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Balcony garden

Dipping our toes in a lil self-sustainability.

Our garden lives on a two square meter balcony and consists of tomatoes, baby pumpkins, and lettuce all housed in fabric grow bags. This is the first time we've tried to grow anything edible. There's something calming yet exhilarating about the process of waking up, walking outside, and seeing real growth. We did this.

Seeds in small places

Plants in small clay pots left to right: 1 tomato, 1 baby pumpkin, 2 lettuce
Plants in small clay pots left to right: 1 tomato, 1 baby pumpkin, 2 lettuce

Moved a large portion to 19 liter fabric grow bags

Plants in fabric grow bags left to right: 2 tomato, 1 baby pumpkin, 2 lettuce. Plants in small clay pots left to right: 1 tomato, 1 baby pumpkin, 1 full of scraps
Plants in fabric grow bags left to right: 2 tomato, 1 baby pumpkin, 2 lettuce. Plants in small clay pots left to right: 1 tomato, 1 baby pumpkin, 1 full of scraps

We nibbled on a small piece of lettuce and that got us excited for absolutely anything that comes out of this. My goal is a single tomato. Patience.

Aspirational bamboo sticks added to the two tomato plants and one baby pumpkin plant.
Aspirational bamboo sticks added to the two tomato plants and one baby pumpkin plant.

Blooming

Plants progressing through their life; the baby pumpkin plants especially.
Plants progressing through their life; the baby pumpkin plants especially.

The growth was rapid and our hopes were high. The baby pumpkins were flowering and overtaking the balcony. The lettuce was invoking thoughts of a salad in the near future...

Lettuce leaves spread out drying on a towel.
Lettuce leaves spread out drying on a towel.

Unfortunately, the tomatoes all rotted through the bottom and not one baby pumpkin saw the light of day. Despite this outcome, the joy of cultivating a little garden and having something to nourish us at the end made the effort worth it. We will learn and grow for next time.