Itching

It’s bloody raining again. Nevertheless, organfam ventured forth into the deluge this morning just across the border of the next state, to the Herbal Farmacy, an operation that sells organic herbs, flowers and vegetables. I return every year for my bedding plants, mostly because I have never found their equal anywhere. For the last two summers, my eggplants from there began production within 2 weeks of being in the ground and I had enough to cook within 4 weeks. Several grubber friends, after witnessing the quality of the greenhouse grown plants I brought home, decided to follow suit and no longer have to wait until late July for vegetables I am eating at the beginning of July, like zucchini (2 plants quite suffice!) and tomatoes. This place has 35 varieties, some heirloom, of tomatoes, and herbs and vegetables enough to make me reconsider the high place bookstores occupy on my list of favorite places. We came home with broccoli, broccolini, zucchini, strawberries, flowering vines of the morning glory family, balloon flowers, flax, lavender and so much more. This was a $300 load of plants  stuffed with scientific precision into the back of the van. Now we have to wait until next weekend to kick off our gardening season properly - I’ll be itching to get these gorgeous plants, and the multitude of seeds waiting in their packets, into the ground.

It’s been an interesting learning curve to figure out what plants need to be severely curtailed in pots (hello? MINT) and which must not be allowed to drop fruit (tomatillos). I actually made the mistake of planting tomatillos 2 years ago and I must be very careful to ruthlessly rip each and every plant that comes up, or they will take over. We don’t actually eat many of the many we foolishly planted originally, despite their truly intense salsa capabilities, so I have no moral quandaries putting them on my hit list. Also, whatever you do, do not allow, actively prevent, any fruit from the Five Minute Plant (Solanum Pyracanthum) from hitting dirt. If you do, as I have done, you may very well find yourself with a handful of fire when you attempt to rip out the roots or seedlings; the thorns on these suckers are unbelievable!

I’ve got myself some new gloves, some great new pruning shears and I am raring to get into the dirt; I so look forward to renewing my connection to my garden and to its fruits. I have been decidedly sluggish all winter and may well moan and groan from the necessary exertion to get the garden going, but it will all be worth it.

Stay tuned for the photos.