Thought I'd give you a quick update on the status of my little deck container garden. As you can see, the cherry tomato plant is thriving & quite prolific with fruits. I've had at least 2 ripe daily for the last week or so, so we've been getting creative coming up with recipes to incorporate them along with our fresh herbs.
My flowers are blooming strong as well- the Marigolds are doing their insect repellant job (or so I think) and I've cut back my Phlox each time the blooms wither & more grow in. It's a nice pop of color next to all of the green.
The favorite herb hands down is our basil- we use it sometimes daily. I've grown accustomed to making a caprese salad several times a week, and the only pizza we eat is margarita. I've already said this, but I'll say it again- I plan to pot about 3-5 plants next year to try and make pesto from our own plants. I've been buying bundles at the farmer's market to make pesto to freeze, but it would be cooler to say it's from our own basil, no?
It's also been nice to get the occasional jalepeno. Next year I might plant a couple of these in a bigger pot also to see if I can't grow enough to make salsa to can.
Spot the cute little critter in there? It's nice to see a bit of nature that I don't usually get to see in the city out there. I found this little guy one day while tending to my poor Dahlia, which has since completely died along with my cilantro. I heard cilantro dies after it seeds, so you should trim the flowers. I did pretty good keeping up with this for a while, but then over vacation I just let it go. Next year I plan to plant mint instead as that's one herb I find myself missing this year! As for the Dahlia, I think I over watered it and it got root rot. Lesson learned!
Question- For those of you that have gardens out there, what have been your favorite plants this season?
17 comments:
Your garden looks awesome! We had a garden last summer and I loved using the basil and mint and the zucchinni the most. It kind of sucks we moved at the wrong time, where we were too late to start a garden at our new home. Nice thing is we are building up compost to get the soil ready for next year. I look forward to it!
Your tomatoes look SO good! I wish we would have planted some!
Making your own pesto and salsa sounds like fun!
A ripe tomato is always a joy! We've been enjoying our tomatoes, too. So glad your garden grew!
Great to see your plants thriving. We haven't had a lot of sun this year, therefore our tomato plant looks pretty sad compared to yours!
You're plants look great. I love your pots, they are so colorful. I am also loving my tomatoes, they are so good fresh. And nothing beats fresh basil. Mmmmmm.
Try putting the pepper plants in a large pot next year, you should get plenty of peppers from one plant. Most years we have to freeze dozens of them. And as for the basil; prune, prune, prune. The more you prune, the larger the plant. I know it sound crazy, but it works.
It is really difficult to get things to grow right now in this part of Texas. Seeing your tomatoes and the plants made me yell out--what a great thing you have going on right now.
Happy Gardening!
Your garden looks amazing!! I'm so envious! I can never seem to keep anything alive. It took me a few to find that little praying mantis! So cute and sneaky!
Your plants look great! I'm glad that so many of them have done well this year. That would be amazing to make pesto from your own basil.
I admire anyone with a green thumb...I just can't seem to remember to water plants, so they always die on me. Small wonder! Your flower pot garden is such a great idea!
Beautiful!! Those tomatoes are gorgeous! And I LOVE those purple pots!!!
great looking veges and flowers. Our yard and surroundings have mostly died, it's so dry around here. We are turning into the desert! {:-D
I was more excited about your preying mantis than the flowers! ;) well, that's just me, I guess.
I have a hard time with cilantro. It seeds too quickly and I don't watch it close enough to prevent it from getting icky.
Good garden!
I'm so jealous of your green thumb! I can't grow anything to save my life! I will say though that there is nothing like going to your garden and eating a cherry tomato right off the vine!
What a beautiful and tasty garden!
I've been trying to keep some succulents alive this year :).
hmm, I'm jealous, because I never have luck with basil. Somehow I never figure out how to give it the right amount of water.
My patio plants have not done as well this season, since our summer started off so cool. That made the tomatoes late, and I am just now getting some. I guess my fave this year has to be my basil--new this year!
Your garden in pots looks great! It is so nice to be able to eat food you grow yourself. Your cilantro will come back after it goes to seed. Mine went to seed in June and it is already started to grow again. Enjoy your garden.
Valerie
Everyday Inspired
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