-Well we had some rain today, though as of yet we have not had the thundershowers that were also forecast. At the moment things seem to have calmed down, but as the skies haven't cleared I am not particularly convinced that we have seen all of today's inclement weather.
-A few days ago I finally got around to cleaning one of our living room shelving units. The reason for the cleaning was that it had been housing many of the spider mite infested plants, and presumably also housed a number of spider mite eggs. I am hoping that now that the that the entire thing has been cleaned the spider mite remnants have been removed and it will be safe for me to re-introduce plants to that part of the living room. That I dealt with this cleaning job is important as our summer growing season will soon be winding down and I will need to find space for a number of my balcony garden plants indoors. I also hope that this once and for all ends our spider mite saga.
-A few days ago my bike finally arrived from Newfoundland. Unfortunately the rear wheels or brake seem to have been thrown out of alignment sometime between me last seeing the bike and the time that I received it a few days ago. As of yet I haven't been able to diagnose the problem myself so I think that I will likely bring it to a bike shop in the very near future, maybe tomorrow. I am really looking forward to actually having a functional bike in the very near future.
-As of a few days ago I noticed that a blonde woman, presumably from the neighbouring apartment building, is using the green space across from my window as a toilet area for her puppy. While I am not really a fan such things under the best of circumstances, particularly as the area being used is quite visible from where I sit at my desk, it seems that the the woman has decided not to clean up after her dog, making the whole thing much worse.
Today, to make matters worse, I saw a man with the same dog exhibit the same behaviour pattern. This is all the more frustrating as I have not only seen children play in this area, but I have also seen others do renovation related work in the same area. Given the seeming universal human aversion to stepping in dog crap I am quite surprised that this continues to exist. If I was a little more of an outgoing person I might mention this to these people the next time I see it happen, but as that is not really who I am I will probably just continue to let it frustrate me and maybe occasionally blog about it.
-We are in the midst of a fruit fly population explosion. In the past few days things have really taken off. I think that yesterday there must have been hundreds of the things in the kitchen. It seems that, not surprisingly, the compost is an ideal breading ground for them. It would be nice if we could find a way to either control or eliminate them.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Really? Are those the most appropriate comparisons you could think of?
Yesterday I was read an article in the Globe and Mail about the Montreal-based financial planner Earl Jones and some of his alleged victims. What stood out in the article was not the content about the alleged scheme, or really anything directly related to Jones or his actions, but the public statements made by some of the alleged victims. The ferocity and extraordinary level of passion felt by some of these people really jumped out.
While I hopefully will never experience how it feels to learn that my retirement savings have been stolen, I do think that I understand that this must be an incredibly painful and frustrating experience. On the other hand, we must maintain an appropriate perspective on the matter. While many are suffering and in ruins financially, no lives have been lost or direct physical pain caused. This is bad, but this is not diabolical.
Though by reading some of these quotes one might be lead to believe otherwise. One alleged victim, who claims to have lost $20 000, suggested that “Some of the older people are just devastated, they’re on the streets, it’s like genocide.”
The New Oxford American Dictionary defines genocide as “the deliberate killing of a large group of people, esp. those of a particular ethnic group or nation.” Not surprisingly, the definition in the American Heritage Dictionary, “the systematic and widespread extermination or attempted extermination of an entire national, racial, religious, or ethnic group,” is not all that different in terms of overall effect. From these definitions we can paint a pretty clear picture of what genocide is and what Earl Jones has been accused is nothing like genocide. He wiped out retirement savings, he didn’t try to eliminate a religious or ethic group, nor does there appear to be any evidence that this was the eventual goal of his actions.
When talking about the significance of a planned demonstration one of the victims was quoted as saying that “It’s the first step, like Rosa Parks moving from the back of the bus and coming forward.” Really? Like Rosa Parks, a major player in the civil rights movement ? This statement makes it sound as though until now Canadian society was generally in support of fraudulent schemes perpetrated on unknowing senior citizens.
I realize several hundred people are suffering because of this situation, but I wonder if it is reasonable to compare this suffering to the suffering experienced by members of an entire race in the Southern United States. Furthermore, unlike individuals who lost retirement savings because of the failure of this firm, the Jim Crow south systematically oppressed a huge segment of society, exposing them to such things as lynch mobs, the KKK, capricious and arbitrary police action. Fortunately, none of Jones’s victims have had to fear for their lives because of his actions, and this distinction is incredibly important to remember.
Fortunately this series of events has not led to violence, committed either by the victim or the alleged perpetrator. I hope that things stay this way, though I worry because comments, such as “We have an epidemic of fraud in Canada, it’s time to bring out the exterminators,” sound a little like threats to me. If some of the victims aren’t careful (and having such things published in national newspapers is not careful) they could find themselves in legal trouble, just like the man they are so busy hating.
Moreover, by overstating the extent of the suffering and severity of the alleged crimes the victims risk obfuscating the real issues and bringing more attention to their own actions and opinions than those of Jones. In this case, as in some many others, bad metaphors really aren’t the shortest or best road to justice. The justice system seems to be doing its job, why don’t we let it just keep plugging away.
While I hopefully will never experience how it feels to learn that my retirement savings have been stolen, I do think that I understand that this must be an incredibly painful and frustrating experience. On the other hand, we must maintain an appropriate perspective on the matter. While many are suffering and in ruins financially, no lives have been lost or direct physical pain caused. This is bad, but this is not diabolical.
Though by reading some of these quotes one might be lead to believe otherwise. One alleged victim, who claims to have lost $20 000, suggested that “Some of the older people are just devastated, they’re on the streets, it’s like genocide.”
The New Oxford American Dictionary defines genocide as “the deliberate killing of a large group of people, esp. those of a particular ethnic group or nation.” Not surprisingly, the definition in the American Heritage Dictionary, “the systematic and widespread extermination or attempted extermination of an entire national, racial, religious, or ethnic group,” is not all that different in terms of overall effect. From these definitions we can paint a pretty clear picture of what genocide is and what Earl Jones has been accused is nothing like genocide. He wiped out retirement savings, he didn’t try to eliminate a religious or ethic group, nor does there appear to be any evidence that this was the eventual goal of his actions.
When talking about the significance of a planned demonstration one of the victims was quoted as saying that “It’s the first step, like Rosa Parks moving from the back of the bus and coming forward.” Really? Like Rosa Parks, a major player in the civil rights movement ? This statement makes it sound as though until now Canadian society was generally in support of fraudulent schemes perpetrated on unknowing senior citizens.
I realize several hundred people are suffering because of this situation, but I wonder if it is reasonable to compare this suffering to the suffering experienced by members of an entire race in the Southern United States. Furthermore, unlike individuals who lost retirement savings because of the failure of this firm, the Jim Crow south systematically oppressed a huge segment of society, exposing them to such things as lynch mobs, the KKK, capricious and arbitrary police action. Fortunately, none of Jones’s victims have had to fear for their lives because of his actions, and this distinction is incredibly important to remember.
