Though it isn't particularly apparent in this photo, the banana plant has actually been growing relatively rapidly. As each leaf grows from the centre and unfurls has already started the process. Though it may just be me, it seems that the rate of new leave growth is increasing, and that new leaves are at a more advanced stage of development when they are exposed by the previous leaf.
The aloe droplets are also somewhat visible in this photo. While they haven't been exhibiting an extraordinary rate of growth they do keep plugging along in a relatively consistent manner. I am particularly disappointed that I didn't start them in a much larger pot as I am not really looking forward to the prospect of trying to repot them from such an awkward position. I guess the good thing about their present rate of growth is that I shouldn't have to worry about repotting anytime soon.
I am continually shocked and impressed with this corn plant. As you should be able to see, the ear is getting much larger, and as of yesterday the stereotypical tassels are becoming visible at the top of the ear. I guess this downside of this development might be that the plant is signaling that the ear is nearing full development, which means it won't make for much of a meal.
The two new corn plants are continuing to grow quickly. Everyday growth is apparent. I hope that the increased daylight will help them to grow larger than the other corn plant, though the relatively small pot may limit their growth even if they have access to better sunlight.
While the thyme plant that I have continues to grow at a relatively rapid rate, my attempts grow additional plants in the same pot have proved fruitless. Since the last time I posted photos of this plant two such plants managed to die overnight, though until their death had appeared to be thriving. For some time I have been convinced that he problem with new plants failing has to do with the soil. Unlike the soil I used in many of the other pots, this soil doesn't seem to hold water and seems to be a bit more granular. As I have a little bit of space in the top of the pot I am thinking that I might be able to add some of the better soil to the pot, plant seeds in the new soil. My hope is that by the time the roots reach the old soil they will be well enough established to deal with the poor quality soil. On the other hand, as the one plant is doing so well it seems somewhat foolish to mess with success.
Since the bud on the top of the bay tree opened a few days ago a number of leaves have become visible and the plant has grown about an inch and a half. The new sprout/off-shoot at the bottom is also becoming a little more apparent, with at least two distinct leaves now visible. I now wonder if I have seed most of the new height this plant will put on for the season, or if as the summer progresses it will continue to grow a the rate. If this latter option is the case, it should be quite substantial by the end of the summer.
When shopping with Neil on Friday I purchased a new pot for this plant. While the pot won't be as large as I might have like, I think that new pot will have better drainage and allow for the plant to expand to some degree. Actually, I think the pot is basically the same as the one I have the banana in.
Though I don't spend as many hours a day looking at them, we do also have a number of similar plants on a rack in our living room. It seems that with each margarine container we finish I try to add a new set of seeds of one kind or another.
Within the past few days many of these plants have really come to life, some literally, and other figuratively (meaning that they have come out of their winter slump).
Some of the most noticeable growth has come from the scarlet runner beans that I planted a few days ago. In the few short days since they were planted some of them have grown several feet and have started to climb some strings that I attached to the nearby window. If all goes according to plan, a number of these plants should make it up these strings and around the rack on which they are growing.
Some dill that I planted in the white planter is also continuing to develop, though not at a rate that is particularly impressive. In many ways, the beets I planted in an old ice cream container are impressing me more, though I expect that their rate of growth will slow as they begin to take up more space in the pot.
As you can see, with little prompting on my part the scarlet runner beans are able to wrap themselves around things (plants, string, racks, etc.) and use the previously existing entity as a guide to grow higher. Hopefully that the plants are growing around each other won't be too much of a problem, as a number of them seem to be doing it.
Though in many ways these plants are completely unrelated, they do have one key feature in common, which is that the both were started in the small pot on the left. The zebra aloe, now in a larger pot, has grown a fair bit since we acquired it in the fall. Though I only relatively recently repotted it, I am starting to think that I could have tried putting in a much larger pot.
The chives, which are just a few days old, also seem to be doing well. Another pot of chives on the same rack is showing similarly positive growth trends (and as the plant is a few months older it means that the shoots are much bigger). I am starting to think that in a few days I might be able to harvest my first chives.
As some of you may recall, I posted a video of these watermelon plants a few days ago. Since then I have moved them a little and now placed them on the second to highest shelf of my plant rack. My idea, as foolhardy as it is, is that with the plants in this position I will be able to grow the plants so that the watermelons grow resting on the top of the rack. Once the watermelons fail to develop we will get to see how over ambitious a plan this is.
I really can't wait for thins to warm up a little so that I can start growing things on our balcony, which will allow me to expand my home farming operation rather dramatically. Hell, maybe by the end of the summer I might have actually produced something that I can eat, instead of a number of banzai version of plants that produce inedible fruit. Either way, I am sure that such activities will keep me relatively entertained for the better part of the summer.
Blog-off
Cameron: 27
Neil: 1
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