Last year some of my friends and I biked over to Verrill Farm in Concord, MA for their Corn and Tomato Festival. We ate tons of corn and tomatoes, but the best part of it was getting to taste about hmm 30 or so different varieties of tomatoes. That’s a lot of tomatoes. I really tried to remember my favorites. I really, really did. But sadly all but one name escapes me now but that one was my favorite of the batch – Sun Gold, a beautiful little orange-gold cherry tomato. I want to grow this tomato this year, but of course didn’t plan ahead. For instance I didn’t buy seeds. I didn’t start them indoors. And I didn’t transplant them to bigger pots a week ago. Hmm no wonder I don’t have any little Sun Gold plants. I wonder if I can find them as transplants around here. I asked at my favorite gardening shop, but she didn’t know and they didn’t have the 2008 list yet this year that shows all available plants. They had last year's list. The gal said it would probably be the same. But there are Sweet Millions in the greenhouse as 4” pots right now and they aren’t on last year’s list. Sigh. I guess I’ll have to call around, and stop at any place I see. Hmm I wonder if Verrill Farms sells transplants. ….. Well it turns out they do. Yeah! They have 32 varieties of tomatoes for sale, but you have to order them in advance. However there were still my Sun Golds available. I ordered three of them and one Orange Blossom and one Aussie. Sadly they were out of their pepper plants already, but I can always pick some up elsewhere. They require a general pick up date (though they said I don’t have to be exact about it). I picked May 15th, the earliest date they sell them. I figure Sun Golds are supposed to be pretty cold hardy little things and I wanted to get them in as soon as possible. Of course I’ll regret that if May turns out to be cold and rainy. But you never know here in the northeast. Some years are hot and sunny some cold and rainy. Plant lots of hot and cold weather crops and something will grow. Hmm I was only going to plant 4 of tomatoes. I wonder if I really have room for all 5?
Well that little procrastination problem was fixed. My other one was ordering from Pinetree on April 12th, instead of earlier when I should have. Now I had picked up packets at the garden centers and ordered from Johnny’s earlier. I wasn’t going to get any more. I was just going to pick up some six packs of flowers to fill in most of my garden. But then I decided I couldn’t live without trying more Asian greens. I really don’t NEED flowers in my garden. So I placed an order of well….not just Asian greens. I can withhold my orders when I order from Johnny’s. Their seeds are expensive, but Pinetree had small inexpensive packets. For just $1.10 more I can buy some eggplant. That is worth it. Right? OK so I don’t like eggplant, but a veggie that beautiful has to taste good. Maybe this year I’ll like it. And oh yum, I can plant some Yard Long Beans, just $1.30. They may not be Asian greens but they are Asian, so they fit the theme. And hmm why not some Lemon Basil and some Holy Basil. They are green and Asian – sort of, right? Then I added some radishes, both daikon and regular; then some turnips. How the Kentucky Wonder Wax Bean got in there I will never know. I already bought Fortex from Johnny’s, and of course the Yard Long Beans. What the heck am I going to do with another pole bean?
So yesterday I was delighted when Joel told me a package came in the mail. I knew it was from Pinetree. I quickly threw some potting mix into a six pack and plunked in my eggplant seeds. They will be late into the garden. But I don’t care. I have Sun Gold transplants on order so the world is rosy.
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