Where the Wild Things Are

Well, the wild things are apparently on my balcony!!!

Many of you have been on this whole 'I'm gonna grow a garden from seed' journey with me from the beginning! All I can say, is that I am simply STUNNED at how well everything is doing.

I think I may have some sort of magical powers. Or a REALLY green thumb. Or maybe I'm like the horse whisperer, but with plants.

I make these wild claims ONLY because, as I have been on this journey, I have had so many people tell me, 'I have tried so many times to grow from seed and nothing ever makes it!' Or, 'Don't get your hopes up, it's really difficult!'

EVERY single seed I planted germinated! And EVERY single one grew up! I have plants coming out my ears! I have given so many away (not counting the ones I accidentally stepped on and killed). So, I don't know what to think.

It comes down to this: either I have been incredibly lucky, or I am just gifted.

I prefer to think it's a gift. A rare one.

So, here are the kids!!!!

The peas and the beans:



Once these popped out of their little pea and bean cases, there was no stopping them! I am NOT kidding when I say that they grow about 3 to 4 inches over night!

And this is really FREAKY, their little pea arms just grab onto ANYTHING and wrap right around:



When the little arms are wispy, we just kind of train them towards the balcony grating and within a few hours, they have wound themselves around it. AMAZING!

Next, is our box of tomatoes:



I am pretty sure I chose the WRONG kind of tomato to grow on a balcony. Apparently 'Outdoor Girl' puts out some pretty large fruit and is a LARGE plant. So, I am going to have to start 'pinching it off', which is another way of saying that I will forbid it grow any larger than I want it to.

Now one of the things that I have worried about is that, who cares if the plants grow if they don't flower?? So, I have been anxiously looking out for flowers and just TONIGHT, I saw these!!!!



I may have to pollinate them, but I am pretty sure we have lots of bees on the balcony, so we will see if they can't get their pollen spread on their own.

Then we have the carrots:



Next we have what my friend Lola calls the 'Tater Bag'. I read about how some people grow potatoes in plastic bags and I thought I would give it a try. So, I started with some new potatoes from the store and left them out for about 2 weeks until the eyes began sprouting. Once they did, I took a bag that soil comes in, because it is thick and black, and rolled down the sides, put a layer of soil in it, put the potatoes in, eyes UP and covered them and waited.

And waited.

Nothing.

In theory, once you cover the potatoes, they will push their leaves through the soil. When the leaves appear, you roll the sides of the bag up a little and cover it with soil again. The leaves will turn into roots and grow more potatoes and more green leaves will poke through the soil in another few weeks. Every time sprouty leaves come up, roll up the bag, cover with soil and repeat. When the bag is full, let the sprouts grow, flower and die, and come september, slice the bag open and gorgeous new potatoes will come tumbling out!!!

Well, wouldn't you know it...a few days ago, I suddenly had my first green tater sprouts appear!



I'll put more soil on top on Sunday!

This pot has bell peppers and one yellow tomato plant in it. Clearly it is overcrowded. Also in this pot is plucking lettuce and basil as companion plants. I am going to have to thin this pot out, but how do you choose who to let DIE?? It is very difficult. They are all growing like mad and I have flowers coming on the bellpeppers!



Here are the gorgeous jalepenos:



And finally, the 'what in the hell am I doing in NORWAY' tomatillo plants!! They are thriving!!!



So friends, that is my garden! It is going very well and I can't wait to see what comes out of it!!!