By SUE SEIBERT
Recently I received something I don’t think have ever received before - a seed catalogue. Raf and I have always teased that we have black thumbs and cannot seem to make anything grow.
For years we have tried to grow tomatoes, but always in vain. Even flowers have not found a place in our soil that will actually make them grow and prosper.
But, as you may remember, summer before last we had an excellent raised bed built that is on the level of our deck. Felix McLemore of Classic Lawn Care built it. And it is wonderful! As our yard slopes off, it is easy to used the raised bed while standing on the far side of the deck.
Our first attempt to grow tomatoes and flowers in it failed miserably. We read books and used all the “right” fertilizer and other things that were supposed to use make our garden grow. In fact, our garden died a terrible death.
But last summer I determined that we would plant a few tomato plants and some flower seed. We would water them, and that would be the end of it. The plants would either grow or die. They flourished!
I got the tomato plants and some herbs from Stewart’s in Weatherford, and, because I had heard of Burpee seeds from my father who could grow anything at all, I got online and ordered zinnias. And I went all out. I got every variety, color, size, and shape of zinnia that Burpee had.
And our garden grew and grew! We had fresh tomatoes all summer from only two plants, wonderful herbs, and the flowers were so spectacular that Raf spent all summer taking multitudes of photos.
Now I have received Burpee’s 2013 seed catalogue, and I have sat for hours pouring over the photos of vegetables and flowers I can order from them. I believe I will not limit myself to tomatoes, a few herbs, and zinnias, and to that end, I have hired Felix to build some more planters.
Now as I look at the pages and pages of plants in the catalogue I have to decide what to order. I know I want some old fashioned holly hocks, so I think I will order the Romance Mix. I will probably weed my zinnias down to the beautiful purple and green Queen Red Lime, the Starlight Rose, and a Jazzy Mix or a Zowie.
I have fallen in love with the Martha Washington, the Black Cat, and the Summer Madness Double petunias, and I do want to have at least a few Solar Flare sunflowers.
As to the tomatoes, I think I am going with a Honeybunch, a Fourth of July, and either a Big Mama or a Big Beef Hybrid.
I have not decided on the herbs...maybe tarragon, thyme, and parsley, but some cilantro and some basil, as well.
And I think I will plant some Cherry Belle radishes and some Burpee Hybrid zucchini.
Is your mouth watering yet? I cannot tell you how excited I am to begin our second year of flowers and veg!
How about you? Why not plant a small Victory Garden?
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