Coming Up This Week…

I have some (hopefully) exciting things scheduled this week for Life on the Balcony, so be sure to check back often. These are some of the posts I have planned:

On Tuesday I’ll be launching the December contest. The contest will be fun and the prize will help you quell any gardening withdrawal you might be feeling now that things are winding down in your outdoor garden (hint, hint!).
A bout of rain in my neck of the woods inspired a post about how to protect container gardens during a storm, especially those of us on patios and balconies. Let’s just say, overhangs are not a container gardener’s friend.
A 2 bedroom apartment with two people and four cats (i.e. my apartment) got me thinking about growing plants inside specifically for my cats to eat. I wrote before about keeping your cats away from your plants, but sometimes it’s easier to just give in an grow some greens for your four legged roommates.
An article in Organic Gardening piqued my interest in Cybister Amarillis. Don’t wait for my post, whet your appetite by googling them now. Cybister Amarillis are a nice alternative if you’re looking for a less-than-typical bulb to force inside.

November 30, 2008 | Filed Under General | 7 Comments

Colony Collapse Disorder Documentary

Those of you who have been following the unraveling saga of disappearing honeybees might be interested in an upcoming documentary about the problem called Vanishing of the Bees. Other than a minor stylistic quibble regarding the name (I think the “of the” part of the title is a little bit of overkill, but then, I am silly enough to actually think about those sorts of things, so take my opinion with a huge grain of salt), the documentary seems like it is well researched and visually attractive. The intro to the trailer even features an urban windowsill garden.

Photo by autan

So, if you’re interested in colony collapse disorder, or biodynamics, or sustainable living, keep an eye out for this documentary in your area.

Related Posts:

November 30, 2008 | Filed Under General | 5 Comments

Gift Ideas for Container Gardeners

So, we all know it’s Black Friday, and there is also Cyber Monday for dot com businesses. So I thought I would throw out a few gift ideas for container gardeners, in case you have one or two on your holiday gift list (and no, I am not begging for gifts here!).

Photo by jek in the box

A subscription to a Community Supported Agriculture program. Not everyone can or wants to grow their own food. With a CSA subscription, your loved one gets a box full of fresh produce each week and your gift supports a small family farm. Rising food costs and corporate farms squeezing out family farms makes this gift a win-win no brainer. Here is a list of West Coast CSA programs, if you know of CSAs in other areas, please post them in the comments.
Books. Gardeners can skip a lot of trial and error with a well written gardening book or two. If the recipient grows or wants to grow their own edibles, I can’t recommend Bountiful Container enough. It is the go-to resource for growing edible plants in pots. For other books well suited for gardeners short on gardening space, check out this post I wrote about container gardening books.
Fun Gadgets or Tools. If the person you have in mind really likes growing tomatoes, or might like to try, the Upside-Down Tomato Planter is a fun thing to try and great for small space gardeners. Another fun thing for gardeners to try, especially those who are just getting in to gardening or who have just moved into a new place, is SunCalc, which tells its user how much sunlight a particular spot gets. You can’t go wrong with a nice set of pruners (Felco is a good brand) or tools. And a gift certificate to a local nursery is sure to be appreciated.
Red Envelope. There are also great container plants and projects available through Red Envelope and they just emailed me with some links to use to get some great deals:
ss
$10 off orders of $75 or more (good until 12/3)
Free shipping on orders over $75 (good until 12/31)
10% off (good until 12/31)

Other good ideas can be found at Fine Gardening Magazine’s blog, The Dirt. Oh, and Territorial Seed has a gift basket made up of vegetable seeds for an urban gardener.

What’s on your wishlist this year?

November 28, 2008 | Filed Under Product Roundup | 9 Comments

By Reader Request: Confessions of a Flower Lover

Alexa of Invisible Bees suggested that I soften my disdain for certain plants by pointing out the ones I love. So here goes…

