I started my first apartment garden this spring (which you can read about here), having little to no idea of how to do this whole gardening thing, despite my entire families aptitude for it. Growing up I lacked the patience to toil in the dirt for hours at a time. But now I find myself drawn to it and the rewards I could reap for all of my hours with dirt under my nails and potting soil strewn about my apartment balcony.

Now that fall is in full swing, the growing is winding down and everything is ready to be taken off the vine. For anyone in the Seattle area, you know it’s been a really odd summer where everyone who does garden was concerned their toiled over crops would not actually yield much.  I was one of those people, who came up with contingency plans for the little green tomatoes and what would become of them.
Now that it’s all said and done my patience (yes, I have patience) has paid off and the rewards are bountiful. This is today’s picking of ripe and almost ripe. There are still plenty more to pick as soon as they turn color, my hope endures!

The other crop I planted on the off chance it would go Anywhere was a red bell peppers. Bell pepper plants themselves are quite lovely looking, with large lushously green leaves. And now there are flowers blooming! 

How lovely is he? She? I don’t care, it’s a lovely plant.
At this point I don’t care if I get actual fruit off of this guy, it’s success that it survived with me at the helm. 
This first year of apartment gardening was a complete success for me thanks to my great farmer boyfriend who so lovingly showed me the ropes and then let me sink or swim after that. 
I can’t wait ’til next year and what it will bring.