Tomatoes, How to Remove Tomato Stains, Planting Zinnias

If summer had a taste, it would be a rich, juicy red tomato.

Maybe a cherry variety, or one of those oblong roman tomatoes so popular in salads.

Tomatoes are very easy to grow from seed, even those very inexpensive seed packets that beckon late winter.

There's also something about the smell of a young tomato plant in early spring, the aroma strong and pungent with a hint of citrus, promising a delicious bounty ahead.

Also known as "Love Apples," tomatoes are actually a fruit but were classified in the 1800s as a vegetable to minimize import duty tariffs.

They were also the inspiration for an all-time favorite sewing item, the tomato pin cushion (photo).

Today even the most novice gardener will try their hand at growing a few of these hardy plants every year for the wonderful flavor one can only get from homegrown tomatoes.

Rub the fresh juice all over hands. Leave on for 5 minutes. Rinse well.

Zinnias are our all-time favorite annuals to plant.

Not only do they grow in any soil, they are drought and bug tolerant and bloom almost continuously until the first fall frost.

We also like them because they're a long-lived cut flower, and we can easily dry seeds for next year's crop. (photo)

If you're patient, you can also take zinnias inside in pots for a little longer bloom time.