Quite Contrary . . .

Two words that definitely describe our balcony garden.

Plant update:
Spinach - nill. The last plant to survive the mouse attack died, from something, maybe asphyxiation.
Celery - These blasted plants wont stop growing - they need like a foot of room each and I don't have it - I've been trying to give them more room - but there are only so many containers I can squeeze onto a balcony. I've taken to carrying them two by two to one of my friend's house who has a yard and can hopefully give them a happy hope in the great outdoors - Maybe though I'll talk to the door keeper and see if they will let me invade the flower patch that they tend out side the front door - How will I explain celery to them??
Also - Celery does sprout and even root if you keep the stalks in water and then move it to dirt - unfortunately it also go to seed - so my brilliant plant to grow extra celery won't work - the celery from seed is the best way to go.
Cilantro - Well fortunately, I didn't plant the whole packet of cilantro, and 6 little weak sprouts have sprouted. They seem rather decimated, but the leaves appear to look like celery - and since celery is the only thing that grows on the balcony - I have hope.
Tomatoes - two plants are growing - and I think they even have buds forming. They had been growing in two liter bottles - but I finally transplanted them into slightly bigger containers - Only slightly - like I said there are only so many containers you can squeeze onto a balcony.
Rhubarb - I have two sweet little rhubarb spouts who recovered from the mouse attack and are waiting to be taken out to the Hut and transplanted. I then foresee that they will live happily and sturdily ever after with minimal care. Thank goodness for rhubarb.
2 mystery plants - so I have two cups of dirt that each sprouted green leafy things. I don't know what they are - but my garden has been such a fiasco that I don't want to kill them - maybe one of them is one of the pepper seeds that didn't grow - so for now I am watering them and enjoying the greenery.

Balcony Garden Woes

So here is an update about my Balcony Garden.

Plant tally:

8 Tomatoes planted - 1 sprouted, two replants and a second sprout was added to the mix - total 2 tomatoes.
8 Peppers planted - Null. Zip, zero, not a single pepper made an appearance - even after3 replantings. :-(

Spinach - I had some very happy, small but flamboyant spinach plants - and last night something ATE all of them. I thought balconies were supposed to be safe from pests. To make matters worse - I also saw a little furry bottom and tail scuttle behind the cupboard on the balcony - how does a mouse get up to the 14th story - and why suddenly now in the spring? Do they just sprout out of the woodwork? Was it eating my spinach??

Rhubarb - also not recommended for growing from seed but yet all of my 6 seeds sprouted and prospered - UNTIL the mysterious something ate them. Now I have 2 very sad and be-nibbled rhubarbs trying to grow under a big plastic water bottle I placed over them for their protection.

Half a package of Celery which wasn't supposed to grow . . . . Everything grew. have transplanted 19 little shoots into plastic cups and sawed off soda bottles - but don't know what to do with them. Gave a whole egg crate littered with dense sprouts away and hope they will thrive and live to celery adulthood. Also have 3 store bought celery plants that are in water and are sprouting roots. Celery is not so hard to grow as it seems. The mysterious something obviously doesn't like celery because all 19 seedlings are intact and thriving.

Lettuce - last week I added lettuce to the mix and was thrilled to see some delicate greens poking through the surface - alas - the mysterious something got to them too last night.

Cilantro - so far nothing has sprouted - but until the mysterious something is caught that may be a good thing.