Saturday, March 6, 2010

Hello Autumn

and goodbye to a not so productive summer for my little garden. Between the humidity, bugs and my (not by choice) neglect, there was not much to speak about.

I spent some time clearing up the balcony plants today, ripping up what is on the way out and came to the conclusion, I probably shouldn't grow cucurbits. I don't know if its because we seemed to have so many downpours this summer or if its the lack of air movement on the balcony but I just can not get on top of the mold. The plants germinate beautifully and grow voraciously until the mold appears. And yes I have been careful with my tools, spraying the mold inhibitor spray, etc. So while everyone else blogs about zucchini glutteny, I said goodbye to 7 zucchini, 3 pumpkin and 2 cucumber plants this summer. Without tasting any fruits. So sad.

On a happier note, I seem to do well with the nightshade family. I still have a couple of tomatoes from my surviving plant but my chilli has taken over as my best producer in recent times.


I don't remember the type of chilli it is but its lovely and hot, and produces more than we need. Definitely a winner for a small balcony. And is it just me that thinks the flowers are so pretty?



I've also got some capsicums that I have been watching with baited breath for weeks and finally, Finally! The first few have ripened to a beautiful yellow orange.


They're minature, and oh so cute!

Lastly from the nightshade family, my eggplants were growing well, the plants that is, no fruit to speak of but... the bane of my balcony this summer seems to have a taste for them. Oh how I hate red spider mites. I have now culled all my plants that were overrun by this tiny scourge, even my basil (Damn you spider mites! Damn you). All except for my last lonely eggplant, flowering and all.


It'll have to go too. Just as soon as I can bring myself to do it.

7 comments:

  1. I'm glad to see you are posting again, and what a lovely pepper plant! I do hope I can overwinter one of mine this year, but I don't hold much hope. I always manage to kill house plants.

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  2. I enjoyed your post, and the pictures are great! Happy Autumn!

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  3. I have the opposite problem - my cucurbits are OK but I can't grow chilies and capsicums to save my life! This year I didn't get a single chili on my serrano plant! Just a lot of fallen flowers and bare branches.

    I hate spider mites too. Where do they come from anyway? Horrid things. Half my veggies either get decimated by powdery mildew or by spider mites.

    Have you tried milk sprays as a preventative against molds? They're meant to "inoculate" the leaves with "good critters" that don't let the bad molds take hold. It helped a bit on my pumpkin this year.

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  4. Thanks AG! lol, you have such success with your outdoor plants we'll have to forgive you ;)

    Thank you Tatyana! Happy Autumn =)

    Lol, if only we were closer we could swap some veggies Alexa. I have tried the sprays, and they have helped, but not enough to enable me to get some produce. Having such a limited amount of space I should focus on things that will grow... but who knows, I'll probably have to prove to myself I can do it and will try them again at some point.

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  5. sure looks great! and those flowers are really pretty. I've never had much luck with eggplant - it's the flea beetles that get them every time.

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  6. Oh I love those beautiful, bright-coloured chillies and capsicum growing on your balcony. They look like lanterns and I think they are as beautiful as the flowers.

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  7. Nice to see you back. Sympathise with your mould probs. I have had rose rust and black spot and mould probs. My patio rose which was a birthday prezzie looks like it may not be able to hold on. But autumn's here in the south and so maybe the cold will kill off the invaders. Meantime, best wishes for your fading hopes. Keep trying. Some years are great and they just grow like the clappers. Others ... :-P

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