Just got back after a month away, and was pleasantly surprised to find that even though summer apparently deserted Vienna for most of the time that I was gone, my plants did just fine! They got full sun on the roof, and the metal roofing retained whatever warmth there was available. Instant greenhouse.

Leafy greens of all kinds do really well here. I think they look pretty nice as well, especially with a few bargain “balcony mix” plants tucked in for color. I have been thinning them and using the babies for salads, but there are still plenty left for cooking. I expect I’ll be able to keep trimming the chard for the rest of the growing season and have a constant supply of it for eating. Maybe the spinach, too.

I don’t plant vegetables to save money, but given that chard can cost as much as $5 for a small bunch here, I am pretty sure my garden is at least paying for itself over time, and probably then some. On the way: zucchini, bush beans, plenty of basil for pesto, garlic (an experiment), two kinds of cherry tomatoes. Oh, and parsley, after I replant some of that 🙂