Still Winter

Breaking News:  It's still too cold outside to do too much gardening.  Being a wimp when it comes to cold weather I like to rush past January and February to get straight to the gardening season and warmer days.  I received a reminder that January wasn't even over when I forgot to shut off the water on my raised beds yesterday.  When I went out this morning I found a small leak had created this winter wonderland.  Nothing ruins the day like ice!  Fortunately the parsley underneath all the ice won't care but it is a reminder winter cold is still here. 

In spite of that I am fantasizing about my spring garden.  With catalogs filling my mail box its hard not to.  Looking through my Totally Tomatoes catalog and Baker Creek catalogs (great pictures and description) is so exciting.  I found a 'Baby Bok Choy' which would a more practical size for me.  Besides they look really cute.  There is an interesting red cabbage called 'Nero di Toscano or Black Palm Tree' which they say is good in soups and stews.  They also have a wonderful collection of old-fashioned sweet peas, one of my favorite flowers—the ones with that lovely sweet scent. 

It's the summer crops that I live for though, the tomatoes, the peppers, the squash and melons.  One of the more intriging is the tomato, 'Reisetomate'.  It looks like a bunch of cherry, pear tomatoes fused together, but it is not going in my garden.  With limited space, an odd looking tomato would make the cut unless its description reads, "Bright red tomatoes taste--well, rather sour, strong and acid.  The perfect tomato for those who love raw lemons....."  Wish I had more room.  I found others though with a better taste profile.  I might try the tomato called Limmony and another called Andrew Rahart's Jumbo Red.  So many tomatoes, so little space! 

Over the years I've had sporadic luck with melons but this year I'm looking at a bright orange watermelon called 'Orangeglo'.  It is supposed to be the best tasting of the orange-fleshed varieties. 

I already have seeds from the beautiful 'Rouge Vif d'Etemps' pumpkin.  They are huge dark orange beautiful pumpkins.  Tasty too!  Not for jack o' lanterns maybe, but pumpkins are more than just jack o' lanterns.

I could go on and on but lucky you, I'm not going too.  You need to get a catalog or two and start planning your own garden.  By the end of February you should be starting seeds inside.  Get busy the warm weather is on its way!