Spring Garden Market

Each year in April the Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County hold the Spring Garden Market in San Jose. In 2008 the location was History San Jose in Kelley Park. The market is more than a plant sale - it features dozens of vendor booths, our own Green Elephant Sale and seminars on popular gardening topics. For many people who come year after year, however, the 70+ varieties of tomatoes and 90+ varieties of chile peppers, along with other vegetables and flowers ready for transplanting, are what draw them in.

Rain or shine! Free Admission!

When you're at the sale, here's what you will find:

Marketplace

  • MGSCC Plant Sale: Thousands of tomatoes and chile peppers in 4" pots, ready to plant at the end of April or in May. Other vegetable and ornamental plants. All our plants are lovingly grown from seed, including many open-pollinated and heirloom varieties. Here are the 2008 tomato varieties list and the chile pepper varieties list, and a guide to tomato varieties.
  • Six-foot tall, sturdy, wire mesh tomato cages hand-crafted by Master Gardeners. Set of 3 nested cages: $37; 1 cage, $15. Delivery available for $10.
  • Green Elephant Sale: Master Gardeners are like all gardeners - our garages and sheds fill with "precious" gardening items that are too good to toss, but that we don't have use for anymore. We bring the best of these gardening items for you to pick up at bargain basement prices. In addition to vases, pots and gardening books, you'll find materials you can "recycle" and use in fun gardening projects - and you'll save them from going to a landfill. (Keep an eye out for seminars listed in our Events Listing like "Recycled Art in the Garden: Trash to Garden Treasures!")
  • Dozens of vendor booths of every description: plants, tools, raised beds, gardening supplies and more!

Expert Advice


  • Every half hour are mini-seminars on how to grow tomatoes and peppers, how to care for tools, what to do with that new ornamental plant you just bought and much more given by Master Gardeners expert in the area.
  • Not sure what tomato and pepper plants are right for you? Feel free to ask for help from one of the Master Gardeners in the sales area.
  • Have questions about other plants in your garden? Helpful Master Gardeners stationed at the PLANT CLINIC TABLE will be available to answer gardening related quetions.
  • We sell an assortment of books published by UC Cooperative Extension Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, including the Master Gardener Handbook, an outstanding gardening resource.

Services

  • Back by popular demand, we offer our free Plant Check-in Area where you can securely leave your purchases while you attend seminars and visit the vendors.
  • Children's activities, such as at the Girl Scouts' booth
  • If the sight of all those little peppers and tomatoes makes you hungry ... there are a variety of vendors with food carts offering delectable foods, including vegetarian.

 

Come spend the day with us!

For more Spring Garden Market information, call the Master Gardener of Santa Clara County Hotline from 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., M-F at 408-282-3105.