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IMG_0328.JPG 2009-07-05

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IMG_0329.JPG 2009-07-05

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IMG_0223.JPG 2009-06-19 This is the mix when it's dry.

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IMG_0226.JPG 2009-06-19  This is the pine bark mulch used in the mix.

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IMG_0232.JPG 2009-06-19 This is my homemade cucumber trellis.

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IMG_0231.JPG 2009-06-19  Two trellises that I tied together to make a leaning trellis.

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IMG_0230.JPG 2009-06-19  The cucumber trellises.   I planted more swiss chard under each one.

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IMG_0229.JPG 2009-06-19  Here's my double plot.  3 tomatoes, 12 peppers, 10 cukes, Swiss Chard, beans, marigolds, and some sunflowers.

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IMG_0234.JPG 2009-06-19  My wall of water is collapsing on itself.

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IMG_0227.JPG 2009-06-19  My cukes from seed died, and the new seeds were not coming up.  I bought new plants, on the right.  The new seeds are coming up after all, on the left.

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IMG_0225.JPG 2009-06-19

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IMG_0224.JPG 2009-06-19  A tomato 'volunteer' is coming up with my chard. 

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IMG_0222.JPG 2009-06-19  This is a pot of tumbler tomatoes and basil, in the mix, non-swc.

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IMG_0221.JPG 2009-06-19  Same pot, full view  These are red tumblers, and yellow tumbling toms.

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IMG_0220.JPG 2009-06-19  Container Tomato in the mix, non-swc. In the back we have basil in an old soup kettle, used the mix, non-swc. Large drainage holes rusted through the bottom.  That's why it's a planter and not a soup pot anymore.  

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IMG_0219.JPG 2009-06-19

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IMG_0218.JPG 2009-06-19

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IMG_0216.JPG 2009-06-19  Hmm, I see some weeding needs to happen in this pot.

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IMG_0215.JPG 2009-06-18

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IMG_0214.JPG 2009-06-18

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IMG_0213.JPG 2009-06-18

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IMG_0212.JPG 2009-06-18

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IMG_0025.JPG 2009-05-11 Cukes, peppers, swiss chard.  My cukes started fading a little after this.  Next year I'll start them later in the season, so they are ready about the same time the weather is.  Lost two of them after planting, as did some other folks that received my extras.  I'll also start the tomatoes earlier, I took too long to order seed this spring.

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IMG_0191.JPG 2009-06-13 Wow, I just put that Miracle Gro on there last night!  Actually, I was at the nursery today and bought two new plants, half price.  Trashed the wind burned nubbins.  Dug down a few inches to plant these, and the soil is definitely soaked through.  These plants had great root systems, so hopefully these will 'take' a little better than the old ones.  In the background, my Tumbler, and Tumbling yellow tomatoes are going strong.

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IMG_0138.JPG 2009-05-26 The Little Ceasar box.  Seeds left over from last year, don't seem to have lost any viability.   I used to buy hydroponic lettuce at the Farmer's Market in the summer.  Now that I've discovered row cover, I don't need to do that anymore!  This was NOT Al's mix.

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IMG_0021.JPG 2009-05-11 View facing south, with the 4 window boxes.  This year I decided to try landscape fabric instead of mulch on top of the boxes.  These are all filled with Al's mix.  The two boxes on the railing were NOT Al's mix, as I purposely kept soil in those so I could plant early this spring.

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IMG_0016.jpg 2009-05-11  Tom Thumb Lettuce in Hanging basket.  Not self watering, but it does have a dish in the bottom to help hold water.  Purposely left the too big liner so there would be a little wind protection for the seedlings, nestled behind a 2" windbreak of coir.  This is Al's mix.

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IMG_0134.JPG 2009-05-26 I don't remember when I transferred the lettuce seedlings to the pots, but the row cover really save me.  The LARGE salad spinner is full, and there's plenty left to 'cut and come again'.  This 10-12" SWC is filled with Al's mix.  Usually top water anyway, cause the reservoir is tiny.

