Potato Leek Soup

These were the first veggies I got from our garden a few weeks ago … yeah I’m a bit behind. 

Summer was a little late to start but we had an amazing August, now the trees are turning, the fresh fall air is coming through and my garden seems to think it’s mid July! I’m sure I’ve got another month of beautifully fresh salads and veggies, then I’ll try my hand at some winter crops. Biggest accomplishment this season are the tomatoes I grew from seed, every single one survived and flourished in a garden that hardly gets any sun… so strange.

1 - Garden, small but full =)
2 - Baby french Leeks (from seed, sown in garden)
3 - Red and white salad Scallions (from seed, sown in garden)
4 - Parsley (gone crazy again this year, will probably last through the winter) & Baby Leeks / Red salad lettuce (all from seed, sown in garden)
5 - Cheery tomatoes, crawling across garden (bought as a seedling at the market)
6 - Basil / Heirloom cherry tomatoes (from seed, started indoors)
7 - Heirloom tomatoes, several varieties (from seed, started indoors)
8 - All my tomatoes started from seed indoors, cannot believe they survived!

I’ve been waiting to make these for ages, I bought the stamps online and our Postal system went on strike the next day, go figure. They finally arrived this week so I went stamp crazy and made some for the neighboring gardens too. 

PS - I’m aware it’s tomatoes with an E, but in the name of space you have to make some compromises =)

This update is already a week old and much has changed since, but for personal reference I decided to put it up anyways! 

1 - Heirloom Cherry tomato plant from the Farmers Market 
2 - Either baby Leeks or baby scallions, I don’t remember
3 - Mixed lettuce sown in the garden
4 - Carrots sown in the garden
5 - Parsley sown in the garden
6 -  My basil seedlings exploded after a week of sun, very exciting!
7 - Basil again
8 - Another tomato seedling (most likely the sweetie cherry variety) - not producing
9 - Dill weed 

I just read an article about a similar situation in Michigan not 3 days ago and thought smugly to myself this would NEVER fly where I live. How sobering and sad when you try to better your community and planet. 

sustainable-sam:

Dirk’s article that he wrote is here. But basically, his neighbors don’t like the pile of manure/compost. 

(Source: speakerforthetrees)

Few more shots of our balcony herbs.

1 - Lettuce and Arugula from my landlord
2 - My Tomatos seedlings growing up (lost track of which is which)
3 - French Baby Leeks, seedlings all died but the garden ones are doing great
4 - Heirloom Cherry tomato plant from the Farmers Market
5 - Another tomato seedling (most likely the sweetie cherry variety)
6 - My basil seedlings (not doing so great)
7 - Carrots sown in the garden
8 - Mixed lettuce sown in the garden

It’s been 5 weeks since I planted these little guys. Out of 32 pots only 15 sprouted anything and of those 15 about 10 are doing well. We’ve had maybe a week of total sunshine out of the last 5, so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised at the results. I haven’t weaned them yet so I’m expecting more plant deaths when I move them outside.

The seeds are sown and in their mini greenhouse, just in time for the forecasted week of torrential rain, ugh. They are sitting on my bedroom window with a reading lamp pointed at them in hopes they will believe it to be sun. Year 3 of gardening, can you believe it? I’m starting more things from seed this year, notably tomatoes and peppers, along with a few new items. 

Start indoors
- Heirloom red & yellow pear tomatoes
- Organic Sweetie tomatoes*
- Organic Brandywine tomatoes*
- Organic California Wonder Peppers (sweet)*
- French baby Leeks (cute!!)*
- Organic sweet Basil
- Organic curly Parsley 

Start outdoors (late May when it’s warm enough)
- Baby Romaine lettuce
- Alpine Strawberries (Mignonette)*
- Organic red Lettuce
- Dukat Leafy Dill* 
- French baby carrots (also cute!!)  
- Red and white Scallions*

*first time growing 

What is everyone else growing this year!? Ohhhh Summer is so close!