Have you ever watched the movie, “Last of The Dogmen?” This 1995 American Western film is about a bounty hunter who tracks three escaped convicts into Montana’s isolated Oxbow Quadrangle. When Lewis Gates finds a bloody scrap of cloth, a bloody shotgun shell, and an old-fashioned Indian arrow, he becomes convinced that the three convicts were killed by Cheyenne people who escaped the 1864 Sand Creek massacre. Only when he takes the arrow to archaeologist Lillian Sloan and convinces her to join him in a search for a lost people do they encounter a band of Cheyenne warriors, Dog Soldiers. I won’t spoil the movie for you, but the village Chief Spotted Elk tells them of the escape to the Oxbow 128 years earlier and how they have existed since then. I kept looking at my collection of arrowheads and artifacts while watching the movie. My mind began to wander. Is it naïve to think that Native Americans could still exist, undisturbed in their element as they were for thousands of years? I paused the movie for a short break and became preoccupied with another subject. It’s seed ordering time.
I should already have some garden seeds planted in the greenhouse. Of course, I’m referring to those that must be started months ahead to transplant when the gardening season arrives. Mainly, these comprise of those hard-to-find tomato species that are only available in the form of seeds. It takes four to six weeks for a tomato seedling to grow large enough to be re-planted into the garden. If you do the math correctly, this means the seeds need to be planted in the greenhouse now. Hard to believe, isn’t it? My topic for my article changed on a dime. I thought I would share with you some of the seeds I ordered for this spring’s garden. Granted, some of the seeds will be saved and planted into the warm soil when it’s time, but others will be started as soon as they arrive at my doorstep. Here’s a few species that I will be growing this year.
Ozark Pink tomatoes are unique in that they have an amazing resistance to heat and cracking. Are you familiar with how tomatoes crack open with erratic watering and excessive heat? I hate picking a prime specimen from the vine only to notice deep cracks exposing the succulent flesh to the elements. The later in the season tomatoes are grown, the more prevalent this syndrome occurs. Ozark Pink will rarely, ever crack open. It is a charming plant bearing pink fruit. Developed by Joe McFerran at the University of Arkansas, this medium sized fruit delivers a deliciously sweet flavor with still the “acid” we all crave. You won’t find it on the shelves where tomato plants are sold, so I would encourage you to find a seed source and order them if you would like to try growing these. I promise, you won’t be disappointed.
Another variety of tomato you won’t find on the shelves is Brad’s Atomic Grape. This elongated cherry species is vibrant in color. The color, and flavor, will explode when mature. The wispy leaves will yield clusters of fruit that rival that of the color spectrum. You will notice lavender and purple stripes that turn to vibrant olive-green, red, and purple with the different stages of maturity. The interior of the fruit is just as intense with color and be ready for the taste of your life when you try them. Even if you’re not a tomato lover, which I could never understand, you would enjoy growing this one even if it is only for the ornamental benefit it will provide. Heh, I never thought about growing tomatoes for the “flower” effect, but to each his own. Let’s swap species now.
I know we’re all familiar with growing field corn and sweet corn. I ran across some novel varieties of corn while browsing through my seed catalog. I’ll be adding a few border rows to my garden this year for diversity. The first one I ordered was one called “Glass Gem.” This indescribable beautiful variety of flint, or popcorn, comes in an endless range of colors. The mixtures of kernels on the cob range from purple to crimson to black. The three to eight inch ears are decorative, but amazingly edible and delicious as well. Plant the seeds into a warm, moist soil, one and a half inches deep, five to six inches apart. Don’t forget to fertilize according to soil test recommendations including nitrogen. You will be amazed what you will be rewarded with.
Another novel corn seed I ordered was “Hopi Turquoise.” This corn originated from the Hopi people of the Southwest and produces a truly breathtaking kernel. Colors range from slate blue to purple to brilliant turquoise. Ears produced typically range from eight-12 inches in length, depending on soil fertility and growing conditions from a stalk that ranges from four to five feet tall. This cornstalk will not take up a lot of garden space and therefore will not shade out other species. Be aware though, those pesky earworms will love this variety as much as we do. I’ll leave it up to you whether or not to treat for these crop depriving monsters. There are many other species of Indian corn that will add to your garden and home décor. Browse through your favorite seed catalog and try some. Who knows, we could even trade some ears this fall if you like. Let’s move on to sunflowers now.
I’ll leave the sunflower planting for dove season up to my hunting partners, but there will be some other species in my garden for “border color.” One in particular will be “Ring of Fire.” This species typically grows four to five feet tall yielding flowers that reach five to six inches across. So, you see, this is not an extremely large plant. However, what it lacks in size is more than made up for in color. This bloom is a blazing, bicolored sunflower with mahogany centers and scarlet-stained petals featuring golden tips. Perhaps it should have been called the “technicolor fall flower.” It is a huge attractor for pollinators so enjoy the show. Remember to read the instructions for planting depth and spacing.
How could I fail to mention one of my favorite sunflowers, this being “Chocolate Cherry.” You may think you’re entering a galaxy of flora when this one erupts in its full splendor. The stalks may reach a height of four to seven feet tall, so this one should be planted as a backdrop so not to overshadow smaller in stature species. In other words, stairstep your plantings based on morphology. I’m sure my sister could help you with this. Just call up “JannySkins” and ask her how to stage the plants. The petals range from deep obsidian to rich chocolate and black cherry. The centers burst forth with a deep onyx with some blooms featuring a vibrant yellow ring around the pollen disk for added depth. This is a top choice for gardeners seeking to broaden their horizons and venture on the edge of the extraordinary.
To bring the epitome of color to the back wall of your garden, you must seek out and plant the giant “Arikara” species of sunflower. Approaching 10-12 feet in height, this heirloom produces heads over 12 inches across. Featuring bright yellow flowers with centers in various shades of brown, these seeds are large and edible and were used by the Arikara nation in North Dakota. This one is especially adored by both gardeners and pollinators. It is best to plant sunflowers when the risk of frost is minimal, and the soil temperature is at least 50 degrees. Of course, this typically means around the middle of April for our area, but you never know when it comes to Mother Nature and what she sends our way.
How fitting is it that this article topic began with a movie about Native Americans and made an abrupt turn mid-stream as we switched to gardening and plant species only to return to the Native American discussion, Arikara, and a sunflower named for them? Surely, there is an underlying message within not only this article but my thought process as well. Only time will tell if we figure this out. Don’t procrastinate ordering your seeds for the garden, especially when it comes to the harder to find species. Planting time will be here before you know it, and I’m just about ready for the gloomy, gray mornings that I cherish so much to yield to increased sunlight and warmer temperatures. I’m expecting, hoping, for a brilliant gardening season this year. Are you?
Until next time enjoy our woods and waters and remember, let’s leave it better than we found it.
