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.