OK, I’m not even planting tomatoes this year. (No sun.) But if I were, I’d wait. I’m one of those not-before-Memorial-Day planters when it comes to warm-weather soaks like tomatoes, peppers and the lot.

I know we’re all in a rush to have the first garden fresh tomato ripe from the garden. But unless you cheat the season with a cold frame, Wall O’ Water or covered rows, I think it’s risky business planting tomatoes early. If it’s too cold, the plant just sit there or, worse, get slow and stunted.

Am I old-fashioned? Am I right on? When are the rest of you tomato lovers going to plant?

Eleven months out of the year, our crab apple is the most unremarkable tree on the block. But in May — sweet, beautiful May — our crab apple is the belle of the block.

Petite pink buds sprout from the branches, then explode into crisp, white blooms. During the day, bees, drunk with nectar, fly in clumsy circles from blossom to blossom. At night, the rich perfume from the blossoms fills our bedroom.

I had to take a photo to remind me of the tree’s beauty. By the end of May, the blossoms will fall and form brown, sticky mats in the lawn, greedy little suckers will grow from the base of the trunk, and the boyfriend will curse as he mows over the shallow roots.

Turns out, I’m not the only one at my house who’s eager to dig in the dirt. The chickens want to be scratching outdoors. Having outgrown the basement bathroom, they are now housed in the garage in four giant dog crates. I think of it as a staging area for their final move to the yet-to-be-built “Coop de Ville” in a couple of weeks.

Martha Graham (left), Darla (with beard) and Isadora (front) . Betty the rooster is on the perch at the back of the cage.

The last time it rained, we made the mistake of gathering up some worms from the paved road and offering them to the chickens. They loved them, of course, but now they are sure our fingers are fat yummy worms.

Feeding time has become challenging. Yesterday, one of the chickens grabbed my finger and wouldn’t let go. The chickens are also fascinated with my polarfleece shirt, zippers, buttons, rings, watches and anything else that could possibly be interpreted as a bug. Those old grain crumbles you’ve been feeding us? Blech! Bring on the grubs and wiggly things!

P.S. My boy Trouble is doing well, but another chicken beat him to the first attempt at crowing. “Betty” wins that award. Now, what are we gonna do with more than one rooster? (I know, I know, don’t say “stew pot”)

I can grow a pepper in my sleep, but poppies, with their fuzzy buds and paper-thin petals, are totally perplexing to me. I bought two pre-potted poppies from a garden center lat year. One died right away — Too much sun? Too little? And the other sprouted leaves early in the spring, then just stopped growing.

Starting from seed has been equally disappointing. Three sprouts from a whole package of seeds? What IS it about my yard that you poppies don’t like?

Luckily, I’m not the only gardener with poppy concerns. Yvette posted an interesting poppy question yesterday:

i have a question - i sowed some flanders poppies (aka corn/shirley) directly into the ground about 4 weeks ago, as the pack said they don’t like being transplanted and can be outside before the last frost. they have sprouted, but have remained tiny and have not got any true leaves yet. are they just waiting for warmer weather? and do you know how quick they grow (ie how long do i have to wait for flowers?)

Are you a poppy person? What can Yvette and I do to encourage growth? Are some soils better than others for perfect poppies? How long do we have to wait for blooms?

Last weekend, I made my first trip to the garden centers. It was a blast! I strolled leisurely down the aisles (It was pouring. No one was there). I spotted some cool-as-all-get-out plants. And I even bought a few. But not many. I guess I’m a slow shopper. Instead of buying in a crazed frenzy, I try to take the time to get the right plants for my garden — and for me. (I’m a lazy gardener.)

So, over the years, I’ve developed my own quirky system for plant shopping. I shop weeknights (or weekends when it’s raining). I never do all my shopping at one garden center. (I go to Wagner’s for annuals. Tangletown for unusual perennials. Savory’s for woodland plants. Highland for grasses. Ambergate for the super hardy. Gerten’s for the great sales.) And I never try to get a season-full of plants in one trip. I shop all season long and plant all season long. (OK, I usually skip mid-August cuz it’s too darn hot to do anything.)

I make lists (which I always ignore). I read plant tags. I talk to the folks working the garden centers. And I have a blast. Guess that makes me a garden geek. R U 1 2? How do you shop? Where do you go? How do you know when to stop?

Conservatives are all a flutter over a recent announcement by the Swiss Federal Ethics Committee. Apparently, members of the Swiss government believe that plants have rights and deserve our consideration.

Gasp! How dare anyone challenge my right to remove dandelions from my lawn! Like Mr. T, I pity the fool who tells me I can’t cut down all the trees in my yard! Fie on all plants!

Sigh. What a tempest in a teapot. Let’s get a few things straight here… You do not have to be a pot-loving hippy to value a non-human lifeform. You’re not an eco-nerd for appreciating the role plants play in our environment. From plants, we derive nourishment. We find cures for diseases. We get the OXYGEN WE BREATHE. A little respect for our under appreciated flora is not undeserved.

Responsible land stewardship is more than buying a membership to Ducks Unlimited or the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. It’s also about caring for our yards and adopting best practices which insure the health of people, animals and yes –- the plants — that share them.

Do I like having a yard full of dandelions? No.

Do they have a right to be in my yard? No. They are an invasive species brought to North America from our forefathers (You can also thank them for Creeping Charlie).

But, I do have a responsibility to the life forms — plant and animal — in my yard and prefer ol’ fashioned elbow grease to ChemLawn.

If you think plants have rights, you’re not crazy and you’re alone.

My box from Stark Bros. arrived Friday afternoon with three cherry trees, six raspberry bushes, three blueberry bushes and 75 teeny tiny strawberry plants — all bare root.

It may be an economical (and plant-friendly) way to ship perennials, but for a busy gardener, a box of bare root plants is a little stressful. As soon as you plants are boxed up and shipped out, the clock is ticking. My birthday, tickets to the Guthrie, an engagement party, Mother’s Day — Bare root plants have no interest in my weekend plans. They need water, soil and sunlight ASAP.

This was my first specialty plant order and didn’t know what to expect when I opened the box. Yellow buds? Little leaves? A shriveled albino berry? Instead, I found plastic bags filled with brown, twisted tentacles.

Huh?

An organized gardener would’ve done her research and prepared her site ahead of time, but this gardener was still digging holes in her back yard at 8 p.m. Sunday night. (If you’re looking for tips for planting bare root plants, This site is super helpful: http://nga-gardenshop.stores.yahoo.net/plantingbarerootperennials.html)

It’s hard to believe that these bare canes will soon sprout leaves and bear fruit. For now, I’ll keep my fingers crossed and keep you posted on their progress.

Did you get to the Friends plant sale at the state fairgrounds this weekend? How about the Arboretum sale in Chanhassen? One of the dozens of smaller ones in between? Or did you hit the nurseries? What were your favorite finds? Did you go for unusual or was price your priority?

For the first time in years, I actually resisted the urge to buy one (or more) of everything I thought I might want later in the summer. I’m very susceptible to “kid in a candy store” syndrome. I start thinking about the window boxes I’ll get to in a month, that this or that might be good for that front project I intend to do, and pretty soon I’ve got a pickup load of plants to water and care for weeks until I get to them.

So when I was at the Friends sale on Thursday night (I volunteered to get my early admission), I practiced restraint. I didn’t master it, mind you. I did come home with a beautiful redbud, a weeping pussy willow and a lovely little Japanese maple. Oh, and some fennel. And oregano. But I didn’t come home with the kitchen sink. And that’s progress.

Maybe I’ll celebrate my partial success by stopping by the nursery down the hill and see what they have!