Tomatomania is trying online orders after COVID-19 cancels its annual events

Tomatomania owner Scott Daigre is used to chaos — his business of growing and selling more than 150 varieties of tomatoes and 50 varieties of peppers at multiple pop-up events around Southern California is an exercise in carefully managed bedlam. “Things were going really well and we’re grateful people came out and supported us, but we have to prioritize this year, for the safety of everyone, and cancel the back end of our season.” Luckily, Tomatomania started earlier than ever in its nearly 30-year history, with its first sales on Feb. 29. The event at Otto & Sons Nursery, 1835 E. Guiberson Road in Fillmore, has been canceled, but the tomato seedlings are already at the Ventura County nursery, known for its vast collection of roses, so Daigre and nursery owner Scott Klittich decided to try something new: allow people to browse and buy their tomato varieties online and then come and pick up their packaged plants at the nursery. They won’t do any mail orders or deliveries, Klittich said, and if people want to come and browse at the nursery, it’s open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., although check before you go as “everything is pretty fluid right now,” he said. “We’re not expecting a Costco crowd here, but we’ve taken steps to be sure everyone can practice their social distancing.” Klittich’s tech staff have worked feverishly to post 50 of the tomato varieties online in time for this weekend, and Daigre knows this is a grand experiment.