I simply ran out of room for the basil to have its own home and I've heard tomatoes and basil grow well together so they've become reluctant roommates. Some of the basil is growing so fast...and some of it seems to have stalled! I've given the tomatoes a little bit of a prune so hopefully the basil will get a bit more sunlight now...
One of the basil plants had grown so big so fast that I was able to pinch off a few leaves to include in a pasta sauce I was making for dinner. I still CANNOT stand the smell of basil so working with it in small doses is much better for me I think.
The sauce is nothing special - no recipe, but something I've been making for EVER! I cannot make a tomato based pasta sauce without putting loads of olives into it - I love the saltiness the olives give the sauce.
It doesn't look too appetizing, but it was pretty tasty. These little frozen pastas are always handy to have in the freezer but they often go so gluey when cooking. I call this dish "Pasta Sludge" but The Boy still happily ate it and had the leftovers for lunch the next day. He's a keeper I tell you!
Happy gardening, Miss Piggy xox
You have no idea how many people I've sent your Balcony Harvest posts to. I love the idea of growing something in such a small space and while I have a little more room, I know a fair few people who don't.
ReplyDeleteI've already forwarded on your posts to those people and they've reported back wonderful things so thanks so much for putting this out there :) I think people just need to be reassured that they can grow plants in a small space.
Wow, thank you so much Samantha! The gardening has been fun, hard work, rewarding & heart-breaking...but it's great when I actually get something edible fro it.
ReplyDeleteMy balcony garden was inspired by Indira Naidoo - she has a balcony in Potts Point on the 13th floor and it is literally PACKED with edible plants. She even has a lemon tree AND a curry leaf tree. Next she says she wants quails for their eggs.
I've never heard of Indira Naidoo...although I probably have and just forgotten, this hot weather affects the brain :P Quails? Oh my word! That is some extreme balcony gardening lol.
ReplyDeleteWhat's your favourite plant to date? I have to say I'm super proud of my tomato plant. It's giantic and it smells so good :)
I would love a mini lemon tree. That would make my day.
Indira was an SBS newsreader back in the 90s - she has a blog www.saucyonion.blogspot.com/ and a book too based around balcony gardening. I LOVE her.
ReplyDeleteI think I'm most proud of my eggplants that I grew last year. They took FOREVER to grow and were a true lesson in patience.
I'm going to plant a mini blueberry bush soon - and perhaps some sort of citrus...probably lemons.
Ah she's also a South African. Maybe that's where I heard her name?!
ReplyDeleteOooh eggplants are amazing. Always tastier when home grown too :)
I'd love to see some photos of the blueberry and citrus you're going to be planting. I'll have to keep a sharp eye out for your balcony harvest posts!
"Pasta sludge" LOL.
ReplyDeleteYour plants look so healthy Mel! More goodness from your balcony :)
ReplyDeletemy tomatoes have gone crazy, cant even see the mix of lettuces ive gone next to it anymore!
ReplyDeleteMy basil & cherry tomato plants have become firm friends. The wiry tomato plants have now grown tall enough to give the bushy basil some light & they're all growing gangbusters. I've got Italian basil and Thai basil growing together. The Sydney weather - see-sawing from hot days to rain showers - is giving a firm helping hand. Happy gardening!
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