Fortunately this series of events has not led to violence, committed either by the victim or the alleged perpetrator. I hope that things stay this way, though I worry because comments, such as “We have an epidemic of fraud in Canada, it’s time to bring out the exterminators,” sound a little like threats to me. If some of the victims aren’t careful (and having such things published in national newspapers is not careful) they could find themselves in legal trouble, just like the man they are so busy hating.
Moreover, by overstating the extent of the suffering and severity of the alleged crimes the victims risk obfuscating the real issues and bringing more attention to their own actions and opinions than those of Jones. In this case, as in some many others, bad metaphors really aren’t the shortest or best road to justice. The justice system seems to be doing its job, why don’t we let it just keep plugging away.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
The only ‘quiz’ I will ever complete
Are you sick and tired of the Facebook/social networking quizzes that require you to copy and paste them then remove all of the past respondent’s answers before adding all kinds of personal details about your life?
Yes, I thought so, they drive me nuts too.
I have decided to solve this by coming up with a very quick quiz that can simply be copied and pasted, there will be no need for you to remove the old answers and insert your own answers. Such a quiz will allow one to feel as though they are active participants in internet meme culture without having to go to the trouble normally associated with such participation.
No need to thank me, but I have just saved you upwards of five minutes.
Anyway, just copy and paste this text, post it as a note, and tag some number of your frenemies to encourage them to keep the quiz going. Presumably if this quiz isn’t kept alive and completed by millions there will be serious karmic consequences for you and the people you neglected to tag (this wouldn’t be of the genre if there weren’t some serious consequences associated with non-completion).
On to the quiz
1. Quadruped or biped?
Biped normally, quadruped only if I were to have too much of certain types of intoxicants (LOL!)
2. Air breather?
Every day, typically without even thinking about it
3. Multi-celled organism?
Since shortly after I was conceived
4. A liquid you can’t live without?
Water, or blood
5. What is the shortest, in terms of number of letters, English indefinite article that you know?
‘A’
6. On which planet do you live?
Earth
Yes, I thought so, they drive me nuts too.
I have decided to solve this by coming up with a very quick quiz that can simply be copied and pasted, there will be no need for you to remove the old answers and insert your own answers. Such a quiz will allow one to feel as though they are active participants in internet meme culture without having to go to the trouble normally associated with such participation.
No need to thank me, but I have just saved you upwards of five minutes.
Anyway, just copy and paste this text, post it as a note, and tag some number of your frenemies to encourage them to keep the quiz going. Presumably if this quiz isn’t kept alive and completed by millions there will be serious karmic consequences for you and the people you neglected to tag (this wouldn’t be of the genre if there weren’t some serious consequences associated with non-completion).
On to the quiz
1. Quadruped or biped?
Biped normally, quadruped only if I were to have too much of certain types of intoxicants (LOL!)
2. Air breather?
Every day, typically without even thinking about it
3. Multi-celled organism?
Since shortly after I was conceived
4. A liquid you can’t live without?
Water, or blood
5. What is the shortest, in terms of number of letters, English indefinite article that you know?
‘A’
6. On which planet do you live?
Earth
Monday, July 27, 2009
Balcony Garden Update 8
It has been a few days since I last posted photos of my balcony container garden so I am sure that you are all waiting with baited breath to see which changes have taken place in the last few days. Not surprisingly, given that we are in prime growing season, things have generally been moving along quite nicely, though we still seem to be relatively far away from actually having much that we might be able to consume.
Though one of the thunbergia plants has grown much more than the others, at least a few of them now seem to have started to at least begin to look like they may turn into vine-like plants. I am hoping that maybe by the end of the summer one or two of them may even have flowers.
The scarlet runner beans are continuing to grow quite rapidly, and a few have even started to flower. I am expecting that within a few days there may even be signs of the early stages of beans, though maybe I am being overly optimistic.
The morning glory seeds that I planted while Kirsten was here a few days ago have really impressed me with the rapidity of their growth. On the other hand, while they have been growing quickly, they haven't really progressed beyond this stage, which isn't a particularly exciting stage to look at. I guess eventually they should have some kind of blue flower, but I really don't know what that is supposed to look like.
While Kirsten was here we also planted some cumin. While there isn't much to look at right now, I am presuming that I will start to get some proper development at just about the time I will have to move the plants inside because of the risk of frost. Presumably, because of the reduce level of sunlight, the plants will then basically do nothing and remain relatively unproductive, like most of my plants so far.
The tomatoes are continuing to grow taller. The height of at least a few of the plants is beginning to worry me as the ice cream containers the plants are in aren't particularly large, nor to they provide a particularly substantive base. I keep expecting to find that they have been blown over by a gust wind or some such thing. The good news is that a few of the plants now have flowers. I am hoping that this means that they will soon have fruit.
The banana plant is another of the plants whose growth is pleasantly surprising me. Not only did it sprout a two pups a few days ago, but the leaves it is producing on the main stalk are continuing to become larger with each iteration. I am quite curious to see how large the leaves will become by the time I have to bring it in for the winter.
For some reason I decided to plant some lettuce when I was in the midst of planting in late May. As of the past few weeks the lettuce plants in the larger of the two pots have really begun to come into their own. I am thinking that I might even suggest that Neil and Rebecca start harvesting some of the lettuce in the coming days (I am not really interested in doing it myself as I don't like leaf lettuce).
The peas, the the scarlet runner beans and tomatoes, are another set of plants that have finally begun to flower. Each day I go out to check on them I feel as though I am finding more flowers. Unfortunately, I still haven't found any pea pods, or signs that they will be forthcoming ( I guess a little patience might be necessary).
The pepper plant is now showing three or for buds that will presumably turn into flowers. Given my past experience with pepper plants I have no idea whether these will actually turn into fruit of some sort or now. Anyway, I guess I am just glad that this plant is still alive and doing well given its earlier encounter with those problematic spider mites.
The scarlet runner beans and yellow beans in the planter have continued their rapid growth. While most of the yellow beans now have flowers, it seems that the scarlet runner beans have simply been putting on additional vine. Almost all of the scarlet runner beans are now tall enough that they are making their way along the string parallel to the floor of the balcony. My only disappointment with these scarlet runner beans is that they haven't yet started to flower.
The more recently planted peas and sugar beets are continuing to grow at a reasonable pace, though I know that in all cases I have too many plants for the quantity of soil that is available. The yellow bean has several beans that should be ripe in a few days.
I guess everyone is now up-to-date with the recent balcony container garden developments. Hopefully none of you were too upset that I left you hanging for over a week without an update. I know how much these updates mean to internet users generally, and our regular readers specifically. Hopefully such laziness won't overtake me too much more in the future (though I think we all know that it will).
