I finally got organised enough to sort out the pots on my balcony. Somehow a family of ants has got up onto my balcony and won't give up. I'm scared of ants (I fell over onto an ant hill as a small child and was covered with a swarm of biting ants), there are loads of them, ruining my plants and becoming interested in climbing up my door and window frames, so they can't stay. I have tried all sorts of eco methods to get rid of them, and finally resorted to ant powder. This has mostly worked but the ants that remain have taken up residence in my 3 storey high strawberry tower, and won't leave!
Anyway, I braved the ants and tackled my pots. I spent about a fiver on the plant stall on the market on some lobelia, geraniums, begonias and purple snap-dragonish plants! I've also got some plants I grew from seed, sweet peas, verbena, nasturtiums, sun flowers and mesembryanthemums.
Here are the mesembryanthemums...they're my favourites, I'm soo glad I grew them!
Sweet peas, grown from seed....
My little rose is on it's 3rd flower this year, one of my pots with begonias and lobelia and ivy. The yellow flowers and the pink verbena are from last year, I cut them back and left them in the pots and they've come again.
In terms of veg, I have some tomatoes waiting to ripen, lots of strawberries, lettuce (which I have failed to photograph), some spinach and chive seeds sown and waiting to grow. The garlic is some I planted a couple of months ago from a sprouty bulb in the fridge, the tops went all brown, so I had a root around and found two little bulbs of garlic had grown - they're yummy!
How do your gardens grow?
Linking up with Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways.
Your balcony looks very pretty, love the hanging lights, I've got some and keep intending to string them up around the fence when I get 'aroundtuit' !
ReplyDeleteDo you have a chair so you can sit and watch the world go by ?
Thank you, I take one of my dining chairs or stools outside and eat my dinner on my balcony, it's been a bit too hot for that recently though, I seem to get full sun all day on that side of the flat.
DeleteYou were very good and ... brave! But I am struggling with aphids, caterpillars, green crickets that eat the leaves of my blackberries, roses and rocket, most parasites that attack the leaves of tomatoes and mint. But not defeated, I'll have to give up some organic remedy against these invaders! ;)
ReplyDeleteGood luck with all your garden 'friends' - sounds like you have a lot! I don't mind most creepy crawlies, but had to deal with the ants as they were so close to my windows and doors, I definitely can't cope with them in my house!
DeleteHi Sooz, I didn't even know that England had biting ants! We have fire ants and they are brutal, I was bit by just one a couple of weeks ago they hurt so bad... hate fire ants!
ReplyDeleteYou aren't the first person that I've heard of having ant trouble this year, maybe there is an ant growth going on? I know you tried all you could, but sometimes we do have to go with the more drastic measures.... your plants are gorgeous, I love your flowers and the food... yummmmmm!!!! Delicious!
Tammy x
Yes, ants are bitey here too, not very nice! I really hope there isn't an ant invasion on the way! argh!
DeleteI just realized that you're on facebook... Why did I not know this :)
ReplyDeleteI'm your newest stalker!
I mean follower! :)
Thank you! :D
Deleteyour sweet peas look so cute. and bravo for tackling your fears & the ants!
ReplyDeleteThanks Connie :)
DeleteLovely pictures! We have earwigs (yuk yuk) and slugs! Had the nicest strawberries I've ever tasted last week which I presume is thanks to the sunshine. But the blueberry plants all perished in the heat (very sad as spent months watching carefully!).
ReplyDeleteThanks Maria :) I hate earwigs, always think they're going to go for my ear! Even though I know they don't (At least I think they don't!).
DeleteSorry to hear about your Blueberry bushes, how disappointing, just as they were about to fruit no doubt. The weather has been too hot!