Are you a gardener?

[AARPRachelA]

With everything going on, I've decided now would be a great time to start my balcony garden. I live in a city where space is a premium, and have a Juliet balcony. I bought window boxes to put on the balcony railing, but now I'm trying to figure out what I should plant. Does anyone have any advice or ideas? The area gets late afternoon/evening sun. Also, if you have a photo of your garden, I'd love to see it!

I've started regrowing some stuff in a little water garden on a window ledge for the time being too! Right now I have celery, scallions, and I just started the leek! Do you know anything else that can grow in water?

[jb1702]

I didn't know you could grow celery in water!  I drink celery juice almost every day...it would take a lot to grow my own, but I'm game to try a little bit.  Any special trick to it?

[AARPRachelA]

Hi @jb1702! I've learned that you can start it in water. Once you see white skinny roots growing from the bulbous end in the water and green leaves appearing, it's time to plant into a pot with dirt. You can keep it inside on a sunny window ledge, but I honestly have no idea how well it will take. Like all gardening, it's an experiment to figure out what works and what doesn't! 👩‍🔬🌱

[jb1702]

I used to be a gardener, before allergies and chronic migraines put an end to it.  In fact, I even laid a brick patio in my back yard at one point, all by myself!  Now, with the migraines under control (at last!), and in a new house, I am hoping to create a container garden in the narrow side yard that my living room looks out onto.  I am also starting to dabble in miniature gardening.  

[angeleyes64]

I have 1 big garden 2 medium, and 1 small. These are flower gardens, but they are what I love to do, I call them my therapy. 

My husband has a very big vegetable garden. He grows 3 kinds of tomatoes then we make our own spaghetti sauce. Green beans, some of which go in my dog's food per our Vet. to make her feel full. We have asparagus, peppers which I try and stuff, some go in the spaghetti sauce. We have squash and eggplant which I LOVE. We also make eggplant Parmesan and freeze some. We also have pole beans which I love also. 

That's my story about our gardens. 

Happy gardening, and stay safe. 

[Imagine948]

What's the trick to freezing green beans from the garden and not having them turn out soggy when unfrozen?

[AARPRachelA]

Hi @Imagine948! I don't think there is a trick when it comes to beans! In my experience, the beans I freeze I use to saute or roast, and I start cooking while they are frozen. I've had good experiences thawing corn, cauliflower, and peas!

[DianeC570347]

Wonderful thread! I garden on my balcony now. I used to have four large gardens when I lived in a rural setting: a rock garden, herb garden created in an old, wooden sand box, large veggie patch (shell beans were my favorite!), and a moon garden that lit up when the white, silver and blue folliage took on brilliance during a full moon.

Now it's a mix of veggies, herbs, flowers and house plants outside for the summer on my blacony in Madison.

Therapy, and a bit of zen for a changing world.

[PhyllisK76053]

Yes

[VeryKate]

Love this answer- More a doer than a talker, eh?

[VeryKate]

(This was supposed to be in answer to PhyllisK76053's 5-23-20 perfect response: Yes.)

[DannaX658499]

This is great! Such a sustainable way to continue cycling plants 🙂 In addition to scallions, I also grow bean sprouts in water; didn't know celery was a thing! Will have to try it.