Mammoth Russian Sunflowers
Sunflowers thrive in TomatoTown. Our tallest varieties have to be the Mammoth Russian Sunflowers that Farmer J planted this spring. Our stateliest to date is a 12 foot wonder in the middle of our tomato plots.
Buzz Buzz Buzz
Throughout the intense heat of the summer and into the beginnings of fall weather, our sunflowers have thrived, blooming without restraint.
Ah, Sunflower!
Ah Sun-flower! weary of time, Who countest the steps of the Sun: Seeking after that sweet golden clime Where the traveller’s journey is done; Where the Youth pined away with desire, And the pale Virgin shrouded in snow Arise from their graves and aspire Where my Sun-flower wishes to go. William Blake, 1757–1827
Sunflower Power
Farmer T spotted this sparrow hiding beneath the leaf of one of our volunteer sunflowers this morning. Our birds don’t allow much time to enjoy the dramatic blooms. Not more than a day or two after the sunflowers emerge, the goldfinches and sparrow begin to tear them apart searching for seeds.
Plenty of Blossoms
We’ve had friends tell us that while they have many blossoms this year, they have no tomatoes on their vines yet. Admittedly, it has been a strange spring, but one good trick for pollinating, is to give your plants a good shake now and then. It will get the pollen moving and your tomatoes grooving.
Feed Me Seymour!
Sunflowers are Farmer T’s favorite flower. This year we planted Russian Mammoth Sunflowers. The monstrous plants are reaching for the sky and many of them are over seven feet tall.
Peony
Even before the tomato growing season is in full swing, flowers are an essential component of Tomato Town. Farmer J likes to have a variety of early bloomers to keep her pollinators happy. Peonies are stunning early bloomers with a heavenly, honeyed scent. Farmer J’s mother first brought these plants from the farm in Topeka, […]
American Goldfinch
Once our sunflowers peak, they are quickly dismantled by these clever little finches. According to The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the American Goldfinch is a strict vegetarian and thrives on a seed-only diet. These finches also enjoy the seeds from the purple cone flowers in our garden.
Borage, A Courageous Companion Plant
We planted this fuzzy-leafed plant to lure in bees and ward off the dreaded tomato hornworm. So far, we’ve only had one hornworm, a vast improvement over last year when to pick a fully-ripe tomato you risked a slimy mess from worm destruction. Borage is widely eaten as a vegetable, but it has an ancient […]
Sunflower State
Sunflowers are Farmer T’s favorite garden flower and he looks forward to the day when these elegant plants bloom.
Bee Time
The Siren song of blooms, both native and exotic, lure bees into our garden to help with the pollination of our fruits and vegetables. Of course, tomatoes and peppers, are self-pollinated but they do benefit from the assistance of bees. Our first step was to avoid the use of pesticides. That was easy. The next […]