Starting the garden

Just before Easter, I bought several herb and strawberry plants and a variety of supplies, thinking that I would get them planted during the long weekend. Unfortunately, the Zürich weather did not cooperate and continued to drop to freezing regularly at night (as well as being grey and cloudy and all-around depressing during the day), and I was hesitant to put the plants out on our balcony. So I delayed, and somehow ten days went by.

Very sad herbs. Of course the sun was out for the 10 minutes I took pictures.

The plants are obviously not meant to stay in their original containers for such a length of time, so yesterday morning I decided I needed to repot despite the uncooperative weather. Such activities should probably take place outside, but it was cold and I wanted to stay in my pajamas (coz I'm classy like that), so I just spread out the supplies on our floor.

Post herb-replanting. I did clean up after myself (so B never saw the apartment in this state - hi honey!), but we seriously need to get more than a dustpan and brush. 

I was surprised that the strawberry plants actually survived the best out of all the plants in their tiny little cases. I chose the 4 best looking (out of the half-dozen purchased) for replanting - I hadn't bought a large enough planter for all six.

You'd never guess they were in these tiny little containers for 10+ days! Well, unless you look closely at the front left one.

Of course, by the time I got them up on the windowsill, the sun had disappeared and it started raining about 20 minutes later.

Immediately post-replanting. Note the wet pavement outside. Zürich is like the Seattle of Europe. Also note how disappointed all the plants are about this as well. Me too, fellows.

I am happy that all plants - except perhaps the rosemary, which it may be too late for - look in much better spirits today.

This morning, in the 5 minutes of sunshine. Seriously, how does anyone grow plants around here when there is no sun, ever? Despite that, they have definitely perked up.

Happy strawberry plants. They are definitely planted too close together, but I had no more soil or containers. I will probably replant post-apartment move.

I still have several packets of seeds that I am not sure if I will get to before we move - we don't really have room here to set them up - but I also got some tips from a local this weekend about where to get plantlings instead of just seeds, which makes me feel better about getting such a late start on the garden. She suggested a nursery close to our new apartment, so I will definitely be checking that out immediately post-move. It's probably a good idea to remember how big our new patio will be before I go crazy. In my mind, we have limitless space, and I want fruits and veggies and flowers and tubers and fruit trees in those big pots! This is why B accompanies me on shopping trips. That, and to help carry the items he can't talk me out of - our relationship works on many levels.