Garden Update 01

It's been about a month since I last showed you my garden.  An update was requested, so here you go!  One of the garlic plants didn't make it, but the other seems to be doing well so far.  I've moved some things around as the plants have been getting bigger.  All four of the rail planters are full now.

I had my doubts the eggplant would do anything, especially since Felix kept eating it, but when I took photos of it today I found a bunch of flower buds.  I can't believe it.  The tomatoes are another thing beating my expectations.  There's a bigger balcony over ours, so I think at most we get 6 hours of direct sunlight.  Tomatoes like a lot of sun, so I was worried they wouldn't do well.  Those things are exploding right now.  I can't wait to taste the first batch!

The strawberries have had some hiccups, probably in large part because I didn't realize I shouldn't let them produce at first.  The one plant of the three that came from the nursery with blossoms already managed to make a little batch of strawberries, but they were smaller than marbles.  Not even the shooter size, just regular small ones would be bigger.  Those went straight into the trash.  The second crop is attempting to come in now, and maybe that one will work.  I still only have one plant even trying, but I'm not too worried about it after reading that strawberries do best in their second and third years.

After the success I had with hot peppers in Santa Barbara with only evening sun through my bedroom window, I figured I'd do well with those.  The plants are getting massive, and they each have at least 15 flower buds so far.  Within the next week or two they should start making their first actual peppers since a couple of the flowers are open.  The Hot Thai Pepper, which is more bushy than the others, is already making fruit.  You should be able to make it out in the photo.

Except for the garlic, everything seems to be surviving.  Even thriving.  We've been putting the oregano and basil into our food, especially homemade pizzas.  With our CSA shares coming in we're getting a lot of salad makings right now, so the tomatoes will be very welcome.  We have no idea what we're going to do with all those peppers...  I don't even care really.  Gardening is like sustenance for my soul.

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