The thing is, I don't have room on my balcony for any more big pots unless I get rid of some clematis, and I'm totally not ready to do that. I've been dreaming of having balcony rails covered in vines and blooms too long to give up on it now.
However...
I plant annuals in my flower boxes every year, but didn't really get into it last year. My heart wasn't in it... it didn't feel fun to care for them, it just felt like a PITA.
My friend Kristi showed me that she had done veggies in a bunch of window boxes last year, and I got inspired.
After a (very minimal) amount of research, I settled on the following things to try out (scroll down for detail and pictures of each specimen):
- Purple Tomatillos
- Gold Nugget Tomatoes
- Oregon Sugar Pod Peas
- Little Fingers Carrots
- Minnesota Midget Melons (LMAO!)
- Plum Granny Melons (also known as Queen Anne's Pocket Melons)
- Arikara Watermelons
I purposefully made sure to only get heirloom seeds, so if I do well it'll be easy to grow the same things over and over again.
I also made sure to choose varieties that don't get very big. I'm hoping that small fruit size equates to small roots, since they'll be in such small containers.
We shall see... if nothing else, I should have some interesting foliage in each box!
Purple Tomatillos:
"A uniquely colored tomatillo that is enjoyed for the sweet yet tart flavor it gives Mexican dishes. These small fruit form inside papery husks and begin as pale green, then ripen to a rich, deep purple. Vigorous and productive plants."
Gold Nugget Tomatoes:
"An early golden cherry tomato (the earliest in our test garden). Gold Nugget produces prolifically on a compact determinate bus plant. Its fruit is sweet, flavorful and crack resistant. A colorful addition to salads and relish trays. Harvest regularly for continuing harvest. This has been the first tomato to ripen in our test garden every year that we've grown it."
Oregon Sugar Pod Peas:
"This edible-pod snow pea in not only extra sweet, but an extremely heavy yielder. Pea pods are 4-5", thick and tasty."
Little Fingers Carrots (ewww, they really do look like fingers!):
Little Fingers baby gourmet carrot has tiny tender 3- 5" roots; 1/2 inch thick; golden orange, sweet and crisp. A perfect nantes type carrot for munching or salads. Little Fingers slices easily and is also perfect whole in stir fries. Little Fingers is a wonderful carrot is so small it will work in large pots out on the patio. A perfect carrot for those with small spaces.
Minnesota Midget Melons (I have no idea why, but this name totally cracks me up):
"This very small, very early heirloom was introduced in Minnesota in 1948. Measuring just 4" across, they have sweet, orange flesh and are perfect miniature versions of the "Classic Muskmelon". Compact, 3'-4' vines, produce good yields. I fondly remember these as the only melons our family could get to ripen in Charlo, Montana, about 20 years ago."
Plum Granny Melons (oops... guess these are grown more for their fragrance than their flavor, although they are definitely edible):
"Beautiful, ornamental fruit are yellow with deep orange stripes, and only 2”-3" long! They are grown for their wonderful fragrance! These melons were very popular in Victorian gardens, and have been our most requested melon."
Arikara Watermelons:
"The earliest watermelon. A sure and prolific producer of small melons running from 7 to 12 inches in diameter with almost black skin. The pink flesh is sweet and pleasant, somewhat coarse and of fair quality. If you have trouble raising ripe watermelons, try this one."
Now it's just a matter of waiting for the seeds I ordered to arrive, and hoping I'm not planting too late in the season to get any yield.
One last thing - I noticed yesterday that my strawberry plants are setting buds! I'm actually going to have fresh strawberries that I grew on my very own! I'm so excited! Will take pics after the blossoms open.
