How to Order
(and some answers to other questions)
If you are ordering food items, our site is self-explanatory, and our shipping options (USPS) are as close to actual cost as possible. If you are ordering heirloom plants, read on!
Hello gardeners! Please read this entire page before ordering. It answers many questions about when your plants will be ready, where to find us or how to arrange shipping, what to expect from us, and more. If you still have unanswered questions, you can contact us at the bottom of this page.
Heirloom Plants and Your Garden
What are open pollinated and heirloom plants? And why should I care about endangered varieties?
Open pollinated plants are varieties that have arisen through pollination by natural means (usually by insects, bats, birds, or wind). When isolated from other same-species plants to prevent cross-pollination, these varieties produce seed that results in fruit or vegetables that are "true to type" (just like the fruit from which the seed was saved). Most vegetable seed, plants, and fruit sold today are hybrids, and their seed will not produce fruit that is true to the parent(s). To grow hybrid varieties, consumers must purchase seed, and thus depend upon a corporate seed industry that has largely replaced the traditions of seed saving and trading. Additionally, hybrids are not created for flavor or nutritional value, but instead are engineered for greater profitability. They are generated to meet the criteria of big agribusiness, bred for their ability to be mass-produced, for their tolerance to disease, herbicides, and pesticides, and for endurance to mechanical harvesting methods, transport, and storage. Hybrids became the norm for commercial agriculture after 1950. As a result, many ancient and heirloom varieties (older open-pollinated varieties) are on the brink of extinction. Genetic diversity is critical to providing our species with food security, by avoiding monocrops such as that which resulted in the Irish potato famine. "Big Ag" is largely oblivious to the lessons of history, and again relies on monocrops for the ease of production that fattens corporate wallets. (A case in point, the Russet Burbank is the predominant potato crop in most of America.) For more information about these issues, we recommend the book (and movie) The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan, and the book Renewing America's Food Traditions: Saving and Savoring the Continent's Most Endangered Foods edited by Gary Nabhan. Slow Food USA's RAFT alliance and the US Ark of Taste highlight threatened heirlooms, and we are excited to report that we have finally found seed for every single one of those red-listed tomato varieties! Home gardeners like you can be the key to saving these at-risk varieties. "Eat it to save it" is a rallying cry for those of us who care about genetic diversity (and outstanding flavor!) in food crops.
Are all your varieties heirlooms, and are all endangered?
All are open pollinated, and most are heirlooms (open pollinated varieties that have been around for a long time). Some are recognized as threatened, endangered, or functionally extinct by the RAFT List of Foods at Risk in North America or other RAFT publications, and still others are boarded onto Slow Food's US Ark of Taste ("a catalog of over 200 delicious foods in danger of extinction"). We highlight the at-risk tomatoes with a separate "Endangered" category, and simply note the status of other vegetables on each page throughout our online catalog. Keep in mind that red lists such as the Ark of Taste and RAFT are fluid entities, and that not all the varieties deemed at-risk as of the publication of those lists are currently imperiled. This speaks in part to the success of the Ark and RAFT programs. On the other hand, many rare varieties are not "honored" with such recognition. We carefully evaluate the availability of these cultivars, and note them as "rare" in our descriptions. Why aren't these rare varieties on the red lists? Some varieties are more recent crosses, and have not yet attained popularity. Others may have escaped the attention of the list makers (not surprising since as many as 10,000 tomato cultivars are thought to exist), or "achieved" rarity since the lists were compiled. Still others come from south of the border, which is outside the purview of both the RAFT Initiative and the US Ark of Taste.
I'm new to gardening in Arizona. When should I plant?
For much of central and southeastern Arizona, optimal Spring planting dates for tomato starts are between March 15 and April 15, and for chile pepper starts between April 1 and June 1. This is highly variable, and may shift earlier or later depending on your altitude and microclimate, this year's weather (especially frost dates), and the specifics of your garden (whether it is outdoors, in a greenhouse, on a patio, etc.). For planting dates and gardening tips specific to vegetable gardening in Southern Arizona, we recommend that you join the Tucson Organic Gardeners, Dave Owens "The Garden Guy" (Phoenix), or consult the Arizona Cooperative Extension's Master Gardener Manual.
Are all your plants suitable for my garden?
Probably not. We'd love to say "yes," but let's be realistic. Every garden has its own microclimate, and desert gardens do pose unique challenges. We suggest that you choose some varieties that are better adapted to Arizona's climate, then be bold and creative with your other choices. Some plants may surprise you. For instance, many varieties that originate from colder regions (such as Russian heirloom tomatoes) can do well in our similarly short growing season and extreme climate. We would love to recommend some favorites (and some "sure things"), but we're going to leave that up to you and your gardening buddies.
What size are your plants?
Most plants are 4"-10" tall. The first plants of the year (those that are seeded during cold weather, and available until about mid-March) are "start" size (at least 4"). Thereafter, we offer a variety of sizes from "starts" (4") to "plants" (up to 10" or more). Some cultivars, such as wild cherry tomatoes, are naturally slow growers when young, but vigorous once established. We use roomy pots (over 4" diagonally and 4" tall). All plants are exposed to the elements daily, and are hardened off and ready to transplant.
Ordering, Shipping, and Pickup
When can I order my plants?
Order early for the best selection! Many varieties sell out by late winter. To reserve your selection, we must receive your order no later than 12 hours prior to the start time of the market or event you choose for pick up. If you miss this deadline, we will do our best to accommodate you! Our Spring Catalog is open from October 1 to May 1, and our Fall Catalog is open from August 1 until September 15.
Do I have to order online?
