Progress and Regress

I have little tomatoes growing! The violas are blooming quite beautifully, each day their colors become more vibrant. One new pot of violas has sprouted as well. I recently planted peppermint and oregano in the old strawberry pots and the basil seeds I planted have sprouted and are starting to look like basil. The pepper plants have also started to bloom.

So now for the regress. The biggest disaster was the Topsy Turvy. We set it up last night with a Yellow Pear Heirloom tomato plant. This morning I discovered the screw had come loose from the patio ceiling and the Topsy Turvy had fallen and the tomato plant was in four pieces (one had been launched into the peppermint plant). The Topsy Turvy is fine, we just need to use a bigger screw hook (we were using one that was already installed) and find a more secure spot in the ceiling. But I will have to buy a new tomato plant, and that is annoying.

The other problems are more mild. The cilantro bombed. I got barely more than a salad out of it and it died in the heat. So the tent next to mine at the farmers market sells potted herbs (I bought the oregano and peppermint from them) and I had heard them say they had a solution to the cilantro problem. They sure do. Its called culantro, its a close relative of cilantro and tasted the same (just a little more potent) but looks completely different. It is a better plant than cilantro in many ways: you can dry it, you can freeze it, it can withstand cooking, it doesn't die in the heat, and it doesn't die as soon as it flowers. I'll keep you posted on how it works out. I'm very excited about it. Kirke likes it too, she's been sniffing and licking it.

My peas appear to have some sort of fungus, light grey spots on the leaves. I will have to look it up. I also had three catapillars eating the same yellow pepper plant that Kirke stepped on a while back. That poor plant has bad luck. It is a real trooper though, nothing seems to stop it. It is shorter than the others and full of holes, but looks just as healthy.

Pictures to come soon, but not today. Maybe when I get the Topsy Turvy up for real.