Aeonium arborium ‘Tricolor’ — I love aeoniums in general, and this one in particular (pictured above). I love anything with variegated foliage, and if you add in flecks of red, I am just over the top with love. My Tricolor aeonium has opened up significantly since this photo was taken, you can see it here.
Calibrachoa hybrid Million Bells ‘Terra Cotta’ – What’s not to love about a plant that will spill over the side of your pot and stay covered (practically all year long) in soft orange flowers flecked with deep red?
Ipomea batatas Sweet Potato Vine – I have a variety that has lime green new leaves that age to a rusty-purple color. The look great spilling over the edge of the pot.
Dahlia hybrid Happy Single ‘Party’ – I loved this plant until caterpillars ate it. It has deep purple, nearly black leaves and stems and tons of single yellow flowers. The plants formed nice, compact bushes that were attractive even without the flowers.
Zauschneria californica California Fuchsia ‘Catalina’ – A friend of mine has given me two of these plants and I absolutely love them. They have feathery silver foliage and candy apple red flowers that look like fuchsias. Some people seem to think that you can’t grow very many native plants successfully in containers, but I know for a fact that California Fuchsia doesn’t mind. Oh, and hummingbirds love this plant too.

So, you can’t just complain either. What are your favorite plants?

November 26, 2008 | Filed Under General | 9 Comments

Neat Trick to Keep Forced Bulbs Looking Great

Theresa of Garden Fresh Living has a neat trick to keep your forced bulbs from growing too quickly and flopping over. I won’t give her trick away, but I would have never thought of this, so it is definitely worth clicking over and trying it out.

Photo by ms.Tea

November 25, 2008 | Filed Under Container Gardening, Winter Gardening | 4 Comments

The Indestructible Indoor Plant

Okay, let me start off by saying that this plant is not indestructible. The title was meant to catch your attention, so I left out “nearly,” as in this plant is nearly indestructible.

So what is this magnificint plant? Folks, let me introduce Zamioculcas zamiifolia. Don’t worry if you have no idea how to pronounce its name, neither do I. Just call it ‘ZZ’ everyone will know what you’re talking about. I hope.

Photo by ltrc ttec library

November 25, 2008 | Filed Under Indoor Gardening | 5 Comments

Thanksgiving, Balcony Style

Did ya know that you can BBQ a whole turkey?! I won’t be doing this, as I’m a vegetarian, but if you BBQ your bird, I’s love to know what you think. Does it stand up to roasting?

November 24, 2008 | Filed Under General | 4 Comments

Confessions of a Flower Snob

I’m a flower snob. There. I said it. There are several plants that I just will not plant, no matter how nice they are. I apologize in advance if one of your favorites is on my list. If I do name one of your favs below, I suggest dismissing my opinion as that of some chick without any “real” dirt who lives out there in crazy California.

Plant number one on my list of banned plants are yellow day lilies. Every single garden and commercial landscape in Southern California seems to feature canary yellow day lilies. There have got to be hundreds if not thousands of types of day lilies. But Southern California seems to think that there are only yellow ones. If tomorrow, all plants were stricken from Earth except for yellow day lilies, agapanthus, new zealand flax and marathon grass the majority of the gardens in my parents neighborhood would be just fine.

Photo by David Le Masurier

November 24, 2008 | Filed Under General | 13 Comments

Made in the Shade - A Container Recipe for Bright Shade

This is a container I put together for my parents’ house. It sits next to their front door, under a north-facing overhang. If you live in a mild climate, all of these plants will do fine this time of year, otherwise, file this one away for Spring.

A — Spotted Deadnettle (Lamium maculatum)
B — Coral Bells (Heuchera sanguinea)
C — Cut-Leafed Daisy (Brachyscome multifida)

November 20, 2008 | Filed Under Container Gardening | 7 Comments

Container Gardening Tips for Those With Disabilities

After talking with someone who gardens in her wheelchair, I started thinking about other people who might enjoy gardening but think that doing so is not possible due to their physical limitations. I realize that I am no expert in this area, but I thought I would throw out a few ideas, and hope that those of you who are more experienced than I am will pipe up with your own tips.

Container Gardening is Where It’s At: It strikes me that container gardening is particularly well suited to people who need certain accommodations to enjoy gardening. For starters, pots are usually placed on hard surfaces, which are easier to traverse for those in wheelchairs or who are unsteady on their feet. Also, large containers or planters raise the plants up to lap-level if you will be sitting while gardening. Even if you will be standing while gardening, having plants higher up will be easier on your back, hips and knees. Smaller pots can be placed on plant stands to raise them up to an appropriate height. If needed, containers can be spaced at the correct distance apart to allow a gardener using a wheelchair or walker to easily move around his or her pots.

November 19, 2008 | Filed Under Container Gardening | 15 Comments