This weekend we tilled and leveled the back corner of the yard (originally intended to be the veggie garden) and set up the pool there (one of those 3' deep/15' round filtered ones).

[img:$uid]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/jgascot/IMAG0170.jpg[/img:$uid]

We also had peat gravel delivered and tilled and set up paths from the front gate to the back of the house (this is the very back).

[img:$uid]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/jgascot/IMAG0171.jpg[/img:$uid]

I just went out and pulled my first radish.

It's a tiny thing, I'll probably just eat it on its own cause it will be lost in a salad.

I don't really know when to pick them, I tried checking some of the others and they are very tiny. This one was half sticking out of the ground so I figured it was time.

[img:$uid]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/jgascot/IMAG0177.jpg[/img:$uid]

very cool! looking good. looking real good

we're gonna start ours again this weekend. can't wait for fresh tomatoes, peppers, cukes, and zukes again!

johnart said:

This weekend we tilled and leveled the back corner of the yard (originally intended to be the veggie garden) and set up the pool there (one of those 3' deep/15' round filtered ones).

[img:$uid]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/jgascot/IMAG0170.jpg[/img:$uid]

We also had peat gravel delivered and tilled and set up paths from the front gate to the back of the house (this is the very back).

[img:$uid]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/jgascot/IMAG0171.jpg[/img:$uid]

I just went out and pulled my first radish.

It's a tiny thing, I'll probably just eat it on its own cause it will be lost in a salad.

I don't really know when to pick them, I tried checking some of the others and they are very tiny. This one was half sticking out of the ground so I figured it was time.

[img:$uid]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/jgascot/IMAG0177.jpg[/img:$uid]

You guys have been busy. Looks good

johnart said:

This weekend we tilled and leveled the back corner of the yard (originally intended to be the veggie garden) and set up the pool there (one of those 3' deep/15' round filtered ones).

[img:$uid]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/jgascot/IMAG0170.jpg[/img:$uid]

We also had peat gravel delivered and tilled and set up paths from the front gate to the back of the house (this is the very back).

[img:$uid]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/jgascot/IMAG0171.jpg[/img:$uid]

I just went out and pulled my first radish.

It's a tiny thing, I'll probably just eat it on its own cause it will be lost in a salad.

I don't really know when to pick them, I tried checking some of the others and they are very tiny. This one was half sticking out of the ground so I figured it was time.

[img:$uid]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/jgascot/IMAG0177.jpg[/img:$uid]

aw! how cute -- how'd it taste?

PositivityNYC said:

johnart said:

This weekend we tilled and leveled the back corner of the yard (originally intended to be the veggie garden) and set up the pool there (one of those 3' deep/15' round filtered ones).

[img:$uid]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/jgascot/IMAG0170.jpg[/img:$uid]

We also had peat gravel delivered and tilled and set up paths from the front gate to the back of the house (this is the very back).

[img:$uid]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/jgascot/IMAG0171.jpg[/img:$uid]

I just went out and pulled my first radish.

It's a tiny thing, I'll probably just eat it on its own cause it will be lost in a salad.

I don't really know when to pick them, I tried checking some of the others and they are very tiny. This one was half sticking out of the ground so I figured it was time.

[img:$uid]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/jgascot/IMAG0177.jpg[/img:$uid]

aw! how cute -- how'd it taste?

Like a radish.

Ron said like dirt.

snapdragon ready to breathe some fire!

barley before it turned to gold

[Edited 5/17/11 23:16pm]

johnart said:

PositivityNYC said:

aw! how cute -- how'd it taste?

Like a radish.

Ron said like dirt.

Okay, I finally got my isht together and went to the nursery...

Dianthus (aka Sweet Williams, as seen in Kate Middleton's wedding bouquet) on the ends, a sad cactus I am hoping the sun will revive in the center:

[img:$uid]http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m301/jone70/Balcony%20Garden/31b3d723.jpg[/img:$uid]

I received this "garden basket" for my birthday last week. It had impatiens, ivy, dracaena, and a generic looking house plant in it. (The reddish orange flowers in the back are part of a separate bouquet I got.)

