Watermelon Radish

When I planted a container of beets back in July there were a few that didn't germinate so I reseeded those spots with watermelon radish seed. Just a couple of spots (in container gardening, every square inch is precious). That was two months ago. They looked ready to eat so I pulled them up this morning and sliced into one.

I like growing them because they don't ask for much and as far as radishes go, have a mild yet radishy taste. Maybe I'll slice these up and store them in some brine for a couple days. Pickled Radish? Why not. 

It's Not Over Yet

Almost October. I still have a few root vegetables growing on the balcony. Even a few tomatoes left on the vine. But the night temps are coming down fast and getting closer to freezing.

Couldn't wait for the Radishes

I pulled up some Radishes today: cherry belle, french breakfast and a single white icicle. They could have stayed down a little longer but pulling them up and eating them was too tempting. A few yellow beets looked big enough to come out also. That leaves me with about half a dozen yellow beets left in the container and another second container of radishes that might be ready before the first frost. I've also got a container with some peas growing and I still have a couple of tomatoes on the vine that should be ready in the next week or two.

Colourful Carrots

Time to pull the carrots. I started these over two months ago and kept them up in a relatively sunny spot next to the edge of the balcony. The tub (tote) I used was 10x16 and 12 inches deep. I worked some fertilizer into the potting soil before seeding and routinely watered with a diluted fertilizer mix. As they grew I thinned out the 'runts'. The carrots I got ranged from minuscule to an inch in diameter. The roots on the longest carrots reached down almost to the bottom of the tote and about half developed nice chubby shoulders. Purple Haze grew best for me although the Baby carrots fattened up nicely also, just didn't grow as long as I expected. The Snow Whites didn't turn out all that great but at least they taste like carrots. I don't think I'll grow them again but the Purple Haze will be on the balcony again next year, spring and summer, in a deeper container with richer soil.

Death of a Tomato Plant

Officially there are still two and a half weeks of summer left but it feels like it's really over today. Our weather went from hot and humid to cold, wet and windy in the course of a single day. Kids are back to school next week. And my tomato plants have finally exhausted their potting soil of all major nutrients and are calling it quits. Still a couple of smaller tomatoes left in there but it doesn't matter. We had a good run this season. I stopped adding ferts a while ago and at this point I just keep them watered so they don't fall over.



Despite the cooling trends in the weather and steady shortening of daylight hours as we head into fall and inevitably winter, I still have 'crops' to tend and new crops to plant. I have some beets growing that need a few more weeks. My carrots can be pulled anytime in the next week or so. I have some snap peas growing that should (hopefully) start flowering this week. And I have a box of radishes taking root that should be ready in a couple weeks also. And there's still time to get some baby salad greens and more radishes in before the snow starts to fall.