The Little Balcony: January 2013

Thursday 10 January 2013

Harvested Cabbage from 2012

I've just been looking through my blog which I must say I have neglected over the last few months, due to my move and I've come across a few blogs I'd started, this being one.

Last year I grew my first ever batch of Cabbage and I'm happy to say that they turned out very well. I was a little reluctant as I did loose quiet a few in the first few months, but during the summer they came on leaps and bounds and I got four great heads of Cabbage to show for it.

These have since been chopped up, blanched and put in the freezer for when I need them. So far I've made Cabbage and leftover vegetable soup with one batch.

Photo: Laura Lunt Date: 2012

The Little Balcony 2013

As you all may know, late last year, around October time, The Little Balcony was dismantled and taken apart, due to our recent move and since then, and luckily for me, there wasn't really much I could do anyway in the way of gardening, as winter was also setting in for the year.

The new year has now come around and normally around this time of the year I'd start prepping for this year growing session, which I really enjoy doing, I can't normally wait to get all the seeds out and starting planning where I should grow things, but due to my lack of garden or balcony, I'm unable to do this and I'm feeling a little lost.

There is a new move on the horizon and hopefully this will mean a new garden, yes an actual garden, which I can't wait to start digging up and growing fruit and vegetables in. Look out for the updates.

Readers Feedback

@little_balcony check out our garden in Jersey City, NJ.. Toms, cucumbers, peppers... yfrog.com/klv1ywtj

BlueFishBaker - Via Twitter (Sept 2011)

'@little_balcony awww strawberries! yum!'

fred_mckenzie - Via Twitter (July 2011)

'@little_balcony time to start feeding then...'

PopupGardener - Via Twitter (July 2011)

'Awesome blog, LL. I just started a balcony garden myself! I'm def trying some of this stuff out.'

BlueFishBaker - Via Twitter (July 2011)

'I think u should come to mine a plant stuff in and look after my garden loving ur little balcony garden'

L. Shepherd - Via Facebook (July 2011)

Daily Garden Tips

Tip One: Use soapy water in a spray bottle to kill greenfly on fruit and vegetables, use 5-6 drops in a 500ml bottle, mix together and spray.

Tip Two: Natural Insect Repellent on your plants, mash several garlic cloves into paste, and then mix the paste slowly into a gallon of water. Let your water season for half a day, strain the garlic pieces out, and then spray your plants for a natural insect deterrent.

Tip Three: Control Slugs by creating a Slug beer trap. All you need is a saucer of beer and then place this around the plants so they can't get to them.

Tip Four: Old ice lolly sticks are perfect for labelling plants, just eat the lolly first.

Tip Five: Hang old CDs amoung crops and from fruit trees to scare away birds

Tip Six: All plants should be well watered during the summer months. Watering is best done in the evening or early morning, using recycled water whenever possible and may be required at least twice a day during very hot days.

Tip Seven: Chili Plants should be watered very little and fed once every two weeks with a little tomato feed. A little help with pollination may also be needed, use a small paint brush to tickle the inside of the flowers or place outside during the day.

Tip Eight: To help encourage tomotoes to ripen and to give them a little bit of sweetness, add a teaspoon of sugar to feed.

Tip Nine: Use old egg / fruit cartons or toilet rolls as seed trays. Once planted out they will decompost in a few weeks, leaving less waste.

Tip Ten: For shaded plants that need a little extra sun, cover some cardboard with aluminium foil, to create a light reflector.