At our markets and events we have an extensive selection of plants for sale, but we sell out of many varieties quickly. Thus we strongly recommend that you order your plants online. This reserves your selections, and ensures that we bring them to the market for you. At most markets we also sell "Natural Selections from the Sonoran Desert" by Skeleton Creek, our other passion, so look for our booth under either name.
When do I pay? What forms of payment do you accept?
You may pay securely with a credit card or PayPal online. For retail sales at markets and events we accept cash, or you may use your credit or debit card at the farmers' market information booth (which will provide you with tokens to spend as cash). The Santa Cruz River Farmers' Market also accepts EBT (nutrition assistance/food stamps) on our behalf.
What is the minimum order?
One plant. If you are having plants shipped, the minimum is six plants.
Do I have to register to order?
Nope. We like to keep things simple. But register if you'd like to receive any early bird notices or online coupons (but be patient, we're still figuring out how to do that sort of thing).
How do I arrange and pay for shipping?
See our shipping page for those answers.
Where do I pick up my plants?
We offer plant pickup exclusively at Southern Arizona farmers' markets and events. See our Market Schedule for locations and dates. We do not have a retail nursery. Sorry, we are just too busy for nursery visits or tours.
When do I pick up my plants?
Select a pickup date that is close to your planting date (don't let your plants hang out in their pots for too long). For each variety in our catalog, you can select a pickup date range (dates that have sold out do not appear). Before selecting your pickup range, check our Market Schedule to view your options, and make sure that you can attend a date within that range. At checkout we will ask for your preferred pickup date and location. Choose one that's within the pickup range that you selected for your items, as each pickup range is tied to our inventory.
Will you remind me about my pickup date? Will you call me if I forget?
No. We don't have time during our busy season to make reminder calls, nor do we have software designed to send reminder emails. You can set up Google Calendar (it's free) and/or Microsoft Outlook to send you a reminder. See next question.
What if I need to reschedule a pickup?
Please provide at least 12 hours' notice of your need to reschedule. We don't want to stress your plants (or our backs) by bringing your plants to market if you won't be there. Check our Market Schedule, then contact us (below) with your request for a new pickup date. We will confirm the new date if there is room in our vehicle. If two weeks pass since your first scheduled pickup date, or if you twice fail to give 12 hours' notice that you won't be picking up your plants that day, then we will consider that you have abandoned your plants, and will donate them on your behalf to the community garden of our choice. We're sure that this won't be necessary, but thought we should tell you just in case...
Will I get exactly the varieties that I order?
Usually. We update our inventory about once a week, and strive for accuracy. We stock over 150 varieties, each with inventory staggered over several months per season. That's more than 1,000 variables, a tricky feat for inventory control! Since Mother Nature can be capricious, it's impossible to predict plant growth curves with 100% accuracy. We won't sell plants that are too small, yet overly large plants don't adapt as well after transplanting. Occasionally we do make substitutions. If you are concerned about this, we invite you to contact us with your substitution preferences. We will do our best to adhere to them. If you are picking up your plants at one of our markets or events, you are of course welcome to choose alternates from our market inventory, or to ask for a refund for the absent plant. If none of this provides enough certainty for you, consider growing your own plants from seed. It's fun.
Why don't you list the variety that I want, for the date range that I want?
We probably sold out! We plant from 50 to 500 seeds of each variety each season, and sell out quickly. We'd love to restock on a whim, but each plant takes from 6 to 8 weeks to reach optimal size and vigor for market. You will have the most options if you order well before the planting season arrives.
Can I cancel my order?
When you place your order, we reserve and tend a seedling just for you. Please be certain of your selections before committing to your order. We understand that unforseen circumstances can cause changes in your gardening plans, and will accept modifications or cancellations within 7 days of your order date, no questions asked. After this grace period, we cannot accept cancellations. That said, when you commit to your order, we make a commitment to you. We promise to provide you with a selection that is unrivaled, and to deliver your plant to you healthy and ready for your garden!
My dog ate my plants. Can I get a refund?
Uh...no. We invite you to thoroughly inspect your plants at the time of pickup. In the unlikely event that a plant is damaged, we will provide another. If we do not have the same variety, we will offer you a refund on the spot. We want you to be completely satisfied! Due to many factors affecting your plants’ health after you pick them up, including everything from the drive home, to transplanting, to your soil conditions, gardening methods, the weather, and your dog, we cannot issue refunds after pickup. You are responsible for their well-being from this point forward! Oh...tomato plants are poisonous, so tell Fido to steer clear.
What if I change my contact information?
Please inform us right away! If for any reason we must postpone or cancel our attendance at a market or event, we will contact you asap using the email address and phone number that you provide. While we're on the subject, remember to add our email address to your online contacts so that our communiques don’t land in your spam folder. Our address is heirloomsX@Xaravaipa.com (remove the Xs; we inserted them to foil the spambots).
Contact Us
How can I contact you?
Use our contact form below. We welcome your opinions and ideas. If the above Q&A didn't satisfy you, ask us for help. Please don't ask us for these two things: 1) We cannot offer gardening advice online from January through June. This is our busy season and, much as we enjoy discussing gardening, we just don't have enough time to mentor. For gardening information relevant to Southern Arizona, we recommend joining the Tucson Organic Gardeners, visiting Dave Owens' "The Garden Guy" site (Phoenix), or consulting the Arizona Cooperative Extension's Master Gardener Manual. 2) Please don't ask inventory questions. If you see an item in our catalog, it's probably in stock. If not, it's probably out of stock. There's always a small gray area (we say it's in stock, then a squirrel eats it, or we say it's out of stock, then serendipity occurs), but please don't try to pin us down. We do our best to adjust our inventory estimates throughout the season as necessary, and this is always reflected by our online catalog.
How soon will you reply?
If you send a question from January through June, please allow up to a week for a reply. This is our busy season, and the garden demands most of our resources. Thanks for your patience!