[img:$uid]http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m301/jone70/Balcony%20Garden/b2eb9d62.jpg[/img:$uid]

I repotted all the components; this one was labeled "Green Plant". It will stay inside because it says it needs diffused rather than direct sunlight. The ivy will also stay inside; but I have to find a dowel or stake for it to grow on.

[img:$uid]http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m301/jone70/Balcony%20Garden/93d5f8d8.jpg[/img:$uid]

The impatiens is on the plant stand. Snapdragons (pink & yellow) in the planter. I wanted red snapdragons, but they didn't have any.

[img:$uid]http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m301/jone70/Balcony%20Garden/5084bf85.jpg[/img:$uid]

Cherry tomatoes and basil. One of my gardening books said that they are good "companion" plants and do well when planted together. I know they taste good together - can't wait to get some tomatoes!

[img:$uid]http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m301/jone70/Balcony%20Garden/aa31cb3f.jpg[/img:$uid]

Rosemary, oregano, and basil (the latter two, again, are said to be good "companion" plants).

[img:$uid]http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m301/jone70/Balcony%20Garden/f21f1f28.jpg[/img:$uid]

More snapdragons and the dracaena from the garden basket in the center. You can see my neighbor in the background. She has a terrace that's at least double the size of my balcony. (Jealous.)

[img:$uid]http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m301/jone70/Balcony%20Garden/927c7ecc.jpg[/img:$uid]

Here is a photo of her terrace. I have no idea what her real name is; I call her Mari Gold. She plants all impatiens, geraniums, and dracaena and only in pinks, fuschias, and white. It's pretty, but if I had a terrace like that I'd try to grow sweet corn, tomatos, peas, herbs, all sorts of stuff!

[img:$uid]http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m301/jone70/Balcony%20Garden/742362b4.jpg[/img:$uid]

I'm also trying some cilantro from seed (the seedlings at the nursery didn't look very good), as well as more basil and some beefsteak tomatoes. I have no idea what I'll do if the beefsteak tomatoes do okay, and maybe I should have started them several weeks ago. My boss gave me the seeds; she got them from Le Pain Quotidien when they were giving them out for Earth Day. I also started all my seedlings with a healthy dose of Miracle Gro fertilizer (aka plant steroids!) in the water and it's supposed to be hot and sunny all week so hopefully they'll do okay.

.

[Edited 5/29/11 17:10pm]

I has lil' baby zuchinnis

[img:$uid]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/jgascot/0zuc.jpg[/img:$uid]

Some of my tomato plants grown from seedlings

[img:$uid]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/jgascot/0maters.jpg[/img:$uid]

My purple tomatillos have flowers (also grown from seedlings)

[img:$uid]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/jgascot/0tomatilloflower.jpg[/img:$uid]

johnart said:

This weekend we tilled and leveled the back corner of the yard (originally intended to be the veggie garden) and set up the pool there (one of those 3' deep/15' round filtered ones).

[img:$uid]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/jgascot/IMAG0170.jpg[/img:$uid]

^^^^is now this:

Myhammy Beach

[img:$uid]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/jgascot/beach.jpg[/img:$uid]

johnart said:

The other one seems to have itself down.

Let's carry on!

The lettuces are even bigger now and should be ready to harvest in another week or so.

[img:$uid]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/jgascot/IMAG0142.jpg[/img:$uid]

Beans are a-comin'

[img:$uid]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/jgascot/IMAG0144.jpg[/img:$uid]

Not sure what's gonna be with the broccoli. I read in my trusty veggie gardening book that once yellow blooms start to show you need to clip it because it will turn. At least one of the broccoli's are starting to show some yellow blooms and they're still not much larger than in this pic.

