When these plants bloom, it’s time for early Spring planting. The absolute first to bloom is in the next picture.
That’s commonly known as Alabama Snow wreath, one of the rarest shrubs in the world, mainly because it only reproduces vegetatively, aka, by stolons instead of seeds. This year it began blooming during the second week of February, easily the earliest I have ever seen. That was when I got busy. Here’s a list of veg I planted, every one of which is up and growing.
Greens
Lettuce “Lolla Rossa Darkness”
Lettuce “Jericho”–can take some heat
Kale “Lacinato”
Brussel Sprouts “Catskill”
Mustard “Mizuna Red Streaks”–currently my favorite of the greens
Root Crops
Carrot “Kuroda”–also can take some heat
Radish “Lady Slipper”
Peas
I accidentally managed to plant all three types of peas–Snow, Sugar Snap, and English. They are growing like crazy, as it is supposed to be eighty degrees F here today.
Dwarf Grey Sugar-Snow Pea that actually grows to about five feet here
Sugar Daddy–Sugar Snap
Little Marvel–Heirloom English Pea
Here are the remains of the project.
J. L. Hudson, the anarchist seed seller in California, is the best around, for both quality, selection, and value. Still, I will also buy a commercial pack of heirloom seeds for fifty cents.
At this point I must agree with the last sentence of Candide, the great work by Voltaire: “That is very well put, said Candide, but we must go and work our garden.” No wonder Thomas Jefferson had a bust of Voltaire, in the entrance hallway at Monticello.
Southern Fusion Cooking 