adventures in terrace gardening

Two months ago I decided to try and plant some tomatoes on my terrace. I have been craving a garden for years, but lacking a yard, I didn't think I could grow fresh veggies. Well, I decied to give it a go, and boy - did it work!

This is my terrace on May 4. I planted six tomato plants that we picked up at the store - not knowing anything about tomatoes, I didn't realize the plants come in different varieties, some better for terraces. We just bought what they had available. These happen to be the vining kind, not the best for terraces, they do have shorter bushier types for that. But these worked well, anyway, for our terrace.

Here is a picture of the newly plants tomatoes. Also, in the corner you can see my avocado plant, started from a seed from an avocado we ate. We now have three plants - all starters. I don't know if they will actually bare fruit, but I am hoping. And they are pretty plants, anyway.

I also planted one tomato plant upside down, inspired by the Topsy Turvey planter thing. I really should have used a larger planter, but we couldn't figure out a way to attach it anywhere (that yellow wall is not strong enough) and so we just threw it in a planter we had, and said *what the hey*. You can see the little plant coming out the bottom. I planted a little flower in the top, but have now replaced it with a water bottle cut in half, and a tiny hole poked in it, to provide a slow drip of water to the tomato.

Three springs ago I picked up this little strawberry planter, and six plants, and for the last three years we have had luscious strawberries! (although, my neighbor tends to eat most of them because they grow when we are on vacation...) The fruit is bare right now, but the leaves look really good.

I also have two lemon trees - one I purchased, and the same week Zia Giuili got me one for my birthday. This spring they didn't look so hot after the cold winter, but after feeding them a few times, and giving them lots of sun and water, they are taking off. They are loaded with flower buds and teeny tiny lemons.


Here are my plants now. They are about five or six feet tall, and LOADED with tomatoes and flowers. Loaded.

The upside down tomato has one great tomato growing and lots of new flowers. He is a little slower I think because the lack of dirt and water. But, he is doing pretty good, considering.


My avocado trees are growing like weeds. The tall one is about six feet tall, too. And loaded with new growth.

Today we picked the first two tomatoes. They are a little funny shaped, I think because when I was in Seattle they suffered a little for water. The newer ones on the vines are all perfect and round.

Next year I plan to do this again, but will definitely invest in a bigger pot, and maybe plant only two or three tomato plants. I think soon we are going to have them coming out of our ears. They need watered about twice a day now because the weather has been so hot, and their planters are too small. They are thirsty little suckers. I also want to plant a zucchini. I love fresh zucchini!

I also picked up some Sangue di bue at the store when I was searching for some tomato fertilizer. It had a picture of tomatoes in the label, and I knew sangue was blood. I had heard that some kind of blood stuff was good for tomatoes, so I bought two bottles. It is GROSS. It is literally ox's blood. I have used it three times, once a week, and the plants seem to love it. I used it for all of my plants, and seriously, they are all thriving. It is a great food, if you can get over the smell and the bubbles it makes when you add water. EWE!

If you have wanted to plant a garden, but don't have the yard for it, go for a terrace garden! It is just a little investment, a little bit of work, and lots of reward!!