I don't know if it has to do with maybe I should've planted them when it was still way colder outside. They were the first thing I put in the bed once I set it up and saw the garden center put out veggies. A lesson learned for next season.

[img:$uid]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/jgascot/IMAG0143.jpg[/img:$uid]

Imma snip the top ones off and see if the secondary ones do any better.

Give your garden a little worm compost. With vericomposting, you won't turn it.

jone70 said:

Okay, I finally got my isht together and went to the nursery...

Dianthus (aka Sweet Williams, as seen in Kate Middleton's wedding bouquet) on the ends, a sad cactus I am hoping the sun will revive in the center:

[img:$uid]http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m301/jone70/Balcony%20Garden/31b3d723.jpg[/img:$uid]

I received this "garden basket" for my birthday last week. It had impatiens, ivy, dracaena, and a generic looking house plant in it. (The reddish orange flowers in the back are part of a separate bouquet I got.)

[img:$uid]http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m301/jone70/Balcony%20Garden/b2eb9d62.jpg[/img:$uid]

I repotted all the components; this one was labeled "Green Plant". It will stay inside because it says it needs diffused rather than direct sunlight. The ivy will also stay inside; but I have to find a dowel or stake for it to grow on.

[img:$uid]http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m301/jone70/Balcony%20Garden/93d5f8d8.jpg[/img:$uid]

The impatiens is on the plant stand. Snapdragons (pink & yellow) in the planter. I wanted red snapdragons, but they didn't have any.

[img:$uid]http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m301/jone70/Balcony%20Garden/5084bf85.jpg[/img:$uid]

Cherry tomatoes and basil. One of my gardening books said that they are good "companion" plants and do well when planted together. I know they taste good together - can't wait to get some tomatoes!

[img:$uid]http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m301/jone70/Balcony%20Garden/aa31cb3f.jpg[/img:$uid]

Rosemary, oregano, and basil (the latter two, again, are said to be good "companion" plants).

[img:$uid]http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m301/jone70/Balcony%20Garden/f21f1f28.jpg[/img:$uid]

More snapdragons and the dracaena from the garden basket in the center. You can see my neighbor in the background. She has a terrace that's at least double the size of my balcony. (Jealous.)

[img:$uid]http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m301/jone70/Balcony%20Garden/927c7ecc.jpg[/img:$uid]

Here is a photo of her terrace. I have no idea what her real name is; I call her Mari Gold. She plants all impatiens, geraniums, and dracaena and only in pinks, fuschias, and white. It's pretty, but if I had a terrace like that I'd try to grow sweet corn, tomatos, peas, herbs, all sorts of stuff!

[img:$uid]http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m301/jone70/Balcony%20Garden/742362b4.jpg[/img:$uid]

I'm also trying some cilantro from seed (the seedlings at the nursery didn't look very good), as well as more basil and some beefsteak tomatoes. I have no idea what I'll do if the beefsteak tomatoes do okay, and maybe I should have started them several weeks ago. My boss gave me the seeds; she got them from Le Pain Quotidien when they were giving them out for Earth Day. I also started all my seedlings with a healthy dose of Miracle Gro fertilizer (aka plant steroids!) in the water and it's supposed to be hot and sunny all week so hopefully they'll do okay.

.

[Edited 5/29/11 17:10pm]

pretty! way to go making great use of your space have you read r j ruppenthal's "fresh food from small spaces"? i found it to be very inspiring

johnart said:

johnart said:

This weekend we tilled and leveled the back corner of the yard (originally intended to be the veggie garden) and set up the pool there (one of those 3' deep/15' round filtered ones).

[img:$uid]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/jgascot/IMAG0170.jpg[/img:$uid]

^^^^is now this:

Myhammy Beach

[img:$uid]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/jgascot/beach.jpg[/img:$uid]

hot dog! what a transformation! does this pool require a lot of maintenance time? very impressive

i have been so neglectful with my garden... this weekend i am going to give it some much needed TLC

there is so much to do ......................

but first things first.....

ie picking up the dog poop

I'm such a proud mama. There's a bunch of baby cukes in my garden.