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IMG_0171.JPG 2009-06-12 Trying to capture the dark blue green 'slime' gowing on the surface of the soil.  I think the pot got too well soaked in recent rains, and needs to dry out a bit.  Both of these pots are SWC with Al's mix.

 

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IMG_0194.JPG 2009-06-13 This is a sweet basil, and 3 tumbling tomatoes.  These were spindly, in fact I pulled them out and replanted them deeper a week or so ago.  This is NOT Al's mix, it is a SWC.

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IMG_0190.JPG 2009-06-13 Pulled this nice little lavendar plant out of my Mom's yard last week, and it's dead already.  It probably got too much water.   This is a SWC with Al's mix.

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IMG_0193.JPG 2009-06-13 These are my two Container Tomato plants at the far two edges.  In the middle is a Costoluton Genovese.  I think.  The one in the cylinder is so much bigger than the other two that I'm afraid the tags got switched.   So, I figured I'd plant them all and see what grows the fastest, and maybe move that one over or cut out the middle one later.  Just happened to have that size of red film sitting around, I may cut a wider piece.  I put a strip of fertilizer down the middle, under the film.  These are the last of my seedlings, and looking pretty wan.  If they don't cut it, I'm off to the garden center again looking for small breeds.  This is NOT Al's mix.

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IMG_0024.JPG 2009-05-11 - Seedlings for 2009, started in late March, through mid April.  The firste tray is tomatoes, peppers, and marigolds.  After that are cukes, more peppers, and swiss chard.  I had pulled out the lettuce seedlings and planted them a few weeks ago, and started the marigolds.

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IMG_0170.JPG 2009-06-12 Here's the peas, about to be pulled out.  There are no flowers left, and allt he pods have matured.  This deck box is about 20" long, and I got enough peas for one serving.  Tasty, but not worth it in these small quantities.  Still, it was fun to try, and the box was being used early.  But i'll save it for small tomatoes next year.

 

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IMG_0168.JPG 2009-06-12 The bigger of the two.  Not sure about this strange horizontal growing pattern. 

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IMG_0166.JPG 2009-06-12  This was the one that got windburned the most. 

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IMG_0192.JPG 2009-06-13 What?  Look at what a little Miracle Gro will do!  No, I just ripped out the old ones and got new ones at the nursery.  Same stock, but much bigger now, so I hope these 'stick'.

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IMG_0165.JPG 2009-06-12 You can see the celery never recouped from the windburn episode.  But the beets are bigger!

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IMG_0023.JPG 2009-05-11 Peas, two month after planting.  I kept them covered with row cover for the first 4-6 weeks.  Planted them in mid March.   May have been a little too early for Zone 6, but I read it in a book somewhere to plant on St. Patrick's Day!  

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IMG_0022.JPG 2009-05-11  These are the two pots of beets and celery, ala E Wilson's SWC book.  The one on the right used to be on the left, and got windburned from wind coming around plastic windbreak.  Cut both of them back, and they didn't seem to thrive after this.

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IMG_0169.JPG 2009-06-12 One month later, the Tom Thumb lettuce is thriving.  I haven't harvested any yet.

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IMG_0020.jpg 2009-05-11 View facing West. End of balcony has clear plastic sheet attached with zip ties, to cut wind on plants.

Pot on railings have radishes and Little Ceasar lettuce.  Hanging pot has Black Seeded Simpson.  Using row cover on the balcony all season long has turned out brilliantly.  Two beige pots to left have beets and one celery plant in each.  Green deck box on right (A SWC Conversion project last year) has peas.  Small white pot in front has carrots.  There are 4 window boxes on the floor, which will be planted with Choco Sun Sunflowers.

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IMG_0015.jpg 2009-05-11 Balcony, facing east.  Tomato box ready for 2 plants, herb pot to left, although it ended up tomatoes and basil, and Tom Thumb Lettuce in hanging basket.