The vegetable challenge
EAT YOUR VEGETABLES: Maryann James posts on vegetable gardening every Tuesday.
My vegetable garden is boring me. They're all just sitting there, quietly growing. My basil -- which releases a heady scent every time I inadvertently brush its leaves -- is outpacing the tomato plant in its container. The parsley is holding its own in my other pot, but neither of my tomato plants have shown one hint of a flower.
And speaking of flowers, none of my flowers have flowered yet either. I'm ready to start a stare-down, me vs. plants.
They're all seemingly waiting for the word from God to start splashing color on my balcony. It's nearly July, and I'm worried.
If you couldn't tell, patience is not my strong suit.
Since I'm a container planter, I have few weeds to keep my attention. And being up on the 7th floor, I also have little by way of pests, except for this one ...
... who keeps trying to eat the visitors to my garden, some sweet pea and other plants that I'm babysitting for a friend.
So, in an effort to beat the boredom, I'm going to issue a challenge: To all you wanna-be vegetable gardeners, clinging to your begonias or even your lonely houseplant, it's time to plant. Last week, I gave you a list of not-too-late-to-plant, er, plants. Now let's get going!
I will photograph my start on cucumbers (I'm going to be a daredevil and try again) and ... another plant ... and share them with you next Tuesday. What should my second veggie be? What will you plant?
Comments
Green beans! I just planted seeds on Saturday and they're already bursting through the surface.
Posted by: Jason Moore | June 16, 2009 9:57 AM
Up there on the 7th floor, do you have insects or birds that will polinate for you? Hmmph. As I re-think that, you should still get flowers but they might not become anything without pollination?
My tomatoes, planted in actual ground, are barely flowering. I suspect the rain. On the other hand, it really is only mid-June and this lack of patience on gardeners' part maybe be the reason for the existence of Early Girl.......
Posted by: Eve | June 16, 2009 11:01 AM
Jason, green beans are a great idea! I hadn't thought of those.
Eve, it's good to talk to you again, post-BaltAmour. :) As for pollination, my tomato plant did well last year -- we have plenty of birds and a few flying insects that get up to my balcony. But fewer creepy crawlies to muck things up.
You give me hope on the tomato front, though. We've had a cool, wet beginning to summer. Maybe things will change once we get some consistent sun.
Posted by: maryann | June 16, 2009 11:50 AM
I planted seedlings to start (serrano and jalapeno peppers, tomatoes, oregano, parsley and black beans), but managed to kill them in the hardening process, with the exception of the serranos. Had to purchase more tomatoes from Baltimore Contained, which are also not flowering yet. I have been willing all my foodstuffs to start growing as my hosta is developing flowers!
PS, also container gardening
Posted by: vurtyou | June 16, 2009 12:43 PM
Spinach, and maybe arugula; while I was in Ann Arbor this past weekend, a friend said he replants them from seed all summer to maintain a constant supply. I'm hoping they'll do well in my sunny balcony container garden...
Posted by: MarkT | June 16, 2009 12:46 PM
virtyou, hardening off can be difficult. My coddling is probably the only reason my tomatoes survived the process; everything else I started inside was so lackluster that I simply sowed all my other seeds directly in my containers. Keep me posted on the tomatoes. Perhaps we'll start flower watch around here! :)
MarkT, I was considering spinach, too. I'm already growing arugula and a spring mix, but I haven't been so excited about them. Let me know how your arugula and spinach work out!
Posted by: maryann | June 16, 2009 12:57 PM
I just put in my onions (bulbs), Arugula and Romaine seeds (the squirrels got to half of them already), two grown tomato plants, a cucumber plant, a zucchini plant, an eggplant plant, provence lavender, four marigolds, a straightneck squash, and a bell pepper. I'm blogging the whole way through my first foray into urban organic gardening - let's hope it is a comedy and not a drama. :-)
Thanks for the inspiration!
-Kate
http://mtpleasantgarden.wordpress.com/
Posted by: Kate | June 17, 2009 1:18 PM
Kate, I'm curious how your onions turn out! I briefly considered planting garlic and got scared away.
I'm sure your foray in organic gardening will go great! I'll have to stop by your blog and check it out. :)
Posted by: maryann | June 17, 2009 2:22 PM
Hey guys,
this is only my 2nd year into gardening. Last year I had so many tomatoes, cukes, cilantro, mint and a few okra. This year I was much more adventurous and planted peas, green beans, cukes, tomatoes, basil, habanero peppers and oregano that bloomed from last year. Anyway, I am so excited, but I found that the rabbits and squirrels are eating away at my veggies!! I am so bummed out! Any ides how to get rid of the critters? (in a humane way of course)
Posted by: Fatima | June 17, 2009 5:09 PM
Hey guys,
this is only my 2nd year into gardening. Last year I had so many tomatoes, cukes, cilantro, mint and a few okra. This year I was much more adventurous and planted peas, green beans, cukes, tomatoes, basil, habanero peppers and oregano that bloomed from last year. Anyway, I am so excited, but I found that the rabbits and squirrels are eating away at my veggies!! I am so bummed out! any ides how to get rid of the critters? (in a humane way of course)
Posted by: Fatima | June 17, 2009 5:10 PM