re-farming

The music for this afternoon's gardening was Amy Honey. I don't know how I missed her the whole time I lived in Nova Scotia but I did. The songs in particular that I've been enjoying are "Old Reliable Death" and "Woods Hag". So go turn on her Myspace if you want a soundtrack for reading this.

OK.

Today was like reform school for the garden... time to replant and re-organize and re-do... hence "re-farming".

Here are the pictures:

I got this hanging-pot-device for strawberries because it seemed like a great way to have lots of plants without taking up any floor-space. Also, it was on sale. After trying to plant the thing, I understand why it might have been on sale - frustrating!! But hopefully my efforts will be repaid in fruits!

The Circle of Beans.

I really enjoy watching the little plants just breaking through the surface... it's kind of unbelievable.

This is a sweet potato that got it's roots started in a glass of water. Your supposed to plant the "slips". This is just a little experiment to see what happens when you stick the whole thing in the ground. I'm not sure if I should cover the whole thing or what... I think it will be OK this way. We'll see. I have another one in another glass that I can try the slip-thing with. I'm not sure if there will be enough time or space for this to get tubers but apparently you can also eat the young shoots and leaves. Also, they have nice flowers!

Around the edge I planted some Arugula that I picked up real cheap-like at the Guelph Horticulture Club's Plant Sale.

On the left are two sun flower that are probably going to be way too huge for the balcony but whatevs! Maybe they will be like goldfish and only grow to the amount of space they have?

A pea!!!!

Some lettuce growing in a former lettuce container. Getting close eating time! I planted this really thick because I was just going to have it as "micro-greens" but I haven't the heart to cut it down yet... so I think I'm just going to see what it does for a little while. Sure is pretty!

We "put an addition on the balcony" by investing in some railing hangers. Can we get that "home reno tax credit" for this?!?! The one closest was just seeded today with "Bright Lights Swiss Chard". It's gonna be fabulous! The others are full of herbs started from seed. I have no idea how successful these will be... but they are all doing something... so that's something...

And finally, the "Topsy-Turvy Strawberry Planter". I only bought 3 big plants. I'm hoping that the runners from them will start more plants. There are also a bunch of really little guys that I started from seed - they are totally overwhelmed by this contraption. I'll be very surprised if they survive.

I didn't manage to get to the tomatoes and peppers planted. I guess that's a job for "tomorrow-girl". I ended up buying tomatoes from the Guelph Plant Sale (cheap) and peppers from Canadian Tire (not as cheap) yesterday. Soon everything will be planted and situated and the real growing can begin! On beautiful days like today you can almost HEAR the plants growing!

I'm gonna need a bigger watering can! (Seriously!)