It’s that time of year again/finally… Planting Time! I dream of it all winter, impatiently waiting for snow to melt and then bam, it sneaks up on me.
No matter where you are on the gardening continuum, there is always more to learn about the basics. And there is a way for you to grow some of your own food this summer. One potted tomato plant can bring pollinators, joy and flavor to your home. Let’s get started, shall we.
Cold crops, like radish, spinach and cabbage were seeded in weeks ago, but this weekend (OK, officially Monday May 15th) is when us Minnesota Zone 3b/4a gardeners get the green light for planting out our plots with the seeds and seedlings too touchy to handle frost. And Mother’s Day Lines up perfectly with this timing 🙂
Small garden space? You’d never believe how much food can come from a 4X4 foot space until you try!
No garden space? Many vegetables can be grown in pots too!
Here are the 3 most fool-proof plants, with their fabulously funky variations, to get you started eating from your yard, deck, patio or hanging basket all summer long. And the best news, these easy to grow vegetables are still some of my favorites!
Tomatoes
From sweet little cherry poppers to beefsteak whoppers there is a tomato for your every food mood. These fruits are always a garden favorite and for good reason; there’s something deeply satisfying about picking a sun warmed ripe tomato and popping it into your mouth. Home grown tomatoes are so much tastier than their store bought styrofoam copies that it is like eating a different veggie.
To be fair, I just found some Bushel Boy locally grown tomatoes (Southern MN) that were many steps closer to a real tomato. Go local greenhouses! I agree with Joel Salatin of Polyface Farms, Inc. in his belief that the best use of petroleum products is polyethylene reinforced plastic to cover and make greenhouses to extend the growing season.
Back to the varieties. An online search for tomato seeds at my favorite go to seed company, Jung Seed, came up with 71 seed varieties. I love how Mother Nature diversifies.
There are varieties best for eating, slicing, canning or salsa. Then there are the colors. With names like Chocolate sprinkles, Lemon Boy and Midnight Snack you can dream for days. But dream time is over people, time to get planting. And sadly, we are now too late for starting tomato seeds. So, if you’re looking to get tomatoes in and enjoy them before September, gotta go buy some plants.
But first, know your options! Continue reading
