(Super) Early Tomatoes

June 1: It’s an interesting growing season so far. One noteworthy thing is that we already have a few baby tomatoes on the heirloom tomato plants. This is odd, considering that the plants are only about 2 feet tall, and still young. 

We noticed flowers a couple of weeks ago, and I thought that as eager as I am for fresh summer tomatoes, when a plant starts to flower, it usually means it has reached maturity and will not grow any larger. 

Now, these are indeterminate tomatoes, meaning they were bred to bear fruit all summer long. But still. I planted these early – more than a month ago – and am wondering if this has anything to do with it. These tomato plants should reach a good 5 feet tall at maturity.

The greens bed is all crazy now, and I’m giving away bags of lettuce. Soon, though, it will be too hot for delicate greens to grow and I’ll either have to shelter them from the sun, or harvest it all and plant a heat-loving crop there. Spring flies by so fast.

All this early planting is going to work well, I believe. Wouldn’t it be great to have lots of fresh veggies by mid-July? Yes!

The flowers-for-picking bed is germinating nicely. What a great idea – a large patch of flowers, located out of the way, just for cutting! After fresh garden food, fresh bouquets of summer flowers are my favorite thing!

I made the second pitcher of sun tea this past weekend. I used a hibiscus-passion fruit blend, and sweetened it with a little honey. The sun infuses teas with an energy that you can taste and feel. Just add the tea to some fresh spring water in a large jar, and place the jar in the sun for the day. Strain out the tea, sweeten if you like, and chill in the fridge.

This is the first day of my favorite month of the year – June. Strawberries, long days, thunderstorms, roses blooming, herbs spreading, fireflies, bumblebees, veggies growing, seashells, and sun tea! I just live for this.

There is a family of sparrows in the birdhouse, and the babies shriek all day for food, which Mom and Dad bring – back and forth, back and forth – from dawn to dusk. I was thinking yesterday about how birds are such wonderful parents. So much love there. I’m beyond thrilled when a pair decides to raise its family in our little birdhouse.

Next weekend, I start the Shin Buddhism intensive study program at the New England Institute for Buddhist Studies, here in Connecticut. Very psyched about that.

Namaste.