New Plants!

Left to right:  Floppy coriander, bushy mint, flowering thyme,
ridiculously green parsley, healthy rosemary, not so healthy
oregano, baby chilli plant, blooming lemon tree, baby
strawberry, big strawberry and Mr and Mrs Tomato

I'm pleased to introduce the latest additions to Little Stalky's balcony garden.  A new chilli plant, two new tomato plants (baby Roma to be precise), a new parsley plant and, for the first time ever, a coriander plant.  And I can already hear Rabby groaning.  I've been advised against trying to grow coriander but I figured for $3.00 I may as well give it a shot.  If it doesn't happen then at least I've got a round of coriander for my chilli con carne that's only about 50c more expensive than what I would have bought in Woolies.  Actually, upon buying my coriander I even bumped into a friend who said she'd never had any success with growing coriander.  Apparently they go to seed very quickly.  They'll freak out if they dry out.  No chance of that at the moment.  You can probably see from the photograph, the the balcony is looking a bit soggy today.  The new plants are getting a drenching.  But they seem happy enough.  I picked them up yesterday at the produce markets in town and was thrilled to come away with my new plant buddies.  Now I'm trying to persuade Mystical Roo to take me to Bunnings so that I can get me some potting soil and some food for the lemon tree.  I figure I'll repot the tomatoes and the chilli but I'll leave the parsley and the coriander alone.  I know parsley is sensitive and doesn't like to be moved and he fared very well in his little pot last time.  Coriander sounds like the sensitive type too so I think I'll leave him be.  I'm loving spring.  New plants, current plants in bloom and a winning battle against the fruit flies.  All I need to do now is plant my seeds and see how I go with the rocket and the sweet basil.  Everything is good except for the fact that I think my oregano has died.  You can sort of see him lurking in the background - in the white bucket.  Not looking overly healthy.  I'll see how he goes but if he decides to head into the big compost bin in the sky - or rather, the little compost bin on my balcony, it will be ok.  He had a good innings.