hello from Minnesota

[AnnetteR]

Hi. I currently live in an apartment but I try to do what I can to make my life simpler and more enviromentally friendly. I turned 40 this year but I think I've been headed in this direction for many years. I don't own a microwave, which baffles a lot of people. A dishwasher came with my apartment but it seems to be an excessive waste of water and electricty (no offense to people that use dishwashers). Recently I've begun washing my clothes in a tub and line drying them, even if it means hanging clothes all over my bedroom. I'm trying to assess what vegetables I can most successfully grow on my third floor apartment balcony. I made my very first sheet of recycled paper today - it's still drying. All my papermaking tools are items that I recycled from inside my apartment. I was reading the "carry-a-bag" link and, though I don't have bags that I take to the store to reuse each time I shop, I go absolutely mad when the bagger starts stuffing my groceries into dozens of plastic bags. It's almost as if their sole purpose is to send you home with as many plastic bags as possible. I now insist on bagging my own groceries as I can get everything in less than half the number of bags that they do. Why do they even bother to put a gallon of milk in a bag anyway? Right now I can only hope to someday have a small practical home and some land to grow some of my own food stuffs. I was born and raised in a big city so there's a lot I need to learn to reach my end goal.



I'm rambling but I can't resist adding one last note. About a year or two ago I saw a program on public broadcast, "Alone in the Wilderness", and was really inspired to strive for a self-sufficient lifestyle. Ok. All done rambling.

[Millymollymandy]

Hi Annette and welcome to the forum. There are plenty of people here who can give advice on growing veg on balconies.

Interesting to hear about the plastic bags in the supermarket - I thought you always got given big brown paper bags for groceries in the United States? I always wondered quite how you were supposed to carry them without handles! Anyway most of this 'info' comes from watching American films of course!

[glenniedragon]

Welcome to the site! There are loads of wise sages on here (note I didn't say OLD sages!) and you sound like you've youre head on the right way!

kind thoughts
Deb

PS making your own paper sounds good, do you do crafty bits with it afterwards?

[Ranter]

Hiya Annette,

I've got a small courtyard garden which is bigger than most balconies, but I still have to grow in containers for now.

I often use broken up polysterene for drainage in the bottom of containers, this is would be good for balconies as it's light. I've successfully grown tomatoes, french beans, runner beans & a variety of herbs in containers. This year I'm trying spinach & a courgette plant. Trailing tomatoes (eg Tumbler) can also be grown with herbs & edible flowers in a hanging basket. I'm doing that this year too.

You'll get loads of much more useful info from this site. Welcome.

[AnnetteR]

Thanks for the welcome.

Millymollymandy (wow that's a mouthful :)) - all the grocery stores I've been to offer both plastic and paper though baggers usually use the plastic because it's quicker to jam stuff into them. Some paper bags have handles but I usually grab the ones without handles. As long as the bags aren't too heavy I can carry one in the crook of each arm and carry two others in with my hands, with the tops of the bags scrunched up or fold so I have something to grab onto. I'm old enough to remember when stores only had paper.

Deb - I haven't yet figured out what I'm going to do with the paper I'm making, but I still feel good about making it. If nothing else I'll give it to my little one to color on.

Ranter - thank you, that's very encouraging. I'll have to look around to see if I can find some discarded flower boxes somewhere and other containers that I can recycle into garden boxes for my balcony.

[Andy Hamilton]

hello AnnetteR and welcome to the forum.

Is it complicated to make your own paper?

I grow some of my stuff in containers, it cetainly makes weeding easier. Seem to be having some sucess with lettuces in a window box this year. The slugs are much easier to control when growing them like this.

[Hillbilly]

Hi and welcome from a fellow rambler This site is brill and will more than likely provide you with answers as well as inspiration but if you fancy a good and more-portable-than-a-laptop/pc read there is an excellent book called 'Edible Container Gardening' you can maybe get from a library?

[AnnetteR]

Andy - It seems simple enough. All the information you need to get started can be found online. There are simple instructions for making molds and deckles. My first sheet isn't paper thin but it will make a very lovely card.

Hillbilly - thank you. I've checked my local library and they do have the book (and 32 other related books).

[Wombat]

G'Day AnnetteR,

I agree with your stance on dishwashers! Refure to use 'em on principle myself.

My brother used to have a flat in Cabramatta (Sydney) and grew all sorts of things but he didn't get a lot of sunlight so the veggies tended to get a bit leggy. Do you have a southern exposure?

Oh and welcome to the site!

Nev

[AnnetteR]

Nev,

I'm in a third floor apartment with a south-southeast facing balcony. We get sun most of the day.

[Wombat]

Terriffic Annette, You should be able to grow all sorts of stuff!

Nev