Though one of the thunbergia plants has grown much more than the others, at least a few of them now seem to have started to at least begin to look like they may turn into vine-like plants. I am hoping that maybe by the end of the summer one or two of them may even have flowers.
The scarlet runner beans are continuing to grow quite rapidly, and a few have even started to flower. I am expecting that within a few days there may even be signs of the early stages of beans, though maybe I am being overly optimistic.
The morning glory seeds that I planted while Kirsten was here a few days ago have really impressed me with the rapidity of their growth. On the other hand, while they have been growing quickly, they haven't really progressed beyond this stage, which isn't a particularly exciting stage to look at. I guess eventually they should have some kind of blue flower, but I really don't know what that is supposed to look like.
While Kirsten was here we also planted some cumin. While there isn't much to look at right now, I am presuming that I will start to get some proper development at just about the time I will have to move the plants inside because of the risk of frost. Presumably, because of the reduce level of sunlight, the plants will then basically do nothing and remain relatively unproductive, like most of my plants so far.
The tomatoes are continuing to grow taller. The height of at least a few of the plants is beginning to worry me as the ice cream containers the plants are in aren't particularly large, nor to they provide a particularly substantive base. I keep expecting to find that they have been blown over by a gust wind or some such thing. The good news is that a few of the plants now have flowers. I am hoping that this means that they will soon have fruit.
The banana plant is another of the plants whose growth is pleasantly surprising me. Not only did it sprout a two pups a few days ago, but the leaves it is producing on the main stalk are continuing to become larger with each iteration. I am quite curious to see how large the leaves will become by the time I have to bring it in for the winter.
For some reason I decided to plant some lettuce when I was in the midst of planting in late May. As of the past few weeks the lettuce plants in the larger of the two pots have really begun to come into their own. I am thinking that I might even suggest that Neil and Rebecca start harvesting some of the lettuce in the coming days (I am not really interested in doing it myself as I don't like leaf lettuce).
The peas, the the scarlet runner beans and tomatoes, are another set of plants that have finally begun to flower. Each day I go out to check on them I feel as though I am finding more flowers. Unfortunately, I still haven't found any pea pods, or signs that they will be forthcoming ( I guess a little patience might be necessary).
The pepper plant is now showing three or for buds that will presumably turn into flowers. Given my past experience with pepper plants I have no idea whether these will actually turn into fruit of some sort or now. Anyway, I guess I am just glad that this plant is still alive and doing well given its earlier encounter with those problematic spider mites.
The scarlet runner beans and yellow beans in the planter have continued their rapid growth. While most of the yellow beans now have flowers, it seems that the scarlet runner beans have simply been putting on additional vine. Almost all of the scarlet runner beans are now tall enough that they are making their way along the string parallel to the floor of the balcony. My only disappointment with these scarlet runner beans is that they haven't yet started to flower.
The more recently planted peas and sugar beets are continuing to grow at a reasonable pace, though I know that in all cases I have too many plants for the quantity of soil that is available. The yellow bean has several beans that should be ripe in a few days.
I guess everyone is now up-to-date with the recent balcony container garden developments. Hopefully none of you were too upset that I left you hanging for over a week without an update. I know how much these updates mean to internet users generally, and our regular readers specifically. Hopefully such laziness won't overtake me too much more in the future (though I think we all know that it will).
Sunday, July 26, 2009
A Few Quick Notes 336
-We had another beautiful day in Halifax. If I allowed myself to be a little picky I would point out that it was maybe a little hot and certainly a little humid, but as I am not allowing myself to take such a stance I won't make these complaints.
-Fortunately things cooled down a little by the time we had to play our Ultimate game. Much to my surprise, even after the McCartney and KISS shows the field was in relatively good shape (by Newfoundland standards). Unfortunately, while the field was a little better than I expected, our team was not. It seems we just didn't have it today. From almost the beginning of the game it was clear that we were unlikely to win. The only up-side of all of this was that the opposing team were a pleasure to play, even on fouls everything worked out wonderfully.
-A few days ago Neil and Rebecca took advantage of a movie rental deal and rented The Watchmen. There were two aspects of the viewing experience that I found particularly surprising. Firstly, I just couldn't wait for the movie to end. I really didn't care about any of the characters or the story, or how the whole thing resolved itself. Secondly, I couldn't believe how campy many of the special effects looked, particularly when others looked pretty good. The really cheesy looking blue guy just didn't do it for me. Also, I am pretty sure that I have finally come to the conclusion that I tend to actively dislike movies based on comic books, they just don't work for me (kind of like the materials they're based on). Of course this likely doesn't matter as those who feel similarly were likely wise enough to avoid the film and thus don't need my rushed opinion on the topic while those of tend to like comic book movies probably enjoyed the experience (but I guess this is likely everything else on this blog, here whether there is an audience or not).
Edit: I am pretty sure that I mean 'superhero stories' instead of 'comic books.'
-Due to a sale at one of the local grocery stores last week Neil and I have been eating quite a number of barbecued sausages these past few days. While it has been a generally pleasant experience so far, I imagine that by the time we finish our supply I will be fine without similar sausages for at least a few days, if not a few weeks.
-Fortunately things cooled down a little by the time we had to play our Ultimate game. Much to my surprise, even after the McCartney and KISS shows the field was in relatively good shape (by Newfoundland standards). Unfortunately, while the field was a little better than I expected, our team was not. It seems we just didn't have it today. From almost the beginning of the game it was clear that we were unlikely to win. The only up-side of all of this was that the opposing team were a pleasure to play, even on fouls everything worked out wonderfully.
-A few days ago Neil and Rebecca took advantage of a movie rental deal and rented The Watchmen. There were two aspects of the viewing experience that I found particularly surprising. Firstly, I just couldn't wait for the movie to end. I really didn't care about any of the characters or the story, or how the whole thing resolved itself. Secondly, I couldn't believe how campy many of the special effects looked, particularly when others looked pretty good. The really cheesy looking blue guy just didn't do it for me. Also, I am pretty sure that I have finally come to the conclusion that I tend to actively dislike movies based on comic books, they just don't work for me (kind of like the materials they're based on). Of course this likely doesn't matter as those who feel similarly were likely wise enough to avoid the film and thus don't need my rushed opinion on the topic while those of tend to like comic book movies probably enjoyed the experience (but I guess this is likely everything else on this blog, here whether there is an audience or not).
Edit: I am pretty sure that I mean 'superhero stories' instead of 'comic books.'
-Due to a sale at one of the local grocery stores last week Neil and I have been eating quite a number of barbecued sausages these past few days. While it has been a generally pleasant experience so far, I imagine that by the time we finish our supply I will be fine without similar sausages for at least a few days, if not a few weeks.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
A Few Quick Notes 335
-Today, much to my surprise, has been nicer that I expected. At some point yesterday or the day before the forecast lead me to believe that we would be in for a fair bit of rain today, though it turns out this didn't come to pass.
-I have been quite busy procrastinating these past few days, the result being that I have had no time to blog or work on my thesis. I am hoping that I can put an end to the problem on both fronts this evening.
-As I mentioned last week, we were planning on checking out the Halifax KISS concert. As it turns out, we were able to see basically the entire show from an area behind the fenced enclosure. I am quite confident that Kirsten was glad to have seen the show as she can now report to her classmates that she has seen KISS in concert.
As you can see from this less than stellar photo, we were actually able to see the performers from our vantage point, which likely means that we had a better view than some paying customers.
-We were smoked at last week's Ultimate game, though it was a pleasant game. I am hoping that we do a little better at tomorrow's game.
-Today we went to a going away party for some friends who will soon be moving to Calgary. The party was called a 'Sundae Party,' and people were requested to bring sundae toppings. That the party did not take place on Sunday really confused me for a few days, though by the time we arrived at the party I think I had things sorted out.
On Tuesday Neil and I will be helping load the moving van, which should be fun. I have a strange fascination with assisting people move (though I don't really like doing it myself).
-My tobacco has started to grow. As is relatively obvious, the plants could really do with some thinning. Maybe I will try to get around to this in the coming days.
-I think that there were a few more things I was hoping to say but I can't remember them at the moment and I really need to head back to work, maybe if they come to me later this evening I will try to post again.
-One last thing, a few days ago we were walking around downtown Halifax and Neil spotted Lucy of Trailer Park Boys fame. This means that I have now seen Bubbles, Lahey, and Lucy by just hanging around downtown Halifax. I wonder if I keep at it much longer if I will see any of the other cast members.
-I have been quite busy procrastinating these past few days, the result being that I have had no time to blog or work on my thesis. I am hoping that I can put an end to the problem on both fronts this evening.
-As I mentioned last week, we were planning on checking out the Halifax KISS concert. As it turns out, we were able to see basically the entire show from an area behind the fenced enclosure. I am quite confident that Kirsten was glad to have seen the show as she can now report to her classmates that she has seen KISS in concert.
As you can see from this less than stellar photo, we were actually able to see the performers from our vantage point, which likely means that we had a better view than some paying customers.
-We were smoked at last week's Ultimate game, though it was a pleasant game. I am hoping that we do a little better at tomorrow's game.
-Today we went to a going away party for some friends who will soon be moving to Calgary. The party was called a 'Sundae Party,' and people were requested to bring sundae toppings. That the party did not take place on Sunday really confused me for a few days, though by the time we arrived at the party I think I had things sorted out.
On Tuesday Neil and I will be helping load the moving van, which should be fun. I have a strange fascination with assisting people move (though I don't really like doing it myself).
-My tobacco has started to grow. As is relatively obvious, the plants could really do with some thinning. Maybe I will try to get around to this in the coming days.
-I think that there were a few more things I was hoping to say but I can't remember them at the moment and I really need to head back to work, maybe if they come to me later this evening I will try to post again.
-One last thing, a few days ago we were walking around downtown Halifax and Neil spotted Lucy of Trailer Park Boys fame. This means that I have now seen Bubbles, Lahey, and Lucy by just hanging around downtown Halifax. I wonder if I keep at it much longer if I will see any of the other cast members.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Balcony Update 7
Much to my surprise, today turned out to be a rather sunny and pleasant day. As I was inspecting my plants this afternoon I had the sense that just about everything everything was doing well and had made some progress in the past few days.
At least one of the thunbergia plants has really taken off. Over the course of just a few days it has turned into something vine-like and seems to be working its way around the cords supporting the pot. Eventually I am going to try to add some string to connect the two hooks on which the hanging pots are hanging. If all goes according to plan some of the scarlet runner beans will also come into the equation.
The scarlet runner beans working their way around the column are putting on vine length and blooms. I am hoping to see signs of beans within a few days. Assuming all of the potential blooms turn into beans we should have quite a runner bean harvest.
The banana has really taken off in the past few days. Aside from the two new shoots at the bottom of the plant, it seems that each new leaf is larger than the last. The only problem with all of this growth is that the plant may soon outgrow its current plant.
The tomatoes seem to have a few more buds that look as though the are about to bloom, to go along with the one flower that we have presently. While all of this bud activity is going on the plants are continuing to grow taller each day.
The watermelons seems to be a little larger than they were when I purchased them and transplanted them a few weeks ago, but not all that much larger. I am hoping that I get at least a vine or two before they succumb to frost in the fall.
While the pea plants continue to grow I see no signs of the plants developing elements that should eventually turn into peas. I am assuming that such developments should occur in the coming days as the plants are now about six weeks old.
Within the past few days the pepper plant has been showing signs that it is about to flower. I think that I can see at least three buds. Given the rate of development of these buds I assume that it will be at least a few more days before they open. I have no idea if the flowers will eventually turn into peppers, though I hope that they do.
The beans in the planter continue to do well. A number of the yellow beans are beginning to flower while the scarlet runner beans are racing up their strings.
Actually, just recently a second plant reached the top of the original string set-up and has started to make its way along the string just below the rafters.
The more recently planted peas, like the other peas, are continuing to grow without showing signs of productivity. Fortunately the yellow bean plant seems to have the early stages of a handful of beans. Another nice development in this area is that the recently planted sugar beet seeds seem to have started to sprout, and may be visible (in the reddish pot in the front). While I have too many seeds in this pot I am hoping that the plants may eventually produce some type of edible output.
In other news, the morning glory seeds that I planted a few days ago are also starting to sprout. Unfortunately the mint and cumin seeds aren't yet showing signs of life.
The best plant related news may actually be that the tobacco seeds, which are presently in my room, have started to sprout and have thus started their journey towards being the key components of some of Halifax's best home-rolled cigars.
At least one of the thunbergia plants has really taken off. Over the course of just a few days it has turned into something vine-like and seems to be working its way around the cords supporting the pot. Eventually I am going to try to add some string to connect the two hooks on which the hanging pots are hanging. If all goes according to plan some of the scarlet runner beans will also come into the equation.
The scarlet runner beans working their way around the column are putting on vine length and blooms. I am hoping to see signs of beans within a few days. Assuming all of the potential blooms turn into beans we should have quite a runner bean harvest.
The banana has really taken off in the past few days. Aside from the two new shoots at the bottom of the plant, it seems that each new leaf is larger than the last. The only problem with all of this growth is that the plant may soon outgrow its current plant.
The tomatoes seem to have a few more buds that look as though the are about to bloom, to go along with the one flower that we have presently. While all of this bud activity is going on the plants are continuing to grow taller each day.
The watermelons seems to be a little larger than they were when I purchased them and transplanted them a few weeks ago, but not all that much larger. I am hoping that I get at least a vine or two before they succumb to frost in the fall.
While the pea plants continue to grow I see no signs of the plants developing elements that should eventually turn into peas. I am assuming that such developments should occur in the coming days as the plants are now about six weeks old.
Within the past few days the pepper plant has been showing signs that it is about to flower. I think that I can see at least three buds. Given the rate of development of these buds I assume that it will be at least a few more days before they open. I have no idea if the flowers will eventually turn into peppers, though I hope that they do.
The beans in the planter continue to do well. A number of the yellow beans are beginning to flower while the scarlet runner beans are racing up their strings.
Actually, just recently a second plant reached the top of the original string set-up and has started to make its way along the string just below the rafters.
The more recently planted peas, like the other peas, are continuing to grow without showing signs of productivity. Fortunately the yellow bean plant seems to have the early stages of a handful of beans. Another nice development in this area is that the recently planted sugar beet seeds seem to have started to sprout, and may be visible (in the reddish pot in the front). While I have too many seeds in this pot I am hoping that the plants may eventually produce some type of edible output.
In other news, the morning glory seeds that I planted a few days ago are also starting to sprout. Unfortunately the mint and cumin seeds aren't yet showing signs of life.
The best plant related news may actually be that the tobacco seeds, which are presently in my room, have started to sprout and have thus started their journey towards being the key components of some of Halifax's best home-rolled cigars.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
A Few Quick Notes 334
-Well, we seem to be back to the gray and rainy weather of June. I guess I am glad that we had a least a few days of sun, but it would have been nice if it had lasted at least a few more days.
-Neil and I have another Ultimate game tomorrow. I am really hoping that the rain doesn't make the field too wet and unpleasant. Though I haven't yet discussed it with her, I wouldn't be surprised if Kirsten came along with us to see us play (assuming our game isn't rained out).
-Though I haven't purchased them yet, I am thinking that we might have burgers for dinner tonight. I hope this is alright with everyone else.
-Last night Kirsten and I, along with a friend of mine, made our way down to the waterfront to check out some of the tall ships that are in town for the Tall Ships Nova Scotia Festival 2009. We timed our visit so that we could see some of the ships during and then hang around for the nightly fireworks show, which Kirsten was particularly interested in seeing.
The show started with a literal bang, though the figurative bang seemed to be missing. For about the first five minutes they kept sending up lone fireworks, all of the same variety, about every 45 seconds. This was less than enthralling, certainly when you have been hanging around just to see the fireworks show. Eventually things really picked up and the show turned out to be one of the best fireworks displays that I have seen. They did some neat things so that there were roman candle type things that went up to just below where the shells were exploding, which was a very nice effect. The other neat thing they did was have multiple shells explode in quick succession so that it seems smaller explosions were filling the ball created by a larger explosion. (It seems that tonight's show has been pushed to tomorrow because of the poor weather.)
After the show we met up with my friend's sister. As Kirsten wouldn't have been able to join us at a bar we all made our way back to our apartment where we had a few drinks, talked, and consumed a few pounds of turnip sticks. I like to think a good time was had by all, minimally, I exposed three people to the pleasure of raw turnip sticks.
-This morning Kirsten and I made our way to the Halifax Farmers' Market for a brief visit. Before heading to the waterfront to check out a few more of the tall ships we stopped for breakfast a local coffee and donut shop. We each had a beverage and I ordered a half-dozen donuts for us to split. It seems Kirsten was only willing to eat one of the donuts, which meant that there were five for me to eat. While I was able to cruise through the first four pretty quickly, I simply couldn't make it through the fifth. So while I am disgusted with myself for not being able to finish, I am pretty sure it wasn't worth powering through just so that I could say that I had completed the task. If you are interested, this is what was left of the final donut.
(Edit: Last night we spotted Newfoundland cabinet minister Tom Hedderson along the waterfront, and this morning we spotted our local MLA, and former political science prof, Leonard Preyra.)
-After 'breakfast' we made our way back to the waterfront, where quite a bit of fog had rolled in since the night before. I was quite impressed with the fog effect, it made things look a little more piratical, even the Coast Guard ships.
Unfortunately, the fog and moisture didn't really do much for the bouncy apparatuses. I really can't imagine that these could be any fun in such conditions.
-Last week we had the Paul McCartney concert, this week we have a KISS concert. While the Paul McCartney concert was fortunate enough to have near perfect weather, the Kiss crowd won't be so lucky. It is presently raining and there is a chance that there might be a thunderstorm this evening. I am also wondering who, and how many, will be attending this show. I just can't imagine that many people have much of their ticket budget left given the number of large shows that have already taken place (Paul McCartney, Bon Jovi, and the country thing in PEI), or are about to take place (AC/DC) in the region. Hopefully they make a go of it tonight. Whether it is a success or not, we are likely to all go for a walk by the concert site to see how things are going, and so that we can claim to have heard KISS in concert.
-Neil and I have another Ultimate game tomorrow. I am really hoping that the rain doesn't make the field too wet and unpleasant. Though I haven't yet discussed it with her, I wouldn't be surprised if Kirsten came along with us to see us play (assuming our game isn't rained out).
-Though I haven't purchased them yet, I am thinking that we might have burgers for dinner tonight. I hope this is alright with everyone else.
-Last night Kirsten and I, along with a friend of mine, made our way down to the waterfront to check out some of the tall ships that are in town for the Tall Ships Nova Scotia Festival 2009. We timed our visit so that we could see some of the ships during and then hang around for the nightly fireworks show, which Kirsten was particularly interested in seeing.
The show started with a literal bang, though the figurative bang seemed to be missing. For about the first five minutes they kept sending up lone fireworks, all of the same variety, about every 45 seconds. This was less than enthralling, certainly when you have been hanging around just to see the fireworks show. Eventually things really picked up and the show turned out to be one of the best fireworks displays that I have seen. They did some neat things so that there were roman candle type things that went up to just below where the shells were exploding, which was a very nice effect. The other neat thing they did was have multiple shells explode in quick succession so that it seems smaller explosions were filling the ball created by a larger explosion. (It seems that tonight's show has been pushed to tomorrow because of the poor weather.)
After the show we met up with my friend's sister. As Kirsten wouldn't have been able to join us at a bar we all made our way back to our apartment where we had a few drinks, talked, and consumed a few pounds of turnip sticks. I like to think a good time was had by all, minimally, I exposed three people to the pleasure of raw turnip sticks.
-This morning Kirsten and I made our way to the Halifax Farmers' Market for a brief visit. Before heading to the waterfront to check out a few more of the tall ships we stopped for breakfast a local coffee and donut shop. We each had a beverage and I ordered a half-dozen donuts for us to split. It seems Kirsten was only willing to eat one of the donuts, which meant that there were five for me to eat. While I was able to cruise through the first four pretty quickly, I simply couldn't make it through the fifth. So while I am disgusted with myself for not being able to finish, I am pretty sure it wasn't worth powering through just so that I could say that I had completed the task. If you are interested, this is what was left of the final donut.
(Edit: Last night we spotted Newfoundland cabinet minister Tom Hedderson along the waterfront, and this morning we spotted our local MLA, and former political science prof, Leonard Preyra.)
-After 'breakfast' we made our way back to the waterfront, where quite a bit of fog had rolled in since the night before. I was quite impressed with the fog effect, it made things look a little more piratical, even the Coast Guard ships.
Unfortunately, the fog and moisture didn't really do much for the bouncy apparatuses. I really can't imagine that these could be any fun in such conditions.
-Last week we had the Paul McCartney concert, this week we have a KISS concert. While the Paul McCartney concert was fortunate enough to have near perfect weather, the Kiss crowd won't be so lucky. It is presently raining and there is a chance that there might be a thunderstorm this evening. I am also wondering who, and how many, will be attending this show. I just can't imagine that many people have much of their ticket budget left given the number of large shows that have already taken place (Paul McCartney, Bon Jovi, and the country thing in PEI), or are about to take place (AC/DC) in the region. Hopefully they make a go of it tonight. Whether it is a success or not, we are likely to all go for a walk by the concert site to see how things are going, and so that we can claim to have heard KISS in concert.
Recent movie viewing
I guess I watch movies from time to time, but it doesn't seem to be a major part of my life, which is presumably why there isn't much discussion of such topics here on Montifax. So, in a break with tradition, I having been thinking that there are two movies that I watched recently that I might like to briefly discuss.
For no reason other than for simplicity's sake, I will go in the order in which the movies were viewed.
On Tuesday evening all four of us attended a Dalhousie Alumni Association organized pre-release screening of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Given the timeliness of the screening (that it occurred before the movie's official release) made the event rather popular. As we suspected that this would be the case we showed up about an hour before the movie was to start. Amazingly, even as early as we arrived we still had to rush to get four seats together.
After some amazingly bad Dal Trivia and a short promotional video about a Dal program we made our way onto the more traditional pre-movie fare, meaning the previews. Most of the previews weren't particularly enticing, but one stood out from the crowd as particularly ridiculous. The trailer was for the movie Sherlock Holmes. The problem stemmed from the fact that the movie doesn't seem to have much to do with any of the Sherlock Holmes stories, the main connection seems to be the names of the characters. I don't imagine that I will be making an effort to see this film in the theatre when it is eventually released.
Anyway, I guess I might get on to the actual movie. While this installment in the series again sticks to the main plot points, I felt that really skimmed the surface more than the other movies. I guess my overwhelming sense of the film was that they were racing as quickly as possible to the end, which was less of an end than a set-up for the movies based on the final book. Much of the texture and feel of the experience was just abandoned, seemingly without much gain.
If one is into these movies it is likely that they have already seen it, if one isn't into these movies all that much, but expects to eventually see it, I would suggest that you wait for it on DVD (I just don't think that the theatre experience added that much). Anyway, it seems that my assessment, and other like it, aren't really all that important as the movie has already brought in millions of dollars, and we aren't even through the opening weekend. I guess this is just another sign that quality and box-office revenues are not always as tied to one another as one might hope.
On Wednesday, after running a few errands, Kirsten and I stopped by Video Difference to rent a movie. For some reason Kirsten wasn't particularly willing to involve herself in the search, so most of the responsibility for the selection fell to me. After a brief search we settled on Wet Hot American Summer, a movie that has been recommended by Jesse Thorn of The Sound of Young America and Jordan, Jesse, Go! several times.
Almost as soon as we started watching the movie, which pokes fun at summer camp movies (among other things), we found ourselves laughing quite aggressively. The portrayal of hormonally driven teenagers was particularly good (it seems all of the counsellors were making out with, or trying to make out with, their co-workers almost constantly). The intentional continuity issues were also great.
One of the aspects of the movie that I liked was that while there were elements of plot, it seems like a movie that one could just start watching at almost any point and still find it funny.
So in conclusion, high points for Wet Hot American Summer, and not-so-high points for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
For no reason other than for simplicity's sake, I will go in the order in which the movies were viewed.
On Tuesday evening all four of us attended a Dalhousie Alumni Association organized pre-release screening of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Given the timeliness of the screening (that it occurred before the movie's official release) made the event rather popular. As we suspected that this would be the case we showed up about an hour before the movie was to start. Amazingly, even as early as we arrived we still had to rush to get four seats together.
After some amazingly bad Dal Trivia and a short promotional video about a Dal program we made our way onto the more traditional pre-movie fare, meaning the previews. Most of the previews weren't particularly enticing, but one stood out from the crowd as particularly ridiculous. The trailer was for the movie Sherlock Holmes. The problem stemmed from the fact that the movie doesn't seem to have much to do with any of the Sherlock Holmes stories, the main connection seems to be the names of the characters. I don't imagine that I will be making an effort to see this film in the theatre when it is eventually released.
Anyway, I guess I might get on to the actual movie. While this installment in the series again sticks to the main plot points, I felt that really skimmed the surface more than the other movies. I guess my overwhelming sense of the film was that they were racing as quickly as possible to the end, which was less of an end than a set-up for the movies based on the final book. Much of the texture and feel of the experience was just abandoned, seemingly without much gain.
If one is into these movies it is likely that they have already seen it, if one isn't into these movies all that much, but expects to eventually see it, I would suggest that you wait for it on DVD (I just don't think that the theatre experience added that much). Anyway, it seems that my assessment, and other like it, aren't really all that important as the movie has already brought in millions of dollars, and we aren't even through the opening weekend. I guess this is just another sign that quality and box-office revenues are not always as tied to one another as one might hope.
On Wednesday, after running a few errands, Kirsten and I stopped by Video Difference to rent a movie. For some reason Kirsten wasn't particularly willing to involve herself in the search, so most of the responsibility for the selection fell to me. After a brief search we settled on Wet Hot American Summer, a movie that has been recommended by Jesse Thorn of The Sound of Young America and Jordan, Jesse, Go! several times.
Almost as soon as we started watching the movie, which pokes fun at summer camp movies (among other things), we found ourselves laughing quite aggressively. The portrayal of hormonally driven teenagers was particularly good (it seems all of the counsellors were making out with, or trying to make out with, their co-workers almost constantly). The intentional continuity issues were also great.
One of the aspects of the movie that I liked was that while there were elements of plot, it seems like a movie that one could just start watching at almost any point and still find it funny.
So in conclusion, high points for Wet Hot American Summer, and not-so-high points for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
Balcony Garden Update 6
In a break with past practice, this will be a somewhat abbreviated rundown on the recent balcony plant developments. The main reason for this is that I didn't want to photograph all of the plants as it was raining and doing the job properly would have meant me climbing about in the rain, something I wasn't really interested in doing today.
In general, things seem to be continuing to grow. The sunlight of the past few days doesn't seem to have done any harm. Some of the most impressive growth, at least as far as I am concerned, can be found among the scarlet runner beans. The plants growing around the column are really growing quite quickly, and a number of them are starting to show blooms. In a few days I expect that the scarlet flowers that make the plants so striking will start to appear, and then be followed by the beans.
The beans in the planter are also growing rapidly. Another of the plants is just about to reach the top of the original string set-up, and a few more are just a few inches away. As you can see in this photo, a number of the plants are starting to fill-in and look a little less skimpy. I am really looking forward to the planter beans being productive, as I imagine that they should be able to produce quite a number of beans.
The tomatoes are another of the types of plants that are continuing to grow quite quickly. I am particularly impressed with the tomatoes in the green pot, as they were purchased from the local grocery store not all that long ago, and somehow they seem to have caught up with some of the others.
The most important tomato related development is that one of the pre-blooms has finally turned into a bloom.
All of a sudden a few days ago the oldest yellow bean plant started showing signs of all kinds of potential blooms. Within a few days a number of blooms and beans were visible. I can't wait to start harvesting.
Unfortunately, of the recently planted seeds, only one sugar beet seed seems to have sprouted. I am hoping that in the coming days some of the tobacco, cumin, mint, and flowers will start to show signs of growth.
In general, things seem to be continuing to grow. The sunlight of the past few days doesn't seem to have done any harm. Some of the most impressive growth, at least as far as I am concerned, can be found among the scarlet runner beans. The plants growing around the column are really growing quite quickly, and a number of them are starting to show blooms. In a few days I expect that the scarlet flowers that make the plants so striking will start to appear, and then be followed by the beans.
The beans in the planter are also growing rapidly. Another of the plants is just about to reach the top of the original string set-up, and a few more are just a few inches away. As you can see in this photo, a number of the plants are starting to fill-in and look a little less skimpy. I am really looking forward to the planter beans being productive, as I imagine that they should be able to produce quite a number of beans.
The tomatoes are another of the types of plants that are continuing to grow quite quickly. I am particularly impressed with the tomatoes in the green pot, as they were purchased from the local grocery store not all that long ago, and somehow they seem to have caught up with some of the others.
The most important tomato related development is that one of the pre-blooms has finally turned into a bloom.
All of a sudden a few days ago the oldest yellow bean plant started showing signs of all kinds of potential blooms. Within a few days a number of blooms and beans were visible. I can't wait to start harvesting.
Unfortunately, of the recently planted seeds, only one sugar beet seed seems to have sprouted. I am hoping that in the coming days some of the tobacco, cumin, mint, and flowers will start to show signs of growth.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Balcony Garden Update 5
Given the recent turnaround in the weather, things seem to be really taking off, or at least a few things seem to be taking off and the rest are plugging a way as usual.
The thunbergia has really come into its own these past few days. The largest of the seven plants seems to have developed a lead shoot, kind of like the beans, that is putting on noticeable length each day. I am thinking that in a few days or so it will have started working its way around the ropes holding the pot. I just wish a few more of the plants were at a similar stage.
The runner beans also seem to have really taken of in the past few days, there seem to be shoots going all over the place. Additionally, I think many of them are showing signs of what I hope will eventually be flowers, and then beans. As far as I am concerned these developments are both a little overdue.
As usual, the tomatoes are continuing their upward progress without making much progress towards viable fruit. The only positive sign in the direction of potential fruit is that one or two of the pre-blooms don't seem to be quite as tight as they were a few days ago. I am hoping that this means that in a few days we might have a few actual blooms.
While some of the pea plants seem to have taken advantage of the support poles I have inserted in the pots, other seem to have eschewed them for a more free form growth pattern. Neither way of growing seems to be showing better results as none of the plants seem to have anything that looks like a future pea.
The scarlet runner beans in the planter are stilling changing quite dramatically on a daily basis. The tallest of the plants finally reached the top of the initial string set-up causing me to add an additional string running to front of the balcony. I am hoping to get the beans to then make their way along this string towards the hanging pots. If I am incredibly lucky I may be able to get the scarlet runner beans and the thunbergia to grow along some of the same section of string.
For those of you that are interested, you should be able to see the new string in the photo below.
I should also mention that I have planted a few menthol mint seeds and sugar beet seeds. The pots with the mint are the smaller pots next to the banana plant while the beet seeds are in a pot next to the more recently planted peas, which are next to the scarlet runner beans in the planter.
The thunbergia has really come into its own these past few days. The largest of the seven plants seems to have developed a lead shoot, kind of like the beans, that is putting on noticeable length each day. I am thinking that in a few days or so it will have started working its way around the ropes holding the pot. I just wish a few more of the plants were at a similar stage.
The runner beans also seem to have really taken of in the past few days, there seem to be shoots going all over the place. Additionally, I think many of them are showing signs of what I hope will eventually be flowers, and then beans. As far as I am concerned these developments are both a little overdue.
As usual, the tomatoes are continuing their upward progress without making much progress towards viable fruit. The only positive sign in the direction of potential fruit is that one or two of the pre-blooms don't seem to be quite as tight as they were a few days ago. I am hoping that this means that in a few days we might have a few actual blooms.
While some of the pea plants seem to have taken advantage of the support poles I have inserted in the pots, other seem to have eschewed them for a more free form growth pattern. Neither way of growing seems to be showing better results as none of the plants seem to have anything that looks like a future pea.
The scarlet runner beans in the planter are stilling changing quite dramatically on a daily basis. The tallest of the plants finally reached the top of the initial string set-up causing me to add an additional string running to front of the balcony. I am hoping to get the beans to then make their way along this string towards the hanging pots. If I am incredibly lucky I may be able to get the scarlet runner beans and the thunbergia to grow along some of the same section of string.
For those of you that are interested, you should be able to see the new string in the photo below.
I should also mention that I have planted a few menthol mint seeds and sugar beet seeds. The pots with the mint are the smaller pots next to the banana plant while the beet seeds are in a pot next to the more recently planted peas, which are next to the scarlet runner beans in the planter.
New seeds
As regular readers will know, several days ago I ordered a few packages of seeds from Richter's in Ontario. After an excruciating wait of about 5 days, they finally arrived. As Kirsten arrived today and we were looking for something to do we decided to try planting a few of the seeds this evening.
Given that both of us were most interested in the tobacco seeds/plants, that is where we started.
I decided to try starting the seeds in small, homemade paper pots that I would then place inside jars (which I hope will act like greenhouses). After making the pots Kirsten and I filled them with soil and started the planting process. As you can see from the image above, the seeds are quite small, much smaller than I expected.
Not surprisingly, the whole process didn't really take all that long.
Any the planted seeds and whatnot have now been moved to the windowsill in my bedroom. I am hoping that a few of the seeds germinate and don't overheat in the homemade greenhouses.
Once the tobacco seed operation wrapped we moved on to the menthol mint and sugar beets. In both cases I am pretty sure that the pots I used are too small and that I put too many seeds in each pot. Anyway, that is what I have been doing all summer, I don't know why I would want to change now.
