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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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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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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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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