Watermelon:
Tomatillo:
More Peppers:
Daisies (picked these up the day I took the picture and planted them with the geranium I got for free; they are natural pest deterrents!):
Umm... don't remember. But it finally has flowers!
Avocado and pineapple sage:
Soy and Scarlet (?) Beans in my garden's corner:
Black Plum Tomatoes:
First Cucumber (looks like it's been crowned!):
Marjoram (foreground) and flowers:
More tomatillos (once they FINALLY started setting fruit, they really took off!)
Heavenly Garden Approach:
Dianthus:
Ground covers in one of my favorite containers:
Yarrow in full bloom:
Since then, there has been a lot of progress. I now have six watermelons (and, oh my goodness, they are so cute when they are this tiny; the little green stripes show up almost immediately!) and many more cucumbers (and finally lemon cucumbers are on the way!). My very cool beans have their bright red flowers coming out and the hummingbirds love them. Even though they aren't finished opening, the hummingbirds try to wrestle them open with their beaks. Silly things, there is a feeder to the right!
I got some advice a while back about my blueberry not growing (all summer it has just sat there, green but not growing). I asked at the forum I often visit, gardenweb.com, and got a reply from one of the most trusted and knowledgeable gardeners there, Al. He told me to place a wick in the bottom of the pot in one of the drain holes and then elevate the pot, which I immediately did with almost all of my larger pots. I am amazed- the little blueberry has sent off a lot of new shoots and they are all growing wonderfully now. The strawberry pot, which has had more problems than all my other containers combined, is thriving with its black beans and strawberries now, as are my trees. I definitely have to thank him for this and remember it for next year as I start out!
I also have switched potting soils, which I think has been a great help for the plants I have repotted into larger containers, like my oranges and avocadoes. I use Gardener's Gold now, which I found at Western Gardens here in SLC. It's great because it is super rich in nutrients (organic- they use worm castings and other things to boost up fertility) and it is well-draining. Certainly more expensive than the stuff I originally planted in, but so well worth the results and the lack of headaches!
The tomatoes are getting going- there were problems with blossom-end rot with some of them in the beginning, and even though still edible, were quite unsightly. I also have cracks and catfacing on some of the older ones of one variety, but I believe this goes back to when I left the USA for about 5 days and left the watering to friends. Water fluctuations can cause both of these things to occur (as well as lack of calcium for the blossom-end rot). I will remember to add some extra calcium for next year when I plant, perhaps in the form of crushed eggshells for my tomatoes and peppers.
Peppers are doing great, and are the size that I could pick, but I'm waiting for them to turn colors.
So here's the latest pics, hot from the digital camera.
Cucumber curl:
Views from my door, Left to Right:
Another windowbox (with yarrow):
Wildflower box and that plant I can't remember:
This guy:
Beans now:
Their flowers:
Lemongrass:
My favorite box of groundcovers:
Citrus:
Cucumbers spilling over stairs:
Nasturtium:
Cucumber flower madness:
The first cucumber:
The first lemon cucumber:
Little Pink Flowers:
Strawberries blooming again:
My first watermelon (that one I showed earlier!) and some of the others that have come along:
Lettuce:
Burbank Slicing tomatoes:
Yellow Pear tomatoes:
View of flowers:
New blueberry growth:
Oregeno with lavender and sage in the background:
Yet another window box:
Lemon & Lime basil and black beans in strawberry pot:
Strawberries and marigolds:
Nasturtium and wallflower with my downstairs neighbor's deck (just a view)
Another view:
Peach tree (L) with the apple tree (three types on one!) (R):
Mint with watermelon flower:
More pink!
View of garden from stairs looking east:
Overall, for my first year, I think it's been a success. I have learned so much just in the few months I have been doing this that I think next year will have tremendous results comparitively (and more learning opportunities, of course!).
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