Container Garden Week 7

So it has been seven weeks since I started planting. That's about 49days (give or take, not everything was planted on the same day). Which means, harvest time is coming for a few things soon, and already here for a few things as well.

Everything is growing amazingly well. I didn't know what to expect when I started out doing this, but so far it's more then I thought!

So here's the updates...

Here are my herbs and Batch 3 potatoes. The basil is doing great, which is good because I'm learning it can actually be a tricky herb to grow. My cilantro seeds have sprouted, maybe I'll get some more this season. Chives are a-thriving. And Batch 3 potatoes are nice little bushes. I'm done topping up all three batches, so now I just get to watch them grow. I used a bunch of different things to top up with, starting with a peat/container mix mixture, but that was $$$. Then I tried a 3in1 mix, but again, $$. Then I went to straight compost. Cost effective, but I was a tad worried it was too heavy. So then I just used a topsoil. I fertilize them once a week anyways, so hopefully topsoil will be enough. I had no idea the containers would take so much to fill up!! Next year I will have to preplan everything, and buy in bulk.



Next up are my tomatoes. My wonderful tomatoes! They are all flowering and huge. And both my Champion's (a cherry variety) have little green ones. I hope we get lots, cherry tomatoes are a favorite food in our house.




And here is my spinach. All my spinach. The prolific spinach. So much spinach! It's awesome. It's been starting to bolt a bit, I've been pinching. So time to harvest harvest harvest before it's too hot and it's done. Please share your favorite spinach recipes, spinach salad gets a little boring.



Leaf lettuce. I haven't actually had any yet, but it's ready! And I have to start harvesting it soon, Calgary will start to get it's hot weather soon.



Here is the zucchini. Interesting to note, these four plants came from one 4pack. They were all the same size when planted. The two on the left get a little less sun then the two on the right due to the shadow of the shed. And you can tell! The two on the right are bigger, and both are starting to flower/fruit. The other two are healthy and growing, but they are definitely behind. All because of a difference of maybe an hour or two of sun a day. But the two on the right are each growing a little zucchini!




My carrots are growing fast. In fact I can't even thin anymore, there is just too much foliage to dig through. So I don't know if they'll harvest well. But I love the carrot tops now! And next year, on a tip from my mom, it's seed tape all the way for the carrots and the beets!



My potatoes are HUGE! Batch 1 you can no longer even see the containers underneath. The bag is pretty much rolled all the way up. Batch 2 is not far behind. Emily happily took a picture to give you some scale as to how large these plants are now. Unbelievable! I hope there are a ton of yummy potatoes soon. Being in containers, and possibly planted too close together, I think I will harvest a little early and enjoy 'baby potatoes' instead of waiting for the full sized ones. They're norland variety, so that may be in the next few weeks I can do that. I can't remember, so I have to go a-googling'.



The peas are looking good. One or two flowers are starting to appear. Can't wait to start snacking!



And we have strawberries! They started as little green ones, and now they're starting to ripen a bit. We have quite a few wildlife pests in our neighborhood including squirrels, rabbits and birds, so I just hope we get to enjoy a few!



My beets are looking good. There's never too much to report on them. I just hope they're growing under that dirt!



And last are my peppers. These I bought just a few weeks ago, but they are also starting to flower. If everything goes well, I will have some hot ones for salsa, and some sweet ones for snacking. I've never had success with sweet ones, so fingers crossed!



That's it for the veggies! Now for the flowers. Again, it was fun at first to watch the seeds sprout and grow, but I really want more colour by now. Next year I will either start the seeds indoors early, or just buy annuals.

The sunflowers and marigolds are slowly but surely growing.



The scarlett runner beans are getting huge! Can't wait for the flowers, I think it will be quite the show.



The cosmos are doing great and are quite tall. The foliage looks nice, but again, I want the flowers!



And my sweetpeas are climbing, can't wait until they flower and we smell them everytime we go in/out of our house.



And I bought and planted a few snapdragon plants a couple weeks ago to replace the seeds that never sprouted (seriously, not one!). And I'm about to get some blooms!



So I am still loving this whole 'gardening thing'. I love seeing the changes every day, the anticipation of the next stage. And hopefully soon eating the bounty. And using containers has been awesome. When we finally move to our own house, I will be building raised beds, but using a lot of the stuff I'm learning now! And the potatoes may always be in containers!

Oh, and Happy Stampede to all my fellow Calgarians. We will be staying as far away from the brewhaha as possible, but I hope those who do enjoy the festivities have a great time! Yahoo everybody!