Tomatoes, thyme, bell peppers
On 25 March I sowed some tomato and bell pepper seeds. It was time to put the tomato seedlings in a bigger pot as the roots were popping out of the airpots.
Now the tomato seedlings are transplanted along with my propagated thyme plants (which I shared in a previous post).
The bell peppers are looking great. They will also be ready for transplanting soon.
These plants are still enjoying the warmth of my kitchen as it is still too cold outside for these tropical plants.
Strawberries and more Strawberries
I planted 16 garden center bought strawberries seedlings. They are looking good and I am not the only one noticing. My kids assist in the garden specifically to watch the miraculous transformation - from flowers to buds, to baby green strawberries. Now it is highly likely I will have ripened strawberries very soon. Look at these which are beginning to show that familiar red color.
I decided to add some more strawberry plants and might have gone a bit overboard. I bought 20 plants from a strawberry grower. Was I a bit over-enthusiastic?
After opening the box, I was doubting whether I made the right decision. Why? The roots looked so fragile - they hardly looked like strawberry plants. Do you see what I mean?
However, I have faith in Mother Nature.
The reason I bought from a strawberry grower is because I could choose plants which will provide fruit all summer long and until the first fall frost. This will give us a longer period of enjoying strawberry goodness.
There are numerous types of strawberries but I bought these 4 types. The harvest times are as follows:
- Verdi - middle of June
- Korona - middle of June
- Malwina - end of June to the beginning of July
- Ostara - July to September
Soon enough, I realised that I did not have the best pots for my new “strawberry roots”; so I needed to plant them temporarily in grow bags.
I ordered pots from the strawberry grower but they did not fit on my balcony rail. It seemed like my dream of unlimited strawberries was not mean to be. Delete that thought however - I persevered and found these pots which hang perfectly over the balcony. Now my plants have a permanent home.
Here are a few important tips for growing strawberries in pots.
- The plants should receive a minimum of 6 hours of sunlight per day.
- The potting soil should contain sufficient organic matter for the plant to thrive.
- The pots should have adequate drainage. Strawberries plants like moisture but not standing water.
As time progresses, I will share more photos.
Although I live in the city - growing organic plants in organic soil is still better than any store bought pesticide ladened version. I am looking forward to my first harvest!!!
🥬 🥕 🍅 🍓 🍊 🍎 🥗 🥦 🥬 🥕 🍅 🍓 🍊 🍎 🥗 🥦 🥬 🥕 🍅 🍓 🍊 🍎
Here is a photo of “Healthy, Happy, Green” garden today. I will share periodically.
