Thursday, June 16, 2011

Gardening on the balcony?

My dad and sister both have green thumbs. Green hands, in fact. They can grow anything, it seems, if they put their minds to it. Me? I'm one of those "Oh yeah, I'll grow something! Oh...well...I don't really feel like watering today...it'll be alright" types. After a visit home this year I came back with a renewed interest in maybe growing something on our balcony. My friend Carol just happened to bring in a bunch of seeds last week - packages of Heirloom tomatoes, different types of peppers, basil, cilantro...all sorts of things! I took a few lettuce, spinach, tomato, banana pepper, cilantro and basil seeds. I had planned, honestly, to wait until next year because I thought it was too late in the season to try to grow them now, but my sister said, "Just throw them in some soil and see what happens!" I call it "Gardening Kindergarten Style." I threw them in some soil in Dixie cups and watered. Lo and behold...

Left is the pepper plant, which only sprouted earlier this week.  Right are the tomato plants (2 have sprouted in there).  The back ones are spinach and lettuce, neither of which has made an appearance.

I just noticed this today - pretty sure it's the basil, although cilantro seeds were planted in here too.
     I am letting them hang out outside during the days now - and I might leave them out overnight soon.  The basil has been out the whole time, which could account for its slow sprouting...I've poked holes in the bottoms of the Dixie cups so the soil can drain.  This weekend I plan to get some bigger pots for the peppers and tomatoes, and some new potting soil.  Mine is old and I think I need something with more nutrients in it.  We'll see what becomes of these little guys!

No comments: