The Confession

Well, have you all been on the edge of your seat, or what?

Now, let me preface all of this by saying- sometimes I learn things the hard way. But I do make it a point to avoid doing a wrong thing twice.

So from this point onward, this post is going to be called

WHAT NOT TO DO WITH YOUR SEEDLINGS
(or, the Shocking Confession of Death & Plantslaughter by Negligence)

Victim #1) The Baby Bok Choi

Now, Bok choi has no place being started inside, despite what the package may say. They grow quickly, and it seems regardless of conditions-literally growing ''like weeds''. In the rush to transfer & "pot up" (adding more soil) the leggy babies elsewhere, quite a few were damaged, beyond the point of recognition..I started to keep track, but the numbers kept going up..I was devastated at my first exposure to murder. I think I have two left...le sigh.

Victim #2) The Hot Peppers & Tiny Toms (co-habitants)
This is when I learned of the dreaded watering from the top syndrome called: (dun dun dun duhn) Dampening off.

I didn't understand why they were still all so tiny, as I was anxious to share them with other gardening fellows. I was starting to feel like a kid with crappy hockey cards to trade. I decided to dig one up, to see what was going on.. only to reveal- it looked like a burnt match stick, right at the soil-line!! A quick jump to the net, and a picture confirmed it- and I had been watering them from above, being a lazy, lazy gardener! Oh, the horror! What folly it was of me to think I could play the role of Mother Nature!

What is dampening off? Basically a fungal infection.

(should any science-y types who may want to correct me please feel free to expound)

Swiftly I deployed all manner of remedies- cinnamon, potting up, and an attempt to keep the soil dry enough to twart the bacteria.... some made it, some didn't.

So, kids, this is what it's all about, really. Learning, and learning from your errors. But this is why I'm posting this- so you can avoid such catastrophes.

Next- adventures in Awnings-make your own balcony shades!

UPDATE!

I'm currently inside flicker posting this! Did ya know you could do this? Well, if you're like me, you didn't and now you know! Generally I'm like George Castanza where I don't like worlds colliding, but hey, it's all related content here.

So this should increase some posting & cut down on my time between the two sites, killing two snails with one rock ( or moving him elsewhere for you gentle folk).

The biggest thing I wanted to post about it the current status of the balcony. Sorry about the wait- I'll come clean..soon.

I dismantled the BBQ, and now have a wonderful plant stand. Most of the seedlings are transferred ( ...aaaand some are still waiting for their promised adoptees to take them home *ahem*).

Ikea seating was purchased, railing curtains, and pots got wired,
Dollar store mop buckets and feed cans aquired.

May direct-sew seedlings were sewn,
And well as new striped drapes,
But I need a body harness,
So I don't fall & break a bone.

..next- gardening confessional!

Weed & graass, man

No, this isn't about what you think it is. Or perhaps it is.

In todays Toronto Star there's a great article to celebrate Earth day (here on the balcony everyday is earth day..!) by Christina De Silva interviewing Evergreen about grasses you can grow on your balcony, and native plants that some call weeds, here

I myself have an urge to grow some grass, or shrubbery, but I never though about wild weeds such as milkweed, a great plant to attract Monarch butterflies- something I would love to do. At present I do get some of those lovely purple finches all the way up here, as I try to keep as much dead stuff with seeds as long as I can just for such visitors.

But imagine butterflies. I've been growing Morning Glories and the bees come for them, but seducing the orange & black darlings almost makes me drool like a spider spinning her web. ( not exactly an ideal analogy, but still theamatic, no?)

Jumping over to Wikipedia, it seems milkweed has quite a history of usage for humans- insulation, rubber, repellent, and of course a cure for warts.

I am also picturing the starry puffs alighting themselves from the balcony, and the possible grumblings from my neighbors about me proliferating weeds & contributing to their allergies- a condition from which I also suffer, but chose to generally ignore unless I am in need of a tissue-*sniff* anyone?

Think I'll just plant those free Black-eyed Susan seeds obtained at Canada Blooms from Acorus Restoration instead- but I may change my mind...

..next post-seedling & balcony redecor updates!