[img:$uid]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/jgascot/babycukes.jpg[/img:$uid]

PURplEMaPLeSyrup said:

johnart said:

^^^^is now this:

Myhammy Beach

[img:$uid]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/jgascot/beach.jpg[/img:$uid]

hot dog! what a transformation! does this pool require a lot of maintenance time? very impressive

Thank you!

No, not much. We change the filter about weekly and keep the chems in check. Other than that just skimming and vaccuming the bottom once in a while. If they make above grounds this size (the more permanent kind) we might get one put in for next year.

We already had lettuce and radishes. I just planted my second round of each. This week we are enjoying fresh peas and onions from the garden!! We've been making lots of fresh salads and they are so yummy!

We have had a good deal of rain lately, alternating with sun so most of my balcony garden is doing pretty well:

My tomatoes have grown about ten inches!

[img:$uid]http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m301/jone70/Balcony%20Garden/f4427fa5.jpg[/img:$uid]

I was reading that you need to pinch/cut off the "suckers" - little branches on the sides, and also that you should only have 4 trusses to encourage the plant to put its energy towards producing fruit instead of leaves. Does anyone know if I need to "prune" these more?

Also, the poor basil I planted in the interior with the tomatoes has hardly grown. It doesn't stand a chance to get sunlight against the tomato plants!

And they have tiny yellow blooms!!

[img:$uid]http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m301/jone70/Balcony%20Garden/ca1049c8.jpg[/img:$uid]

The impatiens has grown and is in full bloom:

[img:$uid]http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m301/jone70/Balcony%20Garden/a914bfea.jpg[/img:$uid]

As has the dianthus (Sweet William):

[img:$uid]http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m301/jone70/Balcony%20Garden/acb0b724.jpg[/img:$uid]

The snapdragons are being kind of pokey. So far it's been about 3 weeks and I've only seen three pink blooms and one yellow. They need to get with the program!

[img:$uid]http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m301/jone70/Balcony%20Garden/d9325ff9.jpg[/img:$uid]

Basil and oregano on the left, beefsteak tomato seedlings on the right:

[img:$uid]http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m301/jone70/Balcony%20Garden/dd803cf8.jpg[/img:$uid]

The only thing not doing so well is the rosemary. I think it prefers drier soil, so all this rain is not working for it.

[img:$uid]http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m301/jone70/Balcony%20Garden/c37f99f6.jpg[/img:$uid]

The neighbor, "Mari Gold" changed it up a bit this year and added some yellow flowers. She also grows basil (lower right) just "for looks". Last year it was huge and she never used it once! I was dreaming of the pesto I could make with it!

[img:$uid]http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m301/jone70/Balcony%20Garden/844f6e37.jpg[/img:$uid]

.

[Edited 6/18/11 10:53am]

^^^^^^

Discovered this anaconda living under my veggie garden today.

I screamed like a white lady.

[img:$uid]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/jgascot/anaconda.jpg[/img:$uid]

First 'maters.

[img:$uid]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/jgascot/1stmaters.jpg[/img:$uid]

I've got lil' maters poppin up all over the place now. The cukes are going nuts! We've already had zucchini and yellow squash flowering.

My pumpkin and corn are flowering already.

First cucumber. Picked over the weekend.

[img:$uid]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/jgascot/cukebig.jpg[/img:$uid]

^ Impressive!

I am finally starting to see teeny tiny cherry tomatoes! Will try to post some pics this weekend when they're a bit bigger. And the snapdragons, after a month, have finally decided to give up a few blooms.

johnart said:

First cucumber. Picked over the weekend.

[img:$uid]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/jgascot/cukebig.jpg[/img:$uid]

damn, that was fast

[img:$uid]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/jgascot/IMAG0372.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/jgascot/IMAG0373.jpg[/img:$uid]