Spring is almost here, which means plenty of plant sales for eager gardeners

Finally, finally, a new season is on the horizon. Take a minute to turn your face to the sun (before it’s too searing), and then make a beeline to some of Southern California’s bounty of spring plant sales.

Once the garden has dried out a bit from our record rains, it’s a great time to put all that wonderful water stored in your garden to work, and plant. Most of these sales have gardening experts to help you with your questions.

If we missed one of your favorite sales, email the details to [email protected] and it may be included in an upcoming Saturday section.

March 15-17

Veggiepalooza!

This is the Fullerton Arboretum’s annual “Monster Tomato and Pepper Sale” featuring some 100 varieties of tomatoes, 70 types of peppers and dozens of varietal veggies such as Glass Gem Corn, “whose beautiful kernels shine brilliantly like glass.” Seedlings are propagated and organically grown in the arboretum nursery by volunteers. 1900 Associated Road in Fullerton. Free admission. Members get exclusive early access from 3 to 6 p.m. on March 15, general public enters 9 a.m to 4 p.m. March 16-17. Proceeds support arboretum programs. Members get 10% discount. Bring totes or wagons to carry your plants. fullertonarboretum.org

March 21-23

Orange County Cactus and Succulent Society Spring Sale and Show

Featuring cactus and succulent vendors with many rare or unusual varieties. Pots also on sale. Admission and parking are free. 6 to 9 p.m. March 21, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. March 22 and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 23. Anaheim United Methodist Church, 1000 S. State College Blvd., Anaheim. occss.org

March 22-24

Orchids by Art

Grower Art Mendoza’s Orchid Show and Sale 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 16057 Nordhoff St., North Hills. orchidsbyart.blogspot.com

March 23

Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden Spring Plant Sale

Tomatoes, vegetable seedlings, herbs and succulents at the arboretum’s Garden and Gift Shop. Free with $4-$9 admission to arboretum; members enter free. 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 301 N. Baldwin Ave., Arcadia. arboretum.org

Theodore Payne Foundation’s Poppy Day Plant Sale

Choose from one of the region’s largest purveyors of California native plants and seeds. Free admission. Members receive 15% discount, nonmembers get 10% off. 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 10459 Tuxford St., Sun Valley. theodorepayne.org

March 23-24

Tomato-Bration

This is Ocean View Farms Community Garden’s 15th sale of organic tomato seedlings and other vegetables and herbs from Windrose Farm, an organic farm in San Luis Obispo County. Workshop and Q&A with Windrose Farm owner Barbara Spencer each day at 10 a.m. Open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. both days or until sold out. Ocean View Farms, South Centinela and Rose avenues in Mar Vista. oceanviewfarms.net

March 29-31

Tomatomania! at Descanso Gardens

Expect more than 200 varieties of heirloom and hybrid tomatoes as well as many varieties of pepper plants at the Tomatomania! sale, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day. “Tomato blasts” at 11 a.m. and 1 and 2 p.m. each day offer tips for growing great tomatoes. Cooking demonstrations at noon March 30-31 only; tomato-based foods and Bloody Mary cocktails available for purchase 10 a.m to 4 p.m. March 30-31. Free with $9 admission to the garden, $6 for seniors and students. descansogardens.org

March 30

South Coast Botanic Garden Spring Plant Sale

This annual sale is one of the garden’s biggest fundraisers, with a wide assortment of plants created by the garden’s propagation and Back 40 volunteers. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; free with $9 garden admission ($6 seniors/students); members enter free. 26300 Crenshaw Blvd., Palos Verdes. southcoastbotanicgarden.org

Spring Plant Sale & Garden Tours at Bembridge House

Drought-tolerant plants, succulents, roses and ground covers for sale at this fundraiser to support the historic Bembridge House at 953 Park Circle in Long Beach, plus tours of the property’s rose, succulent, tropical and lavender gardens. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free. lbheritage.org/bembridge-house

March 30-31

Eagle Rockdale Community Garden and Art Park plant sale

Organically grown heirloom and disease-resistant seedlings will be available, including cucumbers, peppers, eggplants, squash and more than 25 varieties of tomatoes, many suitable for container growing. Eagle Rock residents Ryan Alvarez and Adam Merrin, garden patrons and authors of the travel-inspired cooking blog “Husbands That Cook,” also will be signing and selling copies of their new vegetarian cookbook by the same name, which mentions the community garden. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day, 1003 Rockdale Ave. in Eagle Rock. Questions? Email [email protected] or visit the garden’s Facebook page.

April 6-7

South Coast Cactus & Succulent Society 47th show and sale

Thousands of rare and sculptural plants will be available for sale at South Coast Botanic Garden, 26300 Crenshaw Blvd., Palos Verdes, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. Society members and growers will be on hand to advise about the best plants for indoors, outdoors or drought-tolerant landscapes. Free with $9 admission to the garden ($6 seniors and students). southcoastcss.org

Green Scene Plant and Garden Expo

Features 50-plus vendors selling a variety of plants and plant-related goods, sustainability products/services and garden decor. Food, music, garden tours by the horticulture staff. Proceeds support the Fullerton Arboretum. Admission free to members and children 12 and under, $8 nonmembers. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (members only early entry at 9 a.m. Saturday). Fullerton Arboretum at Cal State Fullerton, 1900 Associated Road at Yorba Linda Boulevard, Fullerton. (657) 278-4010. fullertonarboretum.org

April 10-13

Mt. SAC Plant Sale @ Descanso Gardens

Students from the Mt. San Antonio College horticulture program are selling a variety of potted plants. Free with $4-$9 admission to the gardens, members enter free. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintridge. (818) 949-4200. descansogardens.org

April 13

Native Plant Sale, Symposium and Flower Show,

Sponsored by the Los Angeles/Santa Monica Mountains Chapter of the California Native Plant Society, this event features California native plants from the symposium’s partner, the Theodore Payne Foundation, as well as book sales and three 90-minute presentations about creating landscapes with local native plants, how to create native-plant habitats in yards and how to use new tools in the Calflora plant database. Free. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Sepulveda Garden Center, 16633 Magnolia Blvd., Encino.

April 25-28

Southern California Spring Garden Show

This event at the South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, includes houseplants, garden landscape ideas, Peppermania pepper varieties (from the Tomatomania! folks) and plants from the Mt. San Antonio College Horticultural Club. southcoastplaza.com

April 26-28

Huntington Library Annual Spring Plant Sale

This sale features drought-tolerant Southwestern, California native and Australian plants as well as cactuses, succulents, tomato and vegetable seedlings, fruit trees and herbs. Special this year: the new, fragrant Huntington’s 100th rose, named in honor of the garden’s 100th anniversary. Sale is free with $13-$29 admission fee to the gardens. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Note: April 26 is members only and April 27 is members only 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino. huntington.org

[email protected]

@jmarantos