gardeners

OceanCityGirl · Post by **OceanCityGirl** » March 22, 2007 4:30 pm

Who will putting in some veggies and herbs? I have a tiny balcony and am always looking for creative ways to put in a couple tomatoes, hot peppers and herbs. The herbs are easy. Tomatoes are the tough part. I'm a middle floor so I have vertical rails to train things up. Also railings to hang baskets on. Any tips?

OttoCal · Post by **OttoCal** » March 22, 2007 4:33 pm

Hi there, I usually plant some tomatoes in the ground, but I typically do a few in pots. I get the tomato cages, and they seem to like that, then you don't have to stake them up. I think cherry or grape tomatoes might like a patio. And basil is a good herb to put in the bottom of your tomato pot, they like to grow next to each other.

bravedave · Post by **bravedave** » March 22, 2007 4:59 pm

OttoCal wrote:Hi there, I usually plant some tomatoes in the ground, but I typically do a few in pots. I get the tomato cages, and they seem to like that, then you don't have to stake them up. I think cherry or grape tomatoes might like a patio. And basil is a good herb to put in the bottom of your tomato pot, they like to grow next to each other.

+1

OceanCityGirl · Post by **OceanCityGirl** » March 22, 2007 5:02 pm

I always buy tons of basil. Then I make pesto. Yum.

TropicalTroubador · Post by **TropicalTroubador** » March 22, 2007 5:12 pm

If you have room, get one of those 15-gallon pots at the nursery. That will give you enough root space for tomatoes; you'll probably still have to fertilize partway through the season.

I've grown things like carrots and lettuce on a balcony in years past. Bought a house just so I'd have a place to garden.

Good luck!

johnson2113 · Post by **johnson2113** » March 22, 2007 7:10 pm

I keep seeing these tomatoes advertised on TV for indoor growing that don't look too bad. My dad will usually plant 40 regular and roma plants.

NotJust64 · Post by **NotJust64** » March 22, 2007 9:18 pm

If you can hang plants, I have hung cherry tomatoes and they look really cool. There are also places on web to get tomato plant containers that grow without dirt and upside down. Great for apartments.

carey24 · Post by **carey24** » March 23, 2007 11:56 am

tomatoes in the ground, basil in the ground and in pots, parsley in pots, rosemary, thyme, oregano, and mint (for mojitos!!)

but when i lived in an apartment i did tomatoes in pots...they grew really really tall but not much fruit.

MA_Buffett_Fan23 · Post by **MA_Buffett_Fan23** » March 23, 2007 11:59 am

OceanCityGirl wrote:I always buy tons of basil. Then I make pesto. Yum.

Mmmmmm, how do you make Pesto?! Great question by the way.. I also have a balcony and was wondering the same thing!

OttoCal · Post by **OttoCal** » March 23, 2007 12:13 pm

MA_Buffett_Fan23 wrote:
OceanCityGirl wrote:I always buy tons of basil. Then I make pesto. Yum.
Mmmmmm, how do you make Pesto?! Great question by the way.. I also have a balcony and was wondering the same thing!

Mmmm, I love pesto.
Tons of basil, whir in the food processor w/ good parmesan cheese, garlic & pine nuts, plus salt & pepper. Add a bunch of olive oil.

Put fresh pesto on cooked pasta, the hot pasta is enough heat to warm up the pesto. Save leftovers in the fridge for a few days, with a layer of oil on top and freeze any excessive leftovers.

I make it all summer, and eyeball the amounts, but go ahead and google a recipe to try and then adjust to your own tastes- more or less garlic, etc.

Don't bother trying to use walnuts instead of pine nuts, I think it is yucky!

Mon · Post by **Mon** » March 23, 2007 1:49 pm

We always grow our tomatoes in containers on our patio and get lots of them to enjoy all summer long. Good luck!

OceanCityGirl · Post by **OceanCityGirl** » March 23, 2007 2:18 pm

that would be my basic pesto recipe, but I do like it with walnuts sometimes. If you know you are planning on freezing it, don't add the cheese. Just do everything else and put the cheese in when you thaw it. It makes it grainy otherwise.
I like growing basil because I pinch off bunches of it all season and use it fresh and put up pesto. Then when the summer is over I bring it inside and try to make it last a bit longer.
NJ64 I love that planter. I'm going to have to find something like that. Also I keep seeing these hanging planters on cheesy infomercials, with gel soil. I would like to try these as I could put them on my balcony trellis areas.
I do tons of herbs. I get several flat round planters and put in oregano, rosemary, thyme, sage, etc. There are so many different kinds now. Sometimes I order seeds online and start them that way. Alot of my herbs come up the next year.

Ceol na Mara · Post by **Ceol na Mara** » March 24, 2007 1:35 am

This year I am going to try this.
http://www.earthbox.com/

That upside down thingy looks interesting, too.

We used to have a really big garden every year, with lots of tomato plants, cukes, peppers, eggplant, zucchini, radishes and sometimes lettuce and carrots. The past few years, by the time we have time and energy to start the garden, it's the middle of July! And I always feel bad, dreaming especially about the taste of home-grown tomatoes. With bacon and mayonnaise. Mmmmmmm!!!! So when I saw this "garden in a box" at Whole Foods, I figured I'll try it!

Ceol na Mara · Post by **Ceol na Mara** » March 24, 2007 1:57 am

Here are some links to those upside down tomato planters:

http://www.hammacher.com/publish/67403. ... =281278341
http://www.minifarmhomestead.com/gardening/tomato.htm

http://www.seedsofknowledge.com/tomato2.html

http://www.thetuscanhousewife.com/in_th ... o_planter/

http://shop.horticultureguy.com/index.p ... tem&id=480

http://www.amazon.com/Windowbox-com-Top ... B0001WYNP0

http://www.gardendecorgalore.com/page/881266

OceanCityGirl · Post by **OceanCityGirl** » March 24, 2007 9:31 am

the upside down bag planters seem to be what i'm looking for. You can even put cukes in them. I'm especially interested in the home-made versions of them.