Balcony garden 2011 version

Over the past couple years, I've experimented with growing different veg in containers on my balcony… broccoli, fennel, tomatillo, eggplant, kale, tomatoes, herbs… but after a village of slugs ate their way through all my kale; sad, limp fennel; broccoli that had giant stalks but tiny florets, I decided to stick with the things I've had success with: herbs, tomatoes and hot peppers.

Everything is green right now, but things are growing. Look, strawberries!

Mazzitti hot peppers:

A Berkeley Tie Dye heirloom tomato:

I can't wait to make pesto with this Japanese perilla (thanks for the seeds, Yayoi!):

I'm particularly proud of this Rosemary, because I'd saved a little clipping last Fall from Carlo's garden and kept it alive in a glass of water all Winter until I finally planted it this Spring! I am notorious for being a Rosemary-killer so I consider this an amazing feat.

This year's tomato jungle includes: Black Brandywine, Pink Brandywine, Yellow Perfection, Yellow Aiko (from Japan), Chocolate Stripe, Berkeley Tie-Dye, and Golden Queen. Phew!