Given that both of us were most interested in the tobacco seeds/plants, that is where we started.
I decided to try starting the seeds in small, homemade paper pots that I would then place inside jars (which I hope will act like greenhouses). After making the pots Kirsten and I filled them with soil and started the planting process. As you can see from the image above, the seeds are quite small, much smaller than I expected.
Not surprisingly, the whole process didn't really take all that long.
Any the planted seeds and whatnot have now been moved to the windowsill in my bedroom. I am hoping that a few of the seeds germinate and don't overheat in the homemade greenhouses.
Once the tobacco seed operation wrapped we moved on to the menthol mint and sugar beets. In both cases I am pretty sure that the pots I used are too small and that I put too many seeds in each pot. Anyway, that is what I have been doing all summer, I don't know why I would want to change now.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Balcony Garden Update 4
After a month of rather poor weather, things recently turned to sun, which is presumably good for my plants. Amazingly, the plants continued to grow through our patch of rather poor weather. On the whole, I am really quite impressed with how things are looking. Considering the weather, and the growing conditions, I don't think I could expect much more from these plants (though I did have slightly higher hopes when the seeds were being planted).
As has been my habit, I will start with the top and work my way down and across.
One of the thunbergia seems to have finally taken off and started too look a bit like a vine. The other few plants seem to be growing a little more slowly. I guess I am just pleased that one of these has finally started to giv'er a little. I was starting to think that these were on the dud side of the plant world.
The scarlet runner beans that I planted in late May have finally started to come into their own. Relatively rapidly they are making their way along the guide strings I installed a few weeks ago. I am hoping that blooms appear in the very near future, though I imagine that such a development has been in part delayed because of the location of the plants and the fact that they have been hit with some pretty strong wind these past few weeks.
The banana has really started to take off these past few days. Not only are the recent top leaves much larger than previous leaves, they are growing more quickly. The most impressive/important recent development is the growth of two new shoots at the base of the plants. I imagine that if I knew how to do it, I could separate these from the main plant and start a second and third banana plant, which might be pretty neat. Maybe I will try to look into how I might go about such a split, it could be a worthwhile investigation.
The tomatoes seem to be putting on a few centimeters every few days, which I find quite impressive (especially given the sun shortage of the past month). Sadly, the things that look like the should eventually turn into blooms don't really seem to be making progress towards the bloom stage. I am hoping that the sun of the past few days will help on this front.
The peas are continuing to grow, though I don't seem to be providing them with adequate support. I am hoping that this isn't going to be too much of a problem as I don't really have a means of providing better support at the moment. Sadly, there are still no signs of peas as such, which should be that surprising if the information on the package can be trusted.
The previously spider mite infested pepper plant seems to be doing quite well, particularly with regards to overcoming the pest problem. Given the aforementioned infestation I am just pleased that this plant is alive and growing. Any fruit that it produces is a bonus, and a bonus that I have seen no signs of as yet.
The planter with beans has given me great personal satisfaction so far. I love walking out on the balcony in the morning and seeing that a number of the plants have grown and need to be wrapped around the string, or that their leaves are developing without blemish. Not surprisingly, I am hoping that these plants, both the scarlet runner beans and the yellow beans, are productive when it comes to bean production.
A few days ago I planted a few seeds. I was doing this mainly because I had some savory (I think I previously suggested it was sage) that I wanted to plant and it seemed as good a time as any to kill off the peas and start a few radishes. While the savory has started quite nicely, I have been quite impressed with the pea growth, which seems to be much faster than the first peas that I planted. As you can see, I have planted far too many seeds in most of these pots. One seems to have at least five pea plants. Another of the plants that is visible in this photo is the yellow bean plant that I planted in late May. This plant is showing my first bean flowers of the season. Assuming that these blooms all turn into beans I should have about ten beans in a few days.
As you might have guessed, these plants are giving me quite a bit of enjoyment. I guess not everyone is into them quite as much as I am. Anyway, I assume this deals the developments in the balcony garden in sufficient detail, probably more detail that most people actually need.
As has been my habit, I will start with the top and work my way down and across.
One of the thunbergia seems to have finally taken off and started too look a bit like a vine. The other few plants seem to be growing a little more slowly. I guess I am just pleased that one of these has finally started to giv'er a little. I was starting to think that these were on the dud side of the plant world.
The scarlet runner beans that I planted in late May have finally started to come into their own. Relatively rapidly they are making their way along the guide strings I installed a few weeks ago. I am hoping that blooms appear in the very near future, though I imagine that such a development has been in part delayed because of the location of the plants and the fact that they have been hit with some pretty strong wind these past few weeks.
The banana has really started to take off these past few days. Not only are the recent top leaves much larger than previous leaves, they are growing more quickly. The most impressive/important recent development is the growth of two new shoots at the base of the plants. I imagine that if I knew how to do it, I could separate these from the main plant and start a second and third banana plant, which might be pretty neat. Maybe I will try to look into how I might go about such a split, it could be a worthwhile investigation.
The tomatoes seem to be putting on a few centimeters every few days, which I find quite impressive (especially given the sun shortage of the past month). Sadly, the things that look like the should eventually turn into blooms don't really seem to be making progress towards the bloom stage. I am hoping that the sun of the past few days will help on this front.
The peas are continuing to grow, though I don't seem to be providing them with adequate support. I am hoping that this isn't going to be too much of a problem as I don't really have a means of providing better support at the moment. Sadly, there are still no signs of peas as such, which should be that surprising if the information on the package can be trusted.
The previously spider mite infested pepper plant seems to be doing quite well, particularly with regards to overcoming the pest problem. Given the aforementioned infestation I am just pleased that this plant is alive and growing. Any fruit that it produces is a bonus, and a bonus that I have seen no signs of as yet.
The planter with beans has given me great personal satisfaction so far. I love walking out on the balcony in the morning and seeing that a number of the plants have grown and need to be wrapped around the string, or that their leaves are developing without blemish. Not surprisingly, I am hoping that these plants, both the scarlet runner beans and the yellow beans, are productive when it comes to bean production.
A few days ago I planted a few seeds. I was doing this mainly because I had some savory (I think I previously suggested it was sage) that I wanted to plant and it seemed as good a time as any to kill off the peas and start a few radishes. While the savory has started quite nicely, I have been quite impressed with the pea growth, which seems to be much faster than the first peas that I planted. As you can see, I have planted far too many seeds in most of these pots. One seems to have at least five pea plants. Another of the plants that is visible in this photo is the yellow bean plant that I planted in late May. This plant is showing my first bean flowers of the season. Assuming that these blooms all turn into beans I should have about ten beans in a few days.
As you might have guessed, these plants are giving me quite a bit of enjoyment. I guess not everyone is into them quite as much as I am. Anyway, I assume this deals the developments in the balcony garden in sufficient detail, probably more detail that most people actually need.
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