Two Month Tomatoes and More Speedy Mountain Veggies

Behold! The Crocus are blooming!  
* It's not as cold as it looks. :)

Warm spring weather has graced the mountains for three long, lovely days. The last of the snow is melting away. First flowers and tender green shoots popping up ~ indoors and out!

I was so surprised to find Winter Jasmine blooming at the barn.
It usually flowers in February - in the snow! - zone 5.

Teasing warm temperatures is how Mother Nature tortures the lovers of high mountain living. Feels like summer! Maybe I should plant something?

Grape Hyacinth have blossomed in the rock garden, where huge rocks warm the soil 

and give spring flowers a jump start on the season.

Sadly, I'm 2 months out from planting season ~ so I've started more seeds on the windowsill.

Two Month Tomatoes
On my windowsill, 4 excellent mountain veggies are taking root.

What's so great about 'em? 
Instant gratification! 

They are fast as lightning. If you're a mountain dweller, you might like these ~ they do very well in high altitudes.
* If you have ADD when it comes to gardening, you might like them even more. :)

Thessaloniki Tomato: matures in 60 days.
This Greek tomato is perfect for those of us who want garden tomatoes and we want 'em right now! Two to three inches, in diameter, and super tasty.

Cocozelle Zucchini: matures in 50 days.
I spent the winter in Arizona, where everyone, every day, is trying to give away lemons. :) They sound so exotic for us folks in snow country but lemons are to Arizonians what Zucchini is to northern gardeners. We have too many and they grow too big. This little darling barely reaches 6 inches and it is fabulous! Slice in half, grill with Parmesan cheese and a wee bit o' hot sauce? 2 die 4.

Oxheart Carrots: matures in 65 days.

Oxhearts are rare carrots, now, but they were the go-to carrot a long time ago, when people had root cellars and stored produce for hard times ahead. Oxhearts can be stored for months and taste fresh-picked.

* Finding flower seeds is easy. But, when have you ever seen a carrot seed?

Heirloom carrots survive in frozen winter soil. The next year, they send up flower stalks and that's how they produce their seeds.

I grow them for a different reason: these fat, round beauties make sweet treats for happy horses.

In addition to those goodies, I am - for the first time ever - growing some Hollyhocks from root cuttings. There is hardly any point to this. Hollyhocks do better, growing from seed. But, these are Yellow Heirloom Hollyhocks! Very hard for me to find and well worth the effort. Thanks, Jeanne!

On the home front -- I'm TV-less. But, not really.

Shipped a mountain of boxes, wires and remotes back to Directv, 

in favor of Apple TV and a simpler life.

I don't believe this happens very often any longer. But, do you remember when it happened all the time?

You'd mention last night's episode of something and - inevitably - somebody would say: "Oh, I don't watch t.v." It felt condescending and kind of snobby.

These, days, I think they've changed their tune to say: Oh, I don't do Facebook...  :-)

Anyhoo... My reason for kicking Directv to the curb is lack of brain power, not arrogance. One evening, while trying to work the 3 remotes in perfect sequential order so that I might actually get the dvd player to play... I threw up my hands and said: This is ridiculous! No wonder I watch most of my shows on the iPad. It's easy!

So, now the t.v. works like a gigantic iPad! With one button to push, so I can't screw up and I'm shallowly entertained all night long. With no commercials.

And, no, I haven't as yet tuned into Gossip Girl but this non tv watcher is giving me some big ideas.

Here's hoping y'all have a deliriously fine weekend, playing in the mud.

Happy Gardening,
kate

PS: Plz don't be offended if you've sworn off t.v. I probably should, too. But, then I'd have no excuse to postpone cleaning the house....

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