Baker's Rack Style

We have had WEEKS of a cycle of rain, horrible humidity and then extreme heat. I peeked out @ the balcony garden today and was startled to see quite a few wilting leaves on several plants- mostly the tomato plants and the Basil. :( So, I decided that my balcony needs to be carefully arranged in order for each plant to get the amount of sun, heat and water that it needs! 
With that, I arranged a baker's rack (a Goodwill find for $18, re-painted from gold to periwinkle!) to suit a few of the plant's needs. The baker's rack system is great so far! It's so easy to create space with shelves, and it took care of the problem I was having watering, where all my water would pour out of the bottom of my pots and onto the balcony below me (and probably the balcony below them, too! oops!) This way, I can water on the upper shelves and the plants on the shelves below drink up the water that trickles through, minimizing the amount that hits the balcony floor. Perfecto! Here's a quick peek:

If you choose to use a baker's rack system, be sure and check the soil before watering all plants. You don't want to over-water! (Wilting leaves often are a sign of over watering.) Use the finger test - stick your finger 1 inch deep into the soil. If the soil at the tip of your finger feels wet, don't water. If it's dry, water away! In this photo, I had removed some plants that didn't need watering and set them off in the shade while the other's got a drink. 

Here are some facts I put together about the plants I'm growing, to help you (and me!) arrange the baker's rack according to each plant's sun and water needs. 

**Happy growing!**

****HAPPY PLANTING!****

What's growing!

So, with huge support to get this garden guide going, my mom and mother-in-law started me off with snippets & full plants of nearly every vegetable and herb that I was wanting to grow! So here's a little inventory of what I'll be starting out with!  Click the images for a large view, if needed! :)

I am so excited about growing my balcony garden! It will be interesting to begin this learn-as-you-go process. My plants are all still babies, but they will be fruiting in no time! I definitely recommend starting out with herbs in your garden. This may just be the part of me that needs instant satisfaction, but it has so far been nice to be able to step outside and snip some rosemary or basil to cook with while I'm waiting on the other plants to get bigger before they yield anything!

The next step for these guys is new pots! I will be re-vamping some moldy old pots that were given to me. Stay tuned!

From balcony to Garden; the beginning.

You roam about town for farmer's markets.

When you see good produce, you buy it in bulk and freeze some.

You are envious of your friend's yard space, and annoyed that she uses none of that space for gardening. I know the feeling.

After years of shuffling around from apartment to apartment and only dreaming of a yard full of cucumbers and onions, I thought, why can't I just grow stuff on my balcony? Flowers grow in pots, why can't vegetables? So here I am, ready to dive in and transform my 5 x 10 foot balcony into a garden. A real one. I am ready to discover (much by trial and error, and much by suggestions) gardening techniques that require no yard. We'll find the best organic ideas for pest control, fertilizing, and of course, the best deals around for cute planters and alternative ideas for just about everything. (And yes, we'll figure out how you can get around those pesky property rules!) This will be a start to finish endeavor (an amateur one, at that) of the transformation from my boring balcony now: 

to a functional, eclectic balcony garden. 

Check out these beautiful balcony gardens that others have created:

 

 Now keep in mind... I am no pro. In fact, my mom gives me plants from her CSA (shout out to Natural Springs Garden!) in Austin, Texas and then days later calls in to check on them. She often reminds me to water, and then she is there when they aren't doing so well. I have, on more than one occasion, dropped potted plants off to her to "doctor" so that she can return them to me when they are blooming again.

I would like to think that some of her gardening talents have been passed on to me. I plan to turn my thumbs green and utilize all the space I have. If you're interested, please follow along. If you're brave, join the adventure. Feel free to send me your photos and tips to contribute! Together, we will be picking cherry tomatoes and snipping rosemary in no time!