Watch your step! There are crocuses in the lawn and two of them made their first appearance earlier today.
They look like little flames, one white, one yellow, ready to once again lead the way for all the other blooms to follow in my garden. This little parade of blooms will soon expand to hellebores, daffodils, irises, tulips and more. I can hardly wait.
More Steps Toward Spring…
Swiss Chard. The commenters have commented and I have read. I’m moving Swiss Chard from the list of what I don’t grow in the garden to the list of what I do grow. I bought some seeds for it at the grocery store earlier today, after several of you commented that it would be easy to grow and you’d provide recipes and tips on how to use this vegetable. I’m holding you all to it!
Tomatoes. After reviewing my admittedly pathetic list of tomato varieties for this year, I decided that I had to redeem myself with better varieties. After all, I would not want anyone to think that I was not an adventurous gardener and person, willing to try new varieties, to branch out in new directions, to expand my horizons.
My new varieties of tomatoes to grow this year include:
German Red Strawberry
Riesentraube
Granny Cantrell German Red
Woodle Orange
Black Cherry
Yellow Mortgage Lifter
German Johnson
These are all from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, so check out their website to read the descriptions or come back for my reviews of these new varieties later this summer.
Did you notice that I seem to have a tendency toward “German” varieties of tomatoes? I guess that’s my heritage coming through, guiding me toward tomatoes that my paternal ancestors might have grown in their gardens. I’m still growing the other varieties I bought, so now I have to look at my garden plan to figure out how to fit these in. I’m sure I’ll manage somehow, but I may end up with some extra tomatoes to give away. Anyone wanting tomatoes had better be willing to also take some zucchini!
YAY about the Swiss Chard! I’m gonna start looking for recipes right away!
What cute little crocuses.
I have never grown swiss chard and I have never grown any of those tomatoes. My chef friend wants me to grow rhubarb this year. That will be the veggie I’ve never grown before.
Auf wiedersehen
Wow, Carol, you have green grass and crocuses already!
Now I am getting spring fever, too. Although I have a long time before all this snow melts.
Ahhh yes, the Swiss Chard is going into one of my perennial beds this year. We will all have a taste and a see about it.
You will love the colors of swiss chard in the garden if you grow the ‘Bright Lights’ or ‘Neon Lights’! I like those German named varieties also. My maiden name was Luther so it goes to show!
I need to go out and look to see if any of my crocuses are coming up, but just glancing out the window, all I see is snow…..
I love growing the Swiss chard, but not to eat. I have a kind of weird taste in veggies, in that I don’t like them cooked, so I don’t eat Swiss chard.
On the list of tomatoes…..
You will NOT be disappointed with ‘Champion’ tomatoes!
I order the seed from Totally Tomatoes Seed Company. I have grown them for years, and now, there is a bush variety.
Tomatoes ‘Champion’ Bred for delicious tomato sandwiches. Get sweet, solid, meaty, eight ounce fruits early with Champion. Maturity at 62 days. Large-sized plants. Indeterminate plant. Grow with stake or cage. Large, attractive fruit. Variety is resistant to verticillium, fusarium, nematodes, and tobacco mosaic virus.
We have recorded harvests of 72 pounds of tomatoes PER PLANT, and this is the norm, not the exception. This is just a fantastic, flavorful tomato!
My favorite!
“May Dreams” are in my head.
I can’t even think about planting most vegetables until the end of May. Just seeing grass would make me happy. Another winter storm warning starts tomorrow.
Wow! I’m impressed by the number of varieties of tomatoes! If I planted all those tomatoes would be all I could have…not that that would be a bad thing I guess! How fun to be able to compare so many types. I always lean to the Italian names…probably my heritage coming through too.
I still have snow! No fair!
Isn’t that funny that we are so close but your snow has melted AND you have crocuses coming up in the lawn.
I love crocus growing the grass. In the city where I used to work, someone planted purple crocuses on a roadside hill that spelled out ITS SPRING. That was so great. Maybe next year you could spell out May Dreams in your lawn.
That cooing sound is me looking at your crocus in the grass, Carol… the sound would be even louder if they were dark blue scilla ;-]
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
PS I’d take the zucchini if you would pick them when they’re under 8 inches! No baseball bats!
I’m glad you have decided on the Swiss Chard – I hope you grow some of the colourful ones. They look so cool.
Judging from all the tomatoes you are starting, you’ll have a bumper crop this year!
Those are cute little crocus and I hope that they don’t end up getting snowed on.
Gina, Yes, send me those recipes, I’m planning on a bumper crop of Swiss Chard.
Chigiy, But I am going to grow some currant tomatoes, too, so I can have tomatoes smaller than yours.
Zoey, Crocuses and green grass on the south side of the house, but I still have snow on the north side of the house.
Lisa at Greenbow, If you are choosing the rainbow colored variety like I did, that should be pretty.
Layanee, Yes, I got the colorful swiss chard. It seemed more intersting. I’ll let you know how it goes with all the german tomatoes.
Sherry at the Zoo, Do you even know where you have crocuses planted? Look around the base of the oak tree in your front yard.
Janie, I have heard of Champion tomatoes, they just didn’t make the list this time around. I’m not sure what I would do with 72 pounds of tomatoes from one plant.
Wiseacre, It sure is winter for a long time where you are.
Leslie, I haven’t figured out yet where all those tomatoes are going to go!
Robin’s Nesting Place, The snow has only melted on the south side of the house, which happens to be where the crocuses are. I still have snow on the sides and around back of the house.
Mr. McGregor’s Daughter, Now that would be something (else) for the neighbors to talk about it! They already think I’m nuts because I use a drill to plant the bulbs in the fall.
Annie in Austin, I think I have some scilla planted, but I can’t remember where. We’ll see what comes up in the next few weeks. Eventually, winter has to end!
Kate, Right now the little crocus are getting rained on, and I bet that changes to snow as predicted.
Thanks all for the wonderful comments!
Carol, May Dreams Gardens
Carol growing Swiss Chard is an excellent idea. I grow the ones with the deep red stems and this year I’m going to grow the yellow ones too. I love Swiss Chard as it looks great in the garden and on your plate too. 🙂
Looking forward to see how your heirloom tomatoes will do! It’s nice to try out new things, don’t you think?
Happy Crocuses! Won’t be long, Carol, and you’ll be wiping sweat from your brow ;O)
I’m looking at the size of your vegetable garden and wondering how much you have to give away. I had a large crop several years ago and spent all evening picking, bagging, and distributing.