Growing Garden!!

The warm May weather has really helped the container vegetables to grow! I had to take the plants indoors on only one night when the temperature was 4 degrees centigrade.  I used the cell phone camera to photograph the plants (not the best resolution).

Cucumber growing fast, with green bean on the trellis and flower seedlings compatible with the vegetables 

Brief Warm Weather....

For the last few days the temperature in Toronto has been over 15 degrees centigrade. On the weekend, I moved the cucumber outdoors briefly to allow the plant to acclimatize. Today, it snowed heavily..what a sudden change! It's Canada after all, eh! Temperatures should rise by the end of the week and I will then be able to take the plants outside briefly.

It’s important to watch the weather because some plants do very poorly in the cold, and many seedlings won’t be able to survive a frost. Once the warmer weather is here to stay (looking like mid-May), my plants should be able to live permanently on the balcony!

Strawberry planter lined with burlap and filled with potting soil; ready for the strawberry seedlings

Container-Loving Tomato Seedlings

As the container is made up of coconut husk fibre and study metal frame (found it at a liquidation store), I layered its interior with burlap to better support the soil. Potting mix and composted sheep manure were mixed together and poured on the planter. So far the tomatoes are thriving…the third tomato on the container will be transplanted to another pot as I prefer only two on the container.

I chose"Tumbling Tom" tomatoes for their bright red and yellow cherry-like tomatoes that are suitable for planting in a hanging basket or planters. The tomato seedlings had grown so much that I had little choice, but to transplant them to their planter indoors. As soon as the temperature outside was conducive, I took the tomatoes out and tied the frame to the neighbor's balcony rail for support (he was ok with that after I asked). 

Reuse: Wine Box Planter

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle..the mantra of eco-conscious people everywhere. I intended my balcony garden to be eco-efficient by using local resources. I visited a local liquor store to inquire on wine boxes. My husband assisted me to paint the box with linseed oil, to make it water-proof. Be warned, it has a very strong smell and needs to be used outdoors! The linseed oil smells like a skunk that has just moved into your house and will not leave. Users beware!

The wooden crate was treated to two coats of linseed oil and left 3 days out to dry. My hubby drilled holes at the bottom of the box 1” - 2” apart and laid out a piece of burlap on the container bottom to contain the soil. I then filled the box with a mixture (1:1) of potting soil and composted sheep manure (advised that it's great for the plants) and planted the Mesclun salad mix that had been sprouting in my re-used Swiss Chalet restaurant container (I love re-using containers...does good for our environment!). I left some space on the box to grow spinach.

Low Bush Blueberries

Did you know that Nova Scotia is the wild blueberry capital of Canada? I love blueberries especially on smoothies, muffins and yogurt! It’s a very healthy treat and packed with antioxidants. I read about the berries online and found out that low bush blueberries can be planted on containers. However, they require acidic soil; so the acidic potting mix suited to flowers like azaleas and camellias and large containers.  It also takes a few years to get a bumper harvest. I’m still deliberating whether to plant a blueberry plant with the limited space on my balcony. Strawberries are definitely an option as I am planning to have them grow in a hanging planter.

Photo Credit; Wikipedia

Rosemary...Patience, Patience!!

Have you ever walked to a local garden centre or local grocer and admired the thriving bushy rosemary plants? I know I have! I set out on an ambitious project to grow rosemary from seed. The seeds were planted early March (total of 6 seeds). However, only 3 sprouted!! The seedlings grow very slowly…so patience is a virtue here :) I found this cute watering can planter at the local thrift store for only $2. See the tiny rosemary growing in there? I will keep you posted on its progress.

Thrift store planter with tiny rosemary seedlings

Planting Calendar...No Guessing Again

Following a planting calendar is very important to ensure that the plants are ready for the outdoors after frost. My husband (hail king of the spreadsheets) and I created an Ms. Excel document with details of the planting season as instructed by the seed packages. The You Grow Girl blog has a very insightful planting calendar for starting seeds! 

Collection of containers used to grow the seedlings: those tall green stalks are green onions i tried to regrow!

I started planting the seeds in late February/early March. Some of the older seeds I had from many years ago had expired but I tried to grow them anyways. Behold, the expired cucumber seeds sprouted and grew so fast that I had to give away the extra seedlings to family and friends! Currently, I have young seedlings (carrots, kale, salad mix, green onions, cilantro, thyme, rosemary, tomatoes, mini sweet bell peppers).

Cucumber seedlings grew so fast!

Going Vertical with Shelving

In my urban gardening journey, I have been inspired by the many small garden blogs and websites that recommend vertical gardening. I did a lot of reading over at http://www.apartmenttherapy.com under their ‘gardening without a garden’ section, and discovered some some really useful tips!

I  researched small shelving and found a unit on clearance at IKEA (Galvanized Hyllis Shelving Unit) $15; definitely a deal! As it is galvanized, it’s suitable for non-acidic plants due to its highly reactive surface with acid. Tomatoes are a no-no! 

Vertical Shelf from IKEA Canada

My balcony measures 57” (145cm) by 79” (200cm). Since I have a bistro set that I want to use, space conservation is very important! Going vertical lets me get the most out of a small space both in terms of aesthetic as well as production.

This IKEA bistro set is similar to the one on our balcony.It's foldable so it can be moved or stored in the winter

Unique Thrify Container Finds

For a container garden, a variety of containers is a necessity; plants come in every shapes and size and need different sized containers to accommodate their unique growing needs. Tomatoes, cucumbers and beans would require larger containers. Small herbs like basil and cilantro can do with smaller sizes. I visited the dollar tore for price-friendly clay pots and bamboo trellis and the neighborhood thrift store for unique planting containers.

For an antique touch to the garden, a Canadian liquor store, had vintage wine crates to give away. My thoughtful husband helped me to coat the wooden crate with linseed oil (natural wood sealant) and drill holes in the crate bottom for drainage (very important!). Linseed oil has a very strong smell that lingers forever! Make sure to use it outdoors and let the wooden containers dry completely (a day or two) before bringing it indoors. I also found at my local thrift store, a small wooden wine storage rack that would hold the containers and provide shelter to shade loving vegetables.

Unique thrift store finds: miniature containers for growing herbs

Wooden wine crate treated with linseed oil. 

Getting Started...Plan and Strategize

First, I researched flowers, fruits and vegetables that are suitable for container gardening. Most herbs (rosemary, thyme, oregano, cilantro, parsley, sage) grow well in full sun/partial shade.  I was interested in planting kale, carrots, cucumber, Mesclun salad mix, green onions, and small tomatoes (Tumbling Toms) etc. They require containers of various sizes depending on their root system. I purchased seeds from local hardware store and gardening centre in February of 2014 and started sowing the seeds in March 2014, according to the sowing start date instruction on the packets.

I will be investing in purchasing seeds sourced from the community in the next growing season. The Toronto Community Gardening Network (http://www.tcgn.ca/wiki/wiki.php) provides the dates for buying, selling and trading heirloom and open pollinated seeds in Toronto, Canada.