Food prices are rising, so it is a good time to be a gardener.  Now is the time to plant vegetables and save on your weekly grocery bill.  Vegetables are easy to grow and easy to eat (at least for most of us).  Consider taking some space in a sunny part of your garden and plant budget savers.  Radishes are a terrific and easy choice.  You will be harvesting them within the month until the weather turns hot.  It is still time, but the window is closing, to plant broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, spinach, collards, kale and cabbage.  Like radishes hot weather spells the end to your feast, but theses early spring veggies are waiting for you, and can be planted for a second round next fall.

I am partial to onions, sets or seed, planted now, and which deer do not seem to like.  I make omelets separating the whites of two eggs and folding them back into lightly beaten yolks, pour the mixture into an 8 inch sauce pan, greased with butter, heated on low heat for about two minutes and then put in the oven at 350 for 7 minutes.  I then run outside and gather a few spring onions, dice them, cut them or chop them, add ricotta cheese, and add this mix to my omelet when it comes out of the oven, sprinkle grated cheddar on top, and there we have a great spring breakfast for a Sunday morning.

Peas, beets and Swiss chard, along with potatoes can be on your garden menu at this time.  Hurry up; do not miss the window, and remember not to plant when the ground is wet; make sure the earth crumbles in your hand before working the soil.  I sow seeds normally, but I also buy starter plants to speed things up when I am a little late with my sowing schedule or the weather inhibits my seeding opportunities.

John Peter Thompson
Behnke Nurseries Chairman of the Board