A Delicate Balance

Lots of exciting things happening on the balcony this week, some of it really demonstrating how much anything in nature is really in a delicate balance and that one change often brings on other changes.

I was able to transplant the little Chia herb pots into much bigger new pots. You can see them in here, the 4 big orange terra cotta pots. I put the whole little Chia sponges into the new pots with a mix of the older MiracleGro potting mix and a new organic potting mix I got at the store. I did a combo cuz I wanted to use up more of the MiracleGro, but as I mentioned with some of the other pots I thought it wasn't great as the entire base for a pot, since those plants are growing so slowly. (Odd, I know.) I did keep the little Chia herb pots going, this time with catnip (a perennial) planted in all of them. Poor Cleo has been so jealous of me spending time out on the balcony where she can't go, she deserves some little treat!


The transplanting went well and the plants seem to be taking to their new digs just fine. But, I do believe the organic potting mix brought along something extra.... gnats!!! I transplanted Monday night, and by Wednesday morning there were a ton of little black gnats flying around out there. Thanks to everyone who offered advice. I decided to try the simplest remedy first, letting the plants dry out for 2 days since gnats thrive in wet soil. That seemed to do the trick. There are still a few out there, but nothing like earlier in the week. Since the plants are outdoors, too, I think the gnats may have noticed that there's a whole wide world out there too and made for the trees that are just a few feet away.

Back to the usual progress report... check this out! Look how tall the marigold plants are getting! That's one pot of the crazy cilantro next to it, with a good-looking little pot of parsley behind it on the right.


About 6 weeks in, it looks like the marigolds, cilantro, parsley, dill, sweet basil, and daisies are all doing just great. Below, clockwise from the top left, that's another pot of parsley, the daisies, the rosemary plant, the sweet basil, another pot of cilantro, the chives on the bottom, and the sweet marjoram in the middle. The latter two are growing, just very slowly... maybe that's their way, though. I'm cheering them on, too!

Next week should be interesting, cuz as of this morning I'm now using plant food in the watering can. We'll see if it makes a difference.