwheat,
a hardy perennial.
Dudleya, a local succulent, flowers on six inch yellow spikes in
spring.
Blue-eyed grass, an iris actually, that opens its flowers with
the sun and closes in the eves. Purple colored like its relative the douglasii, blue-eyed grass is well-suited for the poorest
soils and grows to a height of about 10 inches.
Hummingbird sage, Salvia spathacea, has tall spikes of magenta flowers whose blooming is the call
sign for hummingbirds. A Salvia, it likes a moist environment, but will do
well anywhere in your garden that gets a bit of water
Hooker's Evening Primrose, is named with the surname of a
botanist, not a red-light district connotation. This tall yellow flowered
spike opens with or without regular water - very hardy, it will grow in all
conditions.
California Fuchsia, Zauschernia californica, is a major attractant for hummingbirds with its
very bright scarlet flowers blooming in later summer and into fall. Happy
with little water it will spread out rather thickly and act as an effective
barrier against most weeds by blocking out light underneath.
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vegetables
herbs natives
oak trees
Oak Trees
We also have several Quercus Agrifolia, or coastal Live Oaks that are labled from the watershed
that they came from. Grown from acorns collected in Carpenteria, Sycamore
Canyon, San Jose Creek, Mission Canyon and elsewhere in the local region,
these potted oaks are a great addition to most any yard. Because oaks send
down a deep tap root, these potted versions will likely start slow, though
many an oak will explode with growth in its first several years.
Concientious gardeners would want to see oaks planted locally from the
watershed they have come from. There are many angles to this argument and
regardless the opinion, all agree that to plant an oak rather than a pine,
euclalyptus or otherwise is a giant step in the right direction.
Island also offers services for planting an oak or oaks in your
yard.
Coming soon to the nursery will be Lemonade Berry, or Rhus which can be easily manicured to desired ends.
It also is a great hedge or fenceline plant. Its berries are sweet and
desirable to local birds. The Chumash used the berries for teas and
edibles. There are many great stands of it in our area. The entire cliffs
at the end of Mesa Lane, or 1,000 steps on the Mesa in SB, are covered with
Lemonade Berry. Another location is at Picasso Road and Camino del Sur in
Isla Vista. At this small barrier park there is a 15 foot wide and high
veritable tree of the stuff. Some folks in the area are happy to use it
instead of the overused Eugenia that we see everywhere.
Saltbrush, or Atriplex, is
a fantastic erosion-control plant. It grows on the cliffs of the South
Coast where the salts of the ocean do nothing to slow its rapid and steady
growth.
Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
A great location to see all of these natives is the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, 1212 Mission
Canyon Road, SB 93105, 805-682-4726. A fantastic collection of plants and
trees, the Botanic Garden is a must-see for anyone who is interested in
gardening.
Isla Vista Parks District
Another location where all the aforementioned can be found is in Perfect
Park, Isla Vista, at the bottom of the loop where Embarcadero del Norte and
Embarcadero del Mar become one street. Perfect Park has been transformed
over the last four years from an open field of weeds to a great selection
of plants and trees set in and amongst hills and pathways. Weekends are
good times to visit. An on- site parking lot is is often full during
weekdays while school is in session. Many of the specimens are signed so
that the viewer can learn a bit about each one of them.
The entire IV Park District system of parks uses no synthetic
pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers. These parks are worth viewing for
any gardener or landscaper who wants to see an organic program in effect.
The IVPD plants many locally native plants and trees and offers a nice
guide to the parks at it office, 951 Embarcadero del Mar. Call them at
968-2017, or check out their website at www.silcom.com/~ivpark to learn
about this unique County Special District.
An organic policy is a sound policy, and can be an inspiration to other
organizations or individuals. Island's owners worked at the Park District
for a total of 14 years and are proud supporters of its policies and
programs.
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