I’ve waited all through the long and cold winter for this moment and it has finally arrived:  Garden time!!

Lookin' good, guys!

Last year was my first attempt at a garden on my balcony and it didn’t turn out half bad.  I grew some herbs (mint, basil, parsley, chives, savory) and they thrived. I also grew some kale that kept me in greens for weeks… the downfall of my garden last year were my peppers and tomatoes.  I still don’t know what I did wrong, but they all grew to about the size of cherries.  They weren’t cherry peppers or cherry tomatoes, either… in fact, they were bell peppers and beefsteaks.  I’m not 100% for sure on if I’ll be attempting those again, still thinking about it.

Anyway, this year I’ve decided to start early!  I heard about these wonderful things called “cole crops,” that usually refer to plants from the cabbage family, but many people use the term for plants that can handle cooler weather.  So, without further ado, let me introduce you to my current lineup.

We have Pak Choi and Bok Choi (two types of Chinese cabbage), Kale (of course), Leeks, Walla Walla Onions, Spinach, Swiss Chard and Arugula.  As my garden continues I’ll keep this up to date with anything I discover, new plants I get and, of course, any recipes.

So, as this is only my second time growing a garden, if you have any tips for me, I’d love to hear them!!