Summer is here!

That picture above illustrates reason no. 357 why I love Berlin - my terrace.  I have never had an outdoor space anywhere I have lived and I can't possibly describe how happy it makes me.

A week ago it was like 10 degrees Celcius (50 F) and it was grey as can be - then like one day later we woke up and the sun was shining, it was 27 degrees (80 F) and it was like summer suddenly and dramatically arrived.   My garden sure is happy about it too  (though birds keep trying to destroy those flowers above). 

I love to sit out on my terrace in the warm sun with a good book... pausing every now and again to tend to flowers or plants...or maybe sneak a strawberry or cherry tomato or two (they are like little snack trees!).

 I am excited to see my tomatoes and peppers grow through the season.  I am loving learning how to take care of these plants, even with their little problems. I have already had to play with the fertilzer because the peppers weren't getting enough nitrogen (I think...they seem to be perking up now);  and the aphids (grrr) seem to like my tomatoes so I sprayed them with a mix of olive oil, hot pepper and water which supposedly will get rid of them and deter them.

I think right now I am going to quit blogging and got study for German class outside :)

How Does Your Garden Grow?

The happiness that little tiny sprout brings me is hard to explain. I have never, until this spring, attempted to grow anything in my entire life. I have never even had a houseplant. But that little bit of green right there is (hopefully) going to bring me lots of happy little jalapeños this summer.

I have always wanted to have a garden, but have always had something keeping me from it. I move a lot and have rarely had a place to start one (let alone stayed there long enough to make it worthwhile), and I have never had any clue where to even begin - I sooo wish I would have paid more attention to what my mom was doing all those years!!

To be honest, I still have no clue what I am doing whatsoever. I went and bought some containers (I have a large terrace on the 8th floor - but no actual garden), some dirt (200 liters and counting), and some seeds and plants and just kinda went at it. I have a random selection of flowers (all purple and yellow cause you know, its the playoffs and we're Lakers fans)(and kinda dorky apparently), some strawberries, some rosemary and some lavender.


From seeds I started some peppers and some tomatoes (if I can find some Cilantro I will add that to the mix as well - then I'll have everything I need for salsa). So far, everything is doing......ok. The strawberries are very very happy, the Dahlias and Gladiolas are starting to sprout so I guess they are happy too. The rosemary is alive - so far so good on that (I hear its hard to kill so - yay for rosemary!). I already killed some lemon-thyme and the lavender looks pretty sad....but its alive. And my little seedlings are plugging along.

And I am completely and utterly devoted to gardening. Its heaven.