Submitted by WSU Master Gardeners

Hundreds of organic vegetable starts and perennials will soon be on sale – just in time for Mother’s Day. The plants are lovingly grown and nurtured by Washington State University Master Gardeners in San Juan County and will be for sale from 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, May 12, at the Mullis Senior Center, located at 589 Nash St. in Friday Harbor. Arrive early as favorites sell quickly.

The WSU Master Gardeners choose vegetables they love. They love them because they grow well in the local climate, often producing heavily and early; some are unique heirooms, or serve a variety of uses, but all have exceptional flavor. As in previous years, there’s a large variety of wonderful tomatoes and peppers, including a new pepper with a fascinating history: the fish pepper.

The fish pepper is a pre-1870s African-American heirloom, brought to the Chesapeake Bay region from the Caribbean, used in fish and shellfish cooking. It’s famous for its striped fruit and variegated foliage in addition to its flavor and heat. At first the fruits are white, moving through yellow, green, brown and finally red. The peppers can be used in any color form. When white, they were the secret ingredient African-American chefs used in fish stews and crab dishes, adding flavor and heat but not color. Grown in the Smithsonian Gardens, it’s an Arc of Taste heirloom, does well in containers and has performed well in the organization’s demonstration garden at the Mullis Center. Other peppers range from sweet to hot, for frying, drying, salsas and salads. There are jalapeno and serrano for heat, padrone and Jimmy Nardello for frying; and anaheim, California wonder and Corno di Toro’s for eating fresh, stuffing, grilling and roasting.

There are cherry tomatoes of all colors, including the favorites, sun gold and sweet million. There are tomatoes for canning, sauces and drying, and for eating right out of the hand. Look for picking and slicing cucumbers, summer and winter squashes and pumpkins, cauliflower, kales, cabbages and broccoli, tomatillos and three kinds of basil. Because these plants succeed in WSU Master Gardener’s gardens, they’re very likely to succeed in yours. WSU Master Gardeners will be at the sale to provide both care and growing advice.

There are over 600 perennial plants this year, including natives, with plants suited to many types of garden environments: groundcovers, flowers, ornamental grasses, small shrubs and unique accent plants to pop into a special spot. Iris lovers are in luck – there are dozens, representing five different species. Other dependable favorite flowers include daylilies, geraniums, alstroemeria, bunchberry, “Wood’s Blue” aster, tarrow, muscari and lavender. The full list of perennials is much longer.

All proceeds from the sale are used to support WSU Master Gardener programs such as the demonstration garden at the Mullis Center and this sale. Last year the demonstration garden provided over 1,500 pounds of produce for the Friday Harbor Food Bank. Funds also support plant diagnostic clinics on Lopez, Orcas and San Juan Islands.

Visit extension.wsu.edu/sanjuan/master-gardeners for more information.