My Plant's New Home

This week was the first time this fall the temperatures were forecasted to dip into the 30's. That meant, of course, that my plants needed to migrate to their winter home, just as retirees fly to Florida for the winter. I have accumulated some plants, you'll notice, from the last migration. See here for the comparison.

Summer home - plant bench I built with Dad.

All ready to be filled.

Florida - plant style.

Early Summer "Garden"

Dad dug up a volunteer tomato plant from the vegetable garden for Isma and I. So far, it has given us a grand total of 2 ripe red cherry tomatoes. Whoohoo! There are many green ones, though, now.

I received this chair for Christmas one year, but it is now loved but much past repairs. Dad fixed it twice, and now it can rest in peace and help my herbs get much needed sun. Dad and I made a table for the plants in late July to supplement the chair; I'll post pictures later.

Outside Garden

...leads to outside problems.

My green villain.

I don't know where they come from, but they keep eating the arugula. That's for Isma and I to eat. :(

Second Month of Herbs

Each time I walk into the den, the juxtaposition between the snowy and gray outdoors and the green warmth of our small herbs strikes me. After two months of growing, I post these pictures to celebrate successes. To be totally truthful about my plant-growing-skills, I have cropped out the dead plants and empty spaces that are daily reminders of all of the seedlings I have sent to "a better place."

Tangled mess of leggy parsley.

Perhaps the parsley will become a hanging plant.

I hope to use the arugula in salad soon!

My three remaining cilantro seedlings.

Close-up of basil. "Real leaves" are finally unfurling.

After Much Waiting

After what seemed an infinite span of weeks, all of the pots had sprouts. Much to my chagrin, my novice herb growing skills didn't prevent most of my cilantro and some of parsley seedlings to die from root decay. Being too loving to plants does not pay off.

Herbs A'Blooming

Small Sprouts

First Signs of Life. Arugula sprouts poking through the earth paint a smile on my face.

Our Garden

I love gardens. Fresh peas, lettuce, zucchini, green beans, and cherry tomatoes. The smell of moist dirt. I even appreciate the cherry tomatoes, if only for their color. Food just seems to taste better from ones own garden, even if it is only psychological. A couple months ago, Isma and I went out with a friend to start our very own herb garden sans yard. We bought some metal shelves, two aquarium lights with grow bulbs (the light spectrum plants need to grow), and ordered seeds online. A few weeks later, after a quick trip over to Mom and Dad's to borrow a spade and dirt, we brought our babies home. I was so eager to watch them grow!

Click on the picture to see more photos of our